Academic Building dome to be replaced during restoration project

Work on replacing the Texas A&M University Academic Building's iconic copper dome will begin in 2027 as part of a $30 million restoration and repair project of the the building's exterior. This will be the first time the dome has been replaced in its 112-year history. The new dome will be an exact replica of shiny copper, much as it looked upon the building's construction in 1914.

Brett McCully, chief facilities officer for The Texas A&M University System, said work on the dome should begin after the university's 150th celebrations conclude in spring 2027. 

The replacement will fix seams along copper components that have weakened and corroded, allowing moisture into the building. The dome will be replaced in pieces, with the University Architect's office salvaging historical parts. 

McCully said he expects the new dome to last at least another 100 years. He also said the university has no plans to shine the dome, but will allow it to develop a patina as the existing dome has; he said we can expect to see patina on the new dome within several years. College Station's humid climate can speed up the patination. "The process of polishing or shining metal surfaces ends up removing metal far faster than letting a natural patina protect the underlying material," McCully said. "A key reason copper has been chosen for applications like this is not needing to be shined to maintain a stately appearance." He also notes the safety risk required to get workers and equipment on the dome to shine it regularly.

An Aggie legend holds that Texas A&M cadets had to stop shining the original dome because the sun reflecting off the copper posed a risk to airplanes, but McCully said the shine of the new dome should not cause hazards. 

The entire Academic Building project, which began in June, also addresses the building's exterior stone, brick and masonry, and is set to be complete in 2029. There is no timeline yet on completion of the dome replacement. 

While the building is under construction, the state of Texas' Liberty Bell replica that is typically housed inside has been temporarily relocated to the James A. Baker III Pavilion at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library on west campus, where the public can view it for free.