Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland is one of California’s most beautiful historic buildings. We were founded in 1909 as a crematory and columbarium. And while our client families today come to us for many other end-of-life services, we are the Bay Area’s most desired cremation venue…. Choosing Cremation does not limit your options for celebrating the life of a departed loved one in a way that is meaningful to family and friends. You can choose a traditional funeral or memorial service – with or without viewing- before or after cremation. As with burial ceremonies, the event can be personalized to better reflect the life being celebrated. Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland is one of the top cremation service providers in Northern California and is one of the most desired crematory locations.

A columbarium is a building dedicated exclusively to the placing and honoring of cremated remains – generally in glass front or marble front niches located indoors and above-ground. Most of Chapel's patrons choose to locate cremated remains inside our historic columbarium, one of the most beautiful such buildings in the world. Chapel of the Chimes offers niches with space for one person, a couple or an entire family. We also offer outdoor placement in weather-safe, granite front niches.

Scattering is the distribution of cremated remains over land or water. Another common location for scattering remains is an outdoor garden area specially prepared for this purpose.

In 1959, architect Aaron Green was asked to create six additions to our columbariums, providing our client families with an option for the above-ground burial or entombment of casketed remains. These magnificent mausoleum elements have made us one of the most comprehensive end-of-life service venues in the region

Whether you prefer traditional burial, entombment or cremation, Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help you create a ceremony that fits your needs. We can also help create ceremonies at other locations, such as a place of worship, a mountain meadow or a park. You might prefer a graveside ceremony – or a reception in your home. Our goal is to be completely flexible- to treat each family’s needs as uniquely personal. We can help you with a small private gathering or a larger ceremony, a full funeral or a memorial service. It can be led by a member of the clergy, a family member or whomever else you might designate. We specialize in funeral event planning, and will work with you to create a ceremony that fittingly celebrates a life uniquely lived.