Memorial trees & benches

Eligibility

Memorial trees and benches may be purchased by UW alumni, employees and students as well as members of the general public. Trees and benches may be placed in honor of individuals or organizations with a demonstrated connection to the University, such as students, alumni, faculty, staff, retirees or supporters. 

Overview

• Bench style and location must conform with the ADA resting bench program and long-range campus bench plan. Bench donation amount is $7,500 and is maintained in perpetuity at no additional cost.
• Available memorial bench locations can be found on the Available memorials map. You can see photos of the bench locations by clicking on the bench icon and then clicking on the attachments. We will replace the existing bench with your brand-new memorial bench.
• Ask for the location using the Memorial ID from the map. Once payment is submitted the location will be removed from the availability map.

Plaque guidelines

The text on a plaque can be up to 4 lines of simple text, with a limit of 30 characters per line. Less is more: The best plaques look more like a poem than a sentence. Also, as the plaque is intended to honor a person or group, respectful and apolitical language is required. 

Many plaques use larger text for the name of the honoree, with text below and above, such as:

• Dedication (for ex., "In memory of" or "Forever in our hearts")
• Name of honoree
• Message and/or dates 

Examples can be viewed below and by clicking on individual bench icons on the memorial bench map. 

Please feel free to choose a message that works best for you. Our sign shop will work with you to create the best presentation. A second plaque can be added for an additional $600 if extra text is required.

Ceremony and installation

• The Grounds department can assist in reserving the space where the memorial bench is located for a ceremony, if desired. You can perform your own ceremony, or you can work with an associated school or department for ceremony coordination.

• Average bench installation time is two months after submitting payment and the plaque text. The entire process can take 3 months to a year depending on the number of benches in progress, and includes the following steps:

  • Plaque sent out to cast (5 - 7 weeks for vendor return)
  • UW carpenters prepare bench, installing plaque and staining wood (3 - 7 days after plaque is delivered)
  • Grounds team installs bench. Depending on location and fastener type (cement, brick, etc.), this can take anywhere from one day to 2 weeks.

  Although we make every effort to work within a timeline, we cannot guarantee an installation date.

• UW Facilities will add the bench to our GIS map of campus benches, which includes the location and the person memorialized.

Maintenance

There are no additional costs for maintenance of the bench. If the bench is damaged or broken, UW Facilities will repair the bench. The University has 1000+ benches across the Seattle campus, most of which are constructed out of wood. 

Given the quantity and staffing resources, the projected frequency schedule for maintenance is around once every 10 years. It is for that reason that the selection of teak wood for our memorial benches was established. 

Teak furniture with a patina turns gray on the surface, but underneath the exterior, the wood is still oily. The patina change occurs relatively quickly once the bench is exposed to the sun and weather.  The wood underneath the surface is dense, and the hardwood is still tight. The patina isn’t a sign of declining quality in the slightest. In fact, the teak oil prevents common outdoor furniture pitfalls such as rot, mildew and water damage.