Beckering Family Carillon Tower

The Beckering Family Carillon Tower is a bell tower at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids that rises 151 feet (46 meters) high and houses 48 bronze bells. The bells were cast by the French foundry Fonderie Paccard and can be played both manually through a keyboard and automatically on a scheduled basis.

The tower was completed in 2000 as an architectural addition to the Pew Campus. The Beckering family, whose business origins date to 1933, provided the funding that made this landmark possible.

The tower serves as a gathering place on campus where students and visitors regularly pause to listen to the bell music. The sounds mark the passage of time throughout the day for those moving through the area.

The tower is located at Lacks International Plaza in the Richard M. DeVos Center and is easily accessible from the main campus. Visitors can stop by at any time, though checking performance schedules helps catch specific musical events.

The bells can be played manually by a performer using a special keyboard called a clavier, or they operate automatically on a preset schedule. This dual-mode system allows for both professional performances and everyday timekeeping throughout the day.