The Murie Building received funding through general obligation bonds approved by voters in August 2010. The facility will be built on West Ridge. The West Ridge Greenhouse was dismantled and the Subarctic Agricultural Research Unit buildings were relocated to allow construction of the facility. The West Ridge Greenhouse was replaced with the SNRAS West Ridge Greenhouse being built next to the Arctic Health Research Building.

The facility provides versatile state-of the-art laboratories to support research and teaching in cell and molecular biology, physiology, infectious diseases and neurobiology; several classrooms, including a 150-seat auditorium; and a centralized instructional and administrative home for the Biology and Wildlife Department.