Nestled in a quiet spot along Auditorium Road, the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel is an unassuming building that carries a deeply significant piece of Spartan history. Dedicated to Spartans who died while serving in the United States military forces, the Alumni Memorial Chapel serves both as a memorial for those brave Spartans and as an interdenominational spiritual center for all faiths and religions.
Go inside the historic MSU sanctuary and explore the details, symbolism and beauty of a building that honors Spartans unlike any other.
The installation of a new organ was a massive project, taking more than 20,000 hours to design, build, install and tune. The result is an instrument perfectly suited to the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel, ideal for ceremonies, memorials, recitals and more. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The Alumni Memorial Chapel began construction in 1950 in memory of Spartans who served and died in the United States military forces in World War II and was dedicated by MSU President John Hannah on Alumni Day, June 7, 1952. The construction of the chapel was proposed by the Alumni Advisory Council and funded entirely through alumni donations. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Inside the nave of the chapel, stained glass windows emit a soft, colorful glow along the orderly rows of benches. The chapel can seat 160 people and hosts a variety of ceremonies, concerts and events. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
More than 31 stones from bombed European chapels line the walls of the Alumni Memorial Chapel’s narthex, nave, chancel and basement, including stones from England, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Among the chapel stones is one from the White House and another from the grave of Henry F. Lyte, composer of the hymn “Abide with Me.” Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
In memory of the students who died while serving in the United States Military forces, 589 names are engraved into a memorial wall at the chapel’s entrance. Though originally dedicated to fallen Spartans who served in World War II, the wall honors all Spartan students who have died in military service, with names from as early as 1861 during the Civil War to as recent as 2005. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
A book of information in the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel keeps detailed records of the history of the chapel and the Spartans it memorializes. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
Thirty-eight stained glass windows line the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel, with themes carefully chosen to make all who enter feel welcome. The windows on the left side of the chapel represent education and its relationship to modern life, while the right side tells the history of MSU, and the center represents themes of religion, brotherhood and patriotism. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
An image from one of the chapel’s stained-glass windows depicts President Abraham Lincoln signing the Morrill Act of 1862, which granted states public lands to establish colleges for working-class citizens. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The MSU Alumni Memorial is a popular space for Spartan weddings, hosting thousands of ceremonies since its dedication. The chapel’s bell rings when a wedding occurs, announcing the happy occasion to everyone on campus. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
In 2022, a state-of-the-art, custom-made pipe organ, named “Opus134” by Létourneau Organs, was installed in the Alumni Memorial Chapel, replacing the chapel’s original organ. The two-manual instrument has a large reed chorus and digital 32-foot pedal stops, and the pipes range in size from over 16 feet to a pipe shorter than a pencil. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The installation of a new organ was a massive project, taking more than 20,000 hours to design, build, install and tune. The result is an instrument perfectly suited to the MSU Alumni Memorial Chapel, ideal for ceremonies, memorials, recitals and more. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
The Alumni Memorial Chapel began construction in 1950 in memory of Spartans who served and died in the United States military forces in World War II and was dedicated by MSU President John Hannah on Alumni Day, June 7, 1952. The construction of the chapel was proposed by the Alumni Advisory Council and funded entirely through alumni donations. Photo by Derrick L. Turner.
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