The original design for the main building was a large red-stone Romanesque building that was later rejected for the current design. The building had galleries on two floors with a staircase at that time near the rear of the building. It was intended as funds increased to build a larger grand staircase in the center of the building which they indeed do years later after World War I. The first floor galleries were intended to show-case sculpture and the second floor was intended for drawings and paintings. At the entry there was an opening to the gallery above with railing around to provide fresh air and light, since that time and the advent of modern climate control systems that opening has been covered and ceiling lights take it's space.As you ascend the stairs you will note that there is something strange in the design of the ceiling above for the entire ceiling above the grand staircase is all glass and quite modern looking, not at all in line with the Beau Arts design of the building. Further, you will notice as you look around the mezzanine of the staircase that there are two rows of classical pillars on the east and west sides of the upper gallery and the east side even has arches. What this show is the unfinished plans for the building. It was intended at the time for there to be colonnades all around the second floor rotunda topped off with a Roman dome! However, due to restricted funds these plans were never completed and the "temporary" class ceiling over the grand staircase has become permanent.
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