Find Articles/Resources

Museums, Mansions & Historical Sites

An extraordinary setting can provide the perfect backdrop for an extraordinary event. Non-traditional venues such as museums, mansions, and historical sites frame the occasion with their own special built-in character. They can also set the stage for excellent thematic tie-ins. Be advised, however, that some restrictions on the use of the space may apply. Following are tips and guidelines for holding events at these unique locations.

Event Ideas

Museums can take many forms and provide thematic inspiration for countless event options. Often what comes to mind first are those traditional buildings housing old masters, folk art, collections focused on natural history or the history of the area, photography, etc. But look a little beyond the obvious and you can discover a host of other venue possibilities that fall under the "museum" category: contemporary sculpture gardens, museums of the moving image (TV and films), radio, science, fire, train, subway or children's museums, and historical sites that double as museums, from 18th-century statehouses or 19th-century merchant's homes to forts, warships and even vintage sailing vessels. Mansions span the centuries and reflect period design and décor—all of which can help generate ideas for creative thematic tie-ins for special events. Following are a few to consider:

• Choose a museum setting for an event themed "The Art of…"(just about anything)!
  
  
• Use a historic ship or sailing vessel to "launch" a new product or brand.
  
  
• Hold a fashion show in a costume gallery of a museum.
  
  
• Celebrate a new line of designer jewelry in the Hall of Gems of a natural history museum or a swimsuit preview in a Hall of Ocean Life or aquarium.
  
  
• Emphasize the global aspect of a business or celebrate how your concept has really "taken off" or "skyrocketed" by holding an event at a planetarium or museum with rockets, space ships, or aviation exhibits. (The sky's the limit!)
  
  
• Link the theme and date or season with the venue. For instance, an event that celebrates the beginning of summer (with the launch of a new spirit or thirst-quenching beverage, even a new sunscreen or sunglass design) could resonate with a summer solstice theme at a science museum or natural history museum's gallery for earth and space. Flag Day or Father's Day could be linked with American traditions, past, present, or a new "tradition" you are trying to promote at a museum commemorating American history and celebrating the lives of the country's founding fathers.
  
  
• Hold a murder-mystery event in an historic setting where a crime took place, with clues extracted from the locale's past. ("Haunted" places are particularly good!)
  
  
• Hold a masquerade ball in an elegant mansion or historic site challenging guests to incorporate elements of period dress or dress like famous characters from the era.
  
  
• Or, hire costumed actors to impersonate famous figures of the period to welcome guests to an elegant dinner. For a mansion reminiscent of the Gilded Age, for instance, have a costumed actor impersonate J.P. Morgan or Cornelius Vanderbilt to welcome guests.
  
  
• Use the site's resources to provide guests with additional interesting information. A museum lecturer or house tour guide could give a brief presentation about the venue or exhibit if it's appropriate before or during your event.

The Right Fit

A clever thematic tie-in is one element to consider in choosing a venue, but many other factors enter the equation. Inspect a museum, mansion or historic site in much the same way you would any location, taking into consideration the size of the space and size of your group, location, image, accessibility, logistics, kitchen facilities if you are hiring a caterer, A/V needs, and costs.

When you are on location, try to imagine your event in the actual space. What will the traffic patterns be? How will the event flow? Any bottlenecks? Look for entrances and exits, possible location of the various food and beverage stations, sign-in desks, kitchen, coat checks, etc. Pay particular attention to rest room facilities here, making sure there are enough to accommodate the number of people in your group and they are readily accessible (not, for instance, at the opposite end of a large museum on a separate floor.)

If your event is to be held outside, what is your contingency plan for bad weather?

In addition to meeting your event size requirement does the venue correspond to the image you want to project? What is the neighborhood like? Is the site clean? Is the site easy to get to and from? Are you arranging for transportation? How will guests be arriving? Are there parking facilities nearby? Public transportation? Is transportation from the area accessible when guests are ready to leave? Are there elevators? Handicapped access?

Timing and Public Access

When using museums, mansions, and historic sites as event venues, certain conditions and restrictions may apply. Often, the first priority of the site is to operate as a museum or public facility and the timing of your event will probably need to be coordinated somehow with regular hours of operation. Since your access (along with your vendors') might be restricted during specific hours, you might not have a lot of time to set up or break down an event. Hours often vary with the day of the week, even season of the year, so it pays to plan ahead and familiarize yourself with the procedures before you commit.

Also, find out how much of the space your guests will be able to use during the hours of the event. One exhibition gallery? The whole floor? The entire museum or mansion? And will you have exclusive use of the space during your entire event? Will other events take place at the location at the same time? Will event coordination representatives at the site be there during your event?

Use of the Space

Know the possibilities and parameters of the space before you commit to holding an event there. A venue will only work well for you if it offers what you need not only in terms of the actual space, but what you can do within it. Sometimes venues will not allow certain types of events to take place for one reason or another (because of government regulations, not-for-profit status, charter or mission statements, etc.), i.e., fund-raisers, political gatherings, weddings, or product promotions or sometimes they restrict the selling of alcoholic beverages (some allow you to serve them as long as you don't charge outright for them).

Restrictions

For museums and historic locations, a major priority is damage control. Delicate furnishings, artwork, etc. need to be protected.

Therefore, certain restrictions may apply. Sometimes you are not allowed to serve red wine, for instance, for fear of staining carpets. Often open flames in the form of candles or cooking equipment are forbidden. Smoking is usually banned. Dancing or loud music might not be allowed. Decorations may be restricted to table arrangements, with use of wall space and ceilings off-limits.

Vendors may have to be approved in advance or you may have to choose from an approved list or use vendors exclusive to the site. (It is common for museums to have contracts with caterers, for example, who may provide food service at the in-house concessions and handle food and beverage for all of the events that take place on the premises.)

Sometimes guests will have to pass through security checkpoints before entering and check larger bags, etc. Tell guests in advance if they need to bring a photo ID or pass through security stations.

Costs

Fees for using a museum, mansion, or historic site as a special event venue vary considerably. Often, museums require anyone hosting an event on the premises to purchase a membership. Different tiers of membership may be available, each with different levels of privileges. Historic sites may require a donation in a specific or recommended amount. Usually, a mansion will charge a site rental fee.

Especially with historic properties, permits may be needed for special events. Personnel at the site generally know the ropes and can explain what needs to be done and how you go about it, but it never hurts to ask if the subject doesn't come up.

Other costs depend on the choice of food and beverage, length and time of the event, whether additional security guards, door attendants, etc. need to be hired. Often, smaller, shorter, and simpler is less expensive.

Deposits are generally required in advance both to secure the space and to cover potential damage costs.

Insurance

Usually, the renter of the space agrees to be financially responsible for any damage or loss of museum, site or mansion property.

Most likely you will have to show a certificate of insurance, often with a single limit of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily and property damage resulting from or during the event. Often the site will be listed as co-insured (sometimes the city or state too if the site is connected with a government agency). Usually the certificate is filed with the venue at least two weeks in advance.

On-Site Advice

Museums, historical sites, and mansions that regularly host special events generally have coordinators available to help with the event details. Usually, the fees and restrictions are clearly specified and often posted in detail on websites and available as written handouts. Be sure to examine all contracts carefully, however, and note what can and cannot be done at the site. Go over your event plans with the site representative in detail (from timing, vendor and guest access, entrances and exits, loading and break down, to parking, food and beverage, etc.) well in advance, to make sure everything is in order. Also, double check that all necessary permits and insurance certificates have been properly filed by the required deadlines and are valid for your dates.