Peabody directed his trustees to organize the construction of "a suitable fireproof museum building, upon land to be given for that purpose, free of cost or rental, by the President and Fellows of Harvard College."
Peabody instruerede sine trustee'er om at organisere byggeiet af "en egnet brandsikker museumsbygning på land, der skal gives til dette formål, fri for omkostninger eller leje, af Harvard College's Præsident og lærerstab."