Funerals & Memorials at Duke Chapel

Duke Chapel welcomes those who seek to celebrate the life of a deceased loved one through a funeral or memorial service in our space. 

If one of your loved ones has recently passed away, the Chapel stands ready as a venue for memorial services and funerals as well as a place of comfort and communal care.

Service Reservations

Funeral motorcade parked in front of Duke Chapel.

Funerals and memorial services at Duke Chapel are available to students, staff, faculty, alumni, and their children or grandchildren, as well as members of the Congregation at Duke Chapel. Reservations are scheduled subject to the Chapel’s availability. 

Reservation steps:

  1. Fill out our Funeral & Memorial Service Inquiry Form or email dukechape@duke.edu for more information and to request available dates.
  2. Confirm your chosen date/time with our hospitality staff.
  3. Fill out our Funeral & Memorial Service Planning Guide.
  4. Schedule a walkthrough for your service.

Please note: Because the Chapel hosts a variety of worship, music, and university events, unfortunately the Chapel cannot guarantee availability for funerals, especially for very specific dates. Please be assured, however, that we will do everything we can to accommodate all requests. 

Funeral & Memorial Service Inquiry Form

FAQs

The Chapel provides its space free of charge for funerals and memorials, but costs are associated with various services that may be provided during the reservations. For example, Technical Services fees begin at $150 (if required), Organist fees are $350, and guest parking is $2/hr. 

Funeral and memorial service reservations include one hour for set-up, one hour for the service itself, and thirty minutes for clean-up afterward.

Funerals and Memorial services can take place in the Nave (up to 500 people) or the Memorial Chapel (up to 48 people). Services in the Nave require basic technical services.

While the Chapel encourages families to invite the ministers of their home congregations to preside over a funeral or memorial service, we do have a list of recommended officiants we can provide upon request.

Yes, the Chapel is happy to live-stream services in either the Nave or the Memorial Chapel. This service incurs a $400 fee.

Unfortunately, the Chapel does not have space available to host a reception after services. If you would like help identifying a reception location, feel free to email dukechapel@duke.edu for a list of recommended locations.