Rothko Chapel

Rothko Chapel The Rothko Chapel is a nonprofit cultural landmark, a sacred art space open to all people. Social Media Guidelines: https://bit.ly/3rPXIWZ
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The Rothko Chapel, founded by Houston philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil, was dedicated in 1971 as an intimate sanctuary available to people of every belief. A tranquil meditative environment inspired by the mural canvases of Russian born American painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970), the Chapel welcomes over 100,000 visitors each year, people of every faith and from all parts of the world. On

the plaza, Barnett Newman's majestic sculpture, Broken Obelisk, stands in memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Chapel has two vocations: contemplation and action. It is a place alive with religious ceremonies of all faiths, and where the experience and understanding of all traditions are encouraged and made available. Action takes the form of supporting human rights, and thus the Chapel has become a rallying place for all people concerned with peace, freedom, and social justice throughout the world. Before scheduling your visit, be sure to check our website event calendar for program offerings and chapel closures (http://rothkochapel.org/experience/events/).

📅 Upcoming Chapel Closures & Adjusted Hours• June 4 – Chapel closes at 5:30 PM for a private service• June 5 – Chapel cl...
06/01/2026

📅 Upcoming Chapel Closures & Adjusted Hours
• June 4 – Chapel closes at 5:30 PM for a private service
• June 5 – Chapel closes at 4:00 PM for a private service
• June 11 – Chapel closes at 3:30 PM for a private service
• June 17 – Chapel closes at 4:00 PM in preparation for Summer Solstice programming
• June 23 – Chapel closes at 3:00 PM for a private service

🎷 Summer Solstice Morning Concert: Atlas Maior
📅 Thursday, June 18, 2026
🕣 8:30 AM & 12:00 PM
📍 Rothko Chapel
💵 Pay What You Can ($15–25)

Experience the globally inspired sounds of Atlas Maior, the acclaimed Austin-based ensemble blending progressive jazz with Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Indian musical traditions. Their immersive performances create a powerful soundtrack for contemplation inside the Chapel.

🥁 Summer Solstice Evening Performance: Kaminari Taiko of Houston
📅 Thursday, June 18, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 Chapel Plaza
💵 Pay What You Can ($10–25)
☔ Weather dependent

As the longest day of the year comes to a close, Kaminari Taiko of Houston returns with a dynamic outdoor performance celebrating the spirit and tradition of Japanese drumming. Plaza chair seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and guests are welcome to bring their own seating accommodations.

✊🏾 Juneteenth Dialogue & Book Talk: On Memory and Memorials
📅 Friday, June 19, 2026
🕛 12:00 PM
📍 Rothko Chapel
🎟 FREE Admission

Join architects and authors Michael Murphy and Walter Hood in conversation with Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Imam Abdullah Antepli for a timely discussion on how architecture, landscape, and public memorials shape collective memory, civic engagement, and community life.

Presented in partnership with Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

🔗 Registration is encouraged. Visit the link in our bio for details and tickets.

05/28/2026

Join us this Juneteenth for a timely dialogue on memory, memorials, and the power of public space.

“On Memory and Memorials” features architects and authors Michael Murphy & Walter Hood in conversation with Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Rothko Chapel President Imam Abdullah Antepli as they explore how architecture and landscape can preserve collective memory and inspire civic participation.

📅 Friday, June 19, 2026
🕛 12 PM
📍 Rothko Chapel
🎟 FREE | In-person bench seating

Presented in conjunction with featured book signings for Our World in Ten Buildings by Michael Murphy and The African Ancestors Garden by Walter Hood.
Register here https://rothkochapel.org/experience/events/register/2696. ✨

☀️ Celebrate the Summer Solstice at Rothko Chapel with a full day of music, reflection, and community on Thursday, June ...
05/21/2026

☀️ Celebrate the Summer Solstice at Rothko Chapel with a full day of music, reflection, and community on Thursday, June 18.

Begin the longest day of the year with two immersive performances by Atlas Maior, the internationally acclaimed Austin-based ensemble blending Progressive Jazz with Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Indian musical traditions.

🕣 8:30 AM – Atlas Maior
🕛 12:00 PM – Atlas Maior
📍 Inside Rothko Chapel
🎟️ Pay What You Can ($15–25) | General admission chair seating

As the sun sets, gather on the Plaza for the powerful rhythms of Kaminari Taiko of Houston. Founded by Jay Mochizuki in 1996, the ensemble carries forward the centuries-old Japanese tradition of taiko drumming, creating an unforgettable performance filled with energy, movement, and spirit.

🕖 7:00 PM – Kaminari Taiko of Houston
📍 Rothko Chapel Plaza
🎟️ Pay What You Can ($10–25) | General admission chair seating
☀️ Weather dependent program

From contemplative world jazz to dynamic Japanese drumming, join us in marking the changing season through music that inspires connection, renewal, and celebration.

Reserve your seats here https://rothkochapel.org/experience/events/

Barnett Newman's Broken Obelisk is one of the most significant works of 20th-century public art. Its journey to this ref...
05/19/2026

Barnett Newman's Broken Obelisk is one of the most significant works of 20th-century public art. Its journey to this reflecting pool was born of controversy: in 1969, the de Menils offered to match a federal grant to place it at Houston City Hall, provided it was dedicated to the life and legacy of faith and civil rights Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who had just been assassinated in 1968. The city accepted the art but rejected the dedication, leading the de Menils to withdraw their offer and eventually site the sculpture across from the Chapel.

