The Meeting House of the New York Society for Ethical Culture was designed by Robert D. Kohn and completed in 1910. A rare New York example of Art Nouveau architecture with Vienna Secession influences, it features a Bedford limestone façade, triple-arched windows, and sculptural work by Estelle Rumbold Kohn. Inside, the auditorium combines oak and plaster detailing with refined acoustics, centered on the inscription: “The place where men meet to seek the highest is holy ground.”
In 1974, the Meeting House was designated a New York City Landmark, standing as a lasting symbol of the Ethical Culture movement—an enduring expression of its commitment to reason, beauty, and moral progress.
Over the decades, the Meeting House has welcomed scientists, artists, and social reformers — from Eleanor Roosevelt to Ban Ki Moon— while remaining a center for dialogue and humanist action.
