Rockefeller Memorial Chapel

It’s a beautiful building with a huge amount of history. It’s hard to review something like this on a five-​star scale, because really, how can you? There’s sometimes events going on, and I’ve heard there are services as well. I’m not a church-​goer, so I’d check the other reviews for info on that. What I can comment on, is the absolutely amazing architecture and general aesthetics, and the fact that it’s open to the public. Absolutely worth seeing while you’re in Hyde Park, and maybe even Chicago.

An absolutely architectural wonder. A magnificent 132 rank Skinner pipe organ that is played by Thomas Weisflog. A definite must is a tour of the Carillon and tower. Wylie Crawford plays this awe inspiring instrument. Whether you are from Chicago or not, one should make it a point for a qualified visit. You’ll be glad you did.

The big University of Chicago chapel near Robie house opens early, has free water, a bathroom and is free. It is also very nice and has an impressive looking organ. It’s a pretty place and you will enjoy your visit.

An updated review.
Rockefeller is an incredible place and don’t let the term «chapel» (which some may assume to mean a small church) fool you. It’s huge and simply magnificent, with one of the largest if not the largest pipe organs in the state, a bell tower carillon etc.
You should check their web site to see the many offerings because some are not to be missed.
Two of my personal favorites:
The annual silent movie screening:
Around Halloween there is usually a screening of a silent movie with live organ accompaniment and more often than not it’s the internationally acclaimed Dennis James. This is a real treat and my only wish is that it was more than once a year.
Tea & Pipes:
This is a free 30 minute recital on Rockefeller’s giant Skinner pipe organ. Tea & cookies are served (yes, that’s free as well). Sit back, relax and enjoy the music and refreshments. Tuesdays at 4:30 PM during spring and fall terms. Come on by. Plenty of seats.
Now that it’s back at Rockefeller (to stay I hope) after a sojourn at another venue that was more cramped, didn’t allow refreshments, with a charming but hardly grand organ, I restoreth Rockefeller to 5 stars!

We arrived around 11:00 AM to find the doors wide open. A staff member advised us that we could go on a tour of the carillon tower at 11:30. So we took them up on that. What a great experience. The tour takes you up the narrow winding stone staircase all the way to the top. But on the way, the guide, John, explains the history and provenance of the carillon. You get to climb around in hollow spaces above and around the bells and all the mechanics. It all felt very Quasimodo. As you climb through all of this stone and steel, you wonder how they ever got it all up here. Huge brass bells, weighing several tons, all the way from Europe. When they needed tuning. they were removed, shipped back to Belgium and returned. As you wind your way to the very top, you learn about how the bells are played-that’s where Joan comes in. She’s been playing them for about 25 years. Then you can walk outside in four directions to catch a fantastic view of Hyde Park, the lake and the neighborhoods. Top that off with a performance or playing of the carillon by Joan which takes place from noon to 12:30 everyday. These folks’ enthusiasm about the tower and its history and place within the University is contagious. And probably one of the more unique and intimate free tours in the city.

This is a glorious place. I’ve never seen the amazing, softly glowing effect of the decorations in the ceiling (inlaid…what?). The organ is gorgeous, and Tom is a superb organist. I have attended several wonderful choral concerts here by great ensembles — choirs on the international concert stage and local fine ensembles — and I have had the pleasure of singing here as well. The neo-​gothic architecture draws your eyes and your spirit up. Elizabeth Davenport is the wonderful Dean of the Chapel who makes everyone welcome through the many offerings of and in the Chapel, and through her warm and sparkling personality. Chapel Cat Modo is the mascot :-)

I love the Rockefeller Chapel. It is an incredibly beautiful building. During sunset the light shines through the stain glass and lit up the interior. They have weekly mass, meditation session, prayer sessions, as well as rooms that can be used privately downstairs.
Besides hosting services from different religious groups, they also offer carillon tours every weekend. At the time you can go up the tower and see a great view of downtown Chicago skyline and being surrounded by gargoyles! The carillon concert is great and there is only a few of these in the country.
The university also host special events in town at the Chapel. I saw Jane Goodall giving a talk here once and it was a completely amazing experience (she really is a gifted speaker) and makes me want to get up and do something good for the world as well (in the process of working on that!!).
You can go to the website to see the events coming up. I can’t wait to go to another event here.