The sculpture's precarious balance - an inverted obelisk meeting a pyramid at a single point - captures the tension of the 1960s. It has stood as a silent witness to history and has even survived acts of vandalism, from 1970s graffiti to more recent hate incidents. Each time, it is restored, a testament to resilience. When lit at night, its form transforms into a torch of hope, signaling our ongoing commitment to justice and the equality of all people.

As a gentle reminder to all visitors, we kindly ask that you help us preserve this sacred and historic space by admiring the reflection pool from its edges and refraining from entering the water. Thank you for helping us care for this place of contemplation for generations to come.

We’re honored to be featured in The Spaces article highlighting meditation spaces around the world that embody minimalis...
05/12/2026

We’re honored to be featured in The Spaces
article highlighting meditation spaces around the world that embody minimalism, contemplation, and mindfulness. The piece reflects on how the Rothko Chapel continues to serve as a space for stillness, reflection, art, and interfaith dialogue through the vision of Mark Rothko and founders John and Dominique de Menil.

We invite you to read the full article and explore these extraordinary spaces for contemplation and connection. https://thespaces.com/minimalism-for-mindfulness-these-five-meditation-spaces-epitomise-the-genre/

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor the Jewish voices, artists, scholars, and faith leaders who have helped sh...
05/12/2026

This Jewish American Heritage Month, we honor the Jewish voices, artists, scholars, and faith leaders who have helped shape the history of the Rothko Chapel.

A few highlights throughout the Chapel’s history include:
• 1980s Hasidic Music workshops and performances
• 1984 “A Concert for the Jewish Holy Days” featuring Alhambra
• 2019 Climate Symposium featuring Rabbi Daniel Swartz
• 2025 Night of Ideas featuring Dr. Peter Hotez
• 2025 Interfaith Time of Remembrance featuring Cantor Rollin Simmons

And of course, we recognize Mark Rothko himself. Though not a practicing Jew, Rothko was of Jewish Latvian ancestry, and his work continues to inspire reflection across cultures and faiths.

These moments represent just a few of the many Jewish voices that have enriched the life of the Chapel over the decades.

We’re honored to be featured in this thoughtful article highlighting the enduring artistic and cultural influence of the...
05/12/2026

We’re honored to be featured in this thoughtful article highlighting the enduring artistic and cultural influence of the Rothko Chapel. The feature explores works inspired by Mark Rothko and the Chapel itself, including Tyshawn Sorey’s monochromatic light (afterlife)—jointly commissioned by Da Camera of Houston and the Rothko Chapel for the Chapel’s 50th anniversary—as well as Morton Feldman’s seminal Rothko Chapel, poet John Taggart’s The Rothko Chapel Poem, and selections from Loren Connors’ Blues: The Dark Paintings of Mark Rothko.

For more than five decades, the Rothko Chapel has inspired artists, musicians, poets, and visitors from around the world through its unique intersection of art, spirituality, music, and human rights. We’re grateful to see these conversations and creative legacies continue to resonate today.

To read the full article, visit https://www.otherminds.org/broadcast/873/

At Rothko Chapel, we are honored to welcome three distinguished new members to our Board of Directors: Francois de Menil...
05/07/2026

At Rothko Chapel, we are honored to welcome three distinguished new members to our Board of Directors: Francois de Menil, Dan Sallick and Christopher Knapp. Their combined expertise in architecture, communications, investment management, civic engagement and the arts will help strengthen our mission to advance art, interfaith dialogue and human rights locally and globally. Together, these new members will help us expand access, foster inclusivity and deepen meaningful dialogue through the Chapel’s work. Founded by Dominique de Menil and John de Menil, the Rothko Chapel remains committed to serving as a sacred space for reflection, connection and social impact.

Last Saturday at Rothko Chapel, families gathered for a morning of mindfulness, movement, and connection 💛Together with ...
05/05/2026

Last Saturday at Rothko Chapel, families gathered for a morning of mindfulness, movement, and connection 💛

Together with our partners Align Mind, we explored animal-inspired yoga, breathing exercises, and creative intention-setting—tools that help children (and grown-ups!) build emotional awareness, reduce anxiety, and cultivate gratitude.

✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us!

👉 Would you join us for the next Family Meditation? Tag someone you’d bring & let us know below 👇

We’re honored to be featured in the Houston Chronicle spotlight on the next generation shaping Houston’s cultural and ph...
05/04/2026

We’re honored to be featured in the Houston Chronicle spotlight on the next generation shaping Houston’s cultural and philanthropic future.

A special congratulations to our own Alecia Harris, recognized among this inspiring group of emerging leaders making a meaningful impact across the city. Her work reflects the Rothko Chapel’s ongoing commitment to art, community, and human rights.

Read the full article and join us in celebrating the voices shaping what’s next → https://ow.ly/P6wh50YUz3s

Address

3900 Yupon Street
Houston, TX
77006

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+17135249839

Website

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