United City Church

Visit the Chapel of St. Basil, based at the University of St. Thomas. Designed by renowned architect Phillip Johnson, the chapel includes three functioning bells, a custom-built organ, and an overall style reminiscent of historic European churches. The chapel hosts Mass every day. It seats about 225 people and is lit from the inside by natural light from the dome, a skylight over the altar, and the statue of Our Lady on the east wall and from the asymmetrical glass cross on the west wall.

Dive into the wonders of the underwater world at the unique Downtown Aquarium, where you can interact with the ancient legends of El Dorado in the Sunken Temple, sink to the bottom of the neighboring sea, and catch glimpses of offshore rig divers in the Underwater Rig. Tour the marsh and bayous of the Gulf Coast and encounter the alligators, turtles, bullfrogs, and more in the Texas Bayou. Step inside the sunken hull of a 17th-century Spanish Galleon and see the giant octopus, a moray eel, clownfish, and the diversity of species the ocean world has to offer at the Shipwreck. Explore the lush environment of the dangerous tropical life of the red-bellied piranhas and venomous freshwater stingrays in the Rainforest. Step into Discovery Zone and come face-to-face with electric eels, seahorses, and a dazzling array of colorful fish. Interactive monitors let you further explore coral reefs, the arctic seas, and the mysteries of the deep ocean. You may even meet one of our Ambassador Animals up close during the daily Animal Encounters.