Helen Hills Hills Chapel

The Center for Religious & Spiritual Life has offices at the Helen Hills Hills Chapel, located on Elm Street across from the Office of Admission. The chapel has a large space on the main floor for formal gatherings, concerts and quiet contemplation. You will find staff offices on the lower level, along with social spaces and a kitchen. In addition to the spaces in Helen Hills Hills Chapel, there is a prayer space in Wright Hall and a Kosher Kitchen in the Quad (see Spaces).

Please note: Art exhibits, banners and other projects are occasionally displayed throughout the building. These displays cannot be changed or removed for any reason, including wedding rehearsals or ceremonies.

Helen Hills Hills Chapel

About the Chapel

Some spaces in the chapel require reservations, and others can be reserved if necessary. Reservations can be made by calling 413-585-2750 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by email: Kim Alston or Maureen Raucher.

The construction of the chapel was funded with a gift from Helen Hills Hills, class of 1908. The chapel was completed and dedicated in 1955. In 2009, a renovation project on the chapel uncovered a time capsule that had been buried during the building’s construction. In 2014, the pews were removed from the sanctuary and replaced with oak chairs to allow more flexibility in the layout of the space. To learn more about the building's history, visit our blog.

There are multiple spaces within the chapel for student activities such as prayer, religious services, group meetings, performances, and simply hanging out. Discriptions of these can be found on the Spaces page.

The organ is located on the top floor of the chapel. This Aeolian-Skinner organ is the original one installed at the dedication of the chapel in honor of James Mandley Hills, husband of Helen Hills Hills, after whom the chapel is named. It is available to students at Smith College and for any services that take place in the sanctuary. Please contact Maureen Raucher at mraucher@smith.edu to obtain permission for its use.