We all know that it’s difficult to visualise something from words alone and photographs help, but if you’re looking to host an event for anywhere between 10 and 1,500 guests, I urge you to visit the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street.
I’d never really thought about what was in the tower at the corner of the National Museum on Chambers Street, but now I know and I’m very glad I do.
The first meeting room, on the third floor of the venue, is the Bute Room and it’s the simplicity of the space that makes it so stunning. When I visited the room was entirely empty, with the exception of a huge circular tapestry on the floor, allowing the mind’s eye to paint a multitude of differently themed celebrations. I have to confess, however, I’d be tempted to simply add mood lighting and let the stunning light, airy space with panoramic views speak for itself.
Directly above the Bute Room is the highly functional Board Room. Identical in size and shape to the room below, the room contains a round table which can seat up to 24 people. The table has been cleverly designed so that by taking away the outer circumference it very quickly adapts to seat 12 for a smaller meeting or more intimate dinner.
Now for one of Edinburgh’s best kept secrets – and it really shouldn’t be – the roof terrace. During the day the area is a suntrap with the gentlest of breezes wafting in over the perimeter walls making it ideal for either a lunch or daytime reception. When the sun goes down and the lanterns are lit this jewel in the venue’s crown truly sparkles with the floodlit castle and views across the city to the Firth of Forth as a backdrop.
The Museum has a veritable plethora of other larger rooms available for hire, the most well known of which is the Grand Gallery with sweeping staircases and a glass atrium which seems to reach to the sky. With a capacity of 1,500 guests this is one of Edinburgh’s largest events spaces.
Check out this super short video of some of the various spaces.
Capacity
Boardroom: Reception 80, Meeting 50, Dinner 50 Cabaret 30, Theatre 50
Grand Gallery: Reception 1,500, Dinner 950, Dinner Dance 700
Hawthornden Court: Reception 700, Dinner 120, Theatre 175
Auditorium: Theatre 210
Early People Gallery: Reception 250, Dinner 120, Theatre 100
Discoveries: Reception 300, Dinner 80
Contact
National Museums Scotland Enterprises
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1JF
Email: hospitality@nms.ac.uk
