The Memorial Church is located on the south side of
the Main Quad and is visible from the front of the Main Quad via Memorial
Court.
Use/Purpose:
The Memorial Church ("MemChu"),
built by Jane Stanford as a memorial to her late husband, was completed in
1903. Just three years after its completion, the Church was destroyed in
the 1906 earthquake and wasn't completely restored until 1917. From its
inception, the Church has not been tied to any one denomination, but seeks to
serve the wide range of spiritual backgrounds represented by the Stanford
student body. The Church offers regular services, including Catholic
Mass, musical worship services, and multifaith
services. Docent tours are offered every Friday at 2pm, and special tours
can be arranged for groups of 10 or more.
Please call (650) 723-3469. The
Church is also a popular location for weddings. The Office for Religious
Life website gives further information about the history of the Church and
services offered: http://www.stanford.edu/group/religiouslife/cgi-bin/wordpress/memorial-church/
Accessible Entrance:
From the Oval, use the ramped path to the right of
the steps to reach the arcade level.
Continue through Memorial Court past the Rodin Collection and MemChu is directly ahead. The front entrance to the Church is up a
set of two stairs. There is an accessible entrance with an automatic door
located on the east side of the building (if facing the main entrance, go
around to the left side of the building). Once through this entrance,
continue through the door on the right to enter the main sanctuary of the
Church. There is also an accessible
(step-free) entrance on the west side of the Church. There is no elevator in MemChu.
Restrooms:
A wheelchair accessible single-occupancy,
all-gender restroom is located just inside the accessible entrance at the rear
of the church on the left once inside the entrance.
Parking & Transportation:
The Marguerite shuttle stop is directly in front of
the Main Quad. Disabled parking is
located at the top of the Oval on either side for closer access to the front of
the Main Quad. For
closer access to buildings along the back end of the Main Quad, the closest
parking is available at the end of Santa Teresa Street, near Duena Street, or in a small parking lot near Duena Street and Panama Mall. There is a limited
amount of disabled parking located behind MemChu via Duena Street (gate access code required). Contact the
Diversity and Access Office at (650) 725-0326 for details.
Points of Interest:
The Church is the
architectural center of the Stanford campus and is one of the most popular sites
to visit. The front of the Church is adorned with an impressive tile
mosaic depicting a scene of Jesus preaching to a crowd. The inside of the
church is also beautifully adorned and worth visiting.There
are also several cafes in the Main Quad area.http://www.stanford.edu/dept/visitorinfo/activities/dining.htmlUpdated: 11/2017
For disability access information about any building not listed in the Campus Access Guide, please contact the Diversity and Access Office, (650) 725-0326, disability.access@stanford.edu. We welcome your feedback about the Mobility Guide and requests for further information.