The interior of this non-denominational chapel is a tranquil meditative environment and a major work of modern art, with fourteen black, color hued paintings by Mark Rothko, seven canvases with hard-edged black rectangles on maroon ground, and seven purple tonal paintings. The Broken Obelisk sculpture, one of three in the United States, sits serenely in its reflecting pool in front of the chapel.
In 2021, Rothko Chapel celebrated 50 years as a landmark of modern sacred art and as a celebrated site for transformative and inspirational experiences. In anticipation of that landmark celebration, the Chapel was renovated as part of a $30-million project to enhance the 2-acre campus. Inside the chapel — one of the world’s most important public art sites — the entryway has been reconfigured and a new central skylight fitted so that Rothko’s 14 monumental paintings can be seen in more natural light, as he intended them to be. A new Welcome House is located across the street from the Chapel entrance.
The Rothko Chapel grounds are a welcoming, calming green space. The grounds act as an extension of the Chapel itself, making them an ideal place to reflect on your experience of the Chapel and the Broken Obelisk, or simply have a quiet moment of escape from the outside world. The Chapel grounds are open daily from dawn until dusk.