This science building was originally to be built in Georgian-style architecture, but this was abandoned due to cost and expandability options. Built in 1971, the building remained nameless until 1982 when it was named in honor of the retiring president, Dr. Hudson T. Armerding. As a student at Wheaton he took history courses under Dr. Edman and later earned a Ph.D. in Asian History and Institutions. Dr. Armerding served as acting president of Gordon College before returning to Wheaton to serve in the history department in 1960. In 1963 he became Provost and served in that office until he became President in 1965. The Perry Mastodon exhibit was dedicated in January 1975. In 2010 the Mastodon was moved to the new Meyer Science Center, a state of the art facility replacing Armerding Hall. Meyer features 137,000 feet of space and contains 28 teaching labs, research space for faculty members, a large lecture hall and an astronomical observatory. Armerding Hall is now the Armerding Center for Music and the Arts.
Located at the heart of Wheaton's campus, the new Armerding Center for Music and the Arts will invite musical participation and artistic engagement of all students, staff and faculty; allow the College to host a greater number of campus guests; and allow the College to achieve higher levels of artistic excellence.