Stupendous, just awe inspiring stupendous.
John D. Rockefeller was a robber baron whose guilt/​generosity led him to donate money and build many useful and beautiful buildings but he outdid himself here. He must have realized it himself as he allowed it to be named after him, a rarity.
It completes the neo gothic architecture of this wonderful university and provides a focus to the campus. It was a great place to stop in when I was lucky enough to attend summer seminars here many many moons ago and still was on our recent Hyde Park holiday.
I just wish I could attend a wedding here. Not mine, I’ve been married twice, that’s enough. I just would love to see it being used for that purpose.
In the meantime, I will just appreciate it for its architectural glory.

My goodness. I graduated here. It’s beautiful. It’s awesome. It’s hot as hell in the summer. But I was damned proud and happy to be here. Go check it out. It’s open to all, and lovely.

You’d think the age has passed when women attended college for the purpose of getting their MRS degree. Really it has, but when I stepped into this chapel as a first year undergrad I couldn’t help but think «Hmm, I’d like to get married here.»
Some years later I got married here! It was one of the few indulgences I insisted on, a gorgeous ceremony in an epic old cathedral style church. Extra points that it is truly a house of integrated faith, holding Christian, Muslim, and general interfaith prayer services in my experience.
Let me tell you, it feels awesome to walk down the aisle with that fabulous organ playing (Te Deum by Charpentier, if you wanted to know). The place was large enough to dwarf even my massive family, seating over a thousand. The wedding coordinator, Lucy, and the organist, Tom, were accommodating, helpful, all of those positive things when it comes to wedding planning. The place is BYOM: bring your own minister, and they will not make it hard for you to have the officiant of your choice, so any drama will come from your officiant getting clearance from his or her higher ups. Bridezillas beware: there are significant decoration limitations. Personally though I chose the place because I felt it beautiful enough to stand virtually undecorated.

We stepped in here to kill a ½ hour before the Oriental Institute Museum opened @ noon. We didn’t know they were having their Sunday worship and since we’d missed mass this morning (and pretty much every Sunday this summer — shhhh… don’t tell our parish priest) we figured — what the heck… let’s get some churchin’ in us. The service was excellent and communion was for everyone. The architecture was very reminiscent of the dining hall @ Hogwarts castle — vaulted ceilings, stained glass… you get the picture. After the service, the organ player did his thing and it was AWESOME!

My daughter was married to the man of her dreams here. And speaking of dreams, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel feels like a dream; a sweet, happy, beautiful dream.
Only students or alumni (and their children) can be married in this magnificent structure. This is a non denominational chapel, which I feel adds to the beauty. Nothing tacky, not a thing.
The organist is truly gifted. He gives credit to the organ, which is the best I have ever heard. I know for a fact that the instrument is only able to produce perfection when controlled by a master.
This was the most memorable ceremony I have ever been to. I was truly taken off of this planet and visited heaven.

Rockefeller Chapel has become more than just a beautiful place, useful for University events that have a spiritual dimension, or simply require its capacity. It has become a venue for events that are also open to, and enriching to, the community. It has always been the location for the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service – which, even as a rather areligious person, I have always enjoyed. Now, however, it hosts yoga and meditation classes – and even a drum circle – in the amazing setting of the Chancel. There are also interesting art exhibits and performances that make wonderful use of the space. I saw a Red Moon production of the Hunchback of Notre Dame there, that would not have been so incredibly effective anywhere else. The excellence of the Chapel Choir and the organist (and organ) has even brought me to services. The evening concerts and choral series feature highly accomplished, and often unusual, performers and pieces – and are often free or very reasonably priced for community members. Evensong on selected Sunday evenings has occasionally rescued my nerves from life’s onslaughts, and the liberal use of the carillon has sometimes made my trek home from work an enchantment. Kudos to Elizabeth Davenport, the new (ish) Dean! Checkout their Website. There always seems to be something wonderful going on.

This is quite an impressive chapel, especially for being for a university. But hey it was built with Rockefeller money! The organ inside really is amazing and the stained glass windows.

If you are really in to art and building structure you need to vist the Rockefeller Chapel. I have visited here several times for graduations, concerts and mass. It is a nice place where I always feel welcome.