The Science Museum

The primary event space is called Illuminate, spanning levels 4 and 5 of the museum. It functions as a blank canvas space that can be transformed for various events, offering both natural light with stunning City views and a cutting-edge LED-focused environment. The space provides two distinct atmospheres within one versatile venue.

Illuminate costs £20,250 + VAT for full day hire from 07:00-23:30. The Smith Centre costs £4,500 + VAT for daytime hire (07:00-17:00) and includes The Salon, Large meeting room, The Boardroom, outdoor courtyard, and banqueting chairs & cluster furniture. All venues are dry hire only.

All catering, furniture, and AV must be provided by the Science Museum's accredited suppliers only. For Illuminate events, the recommended suppliers are White Light (AV and lighting) and Moving Venue (catering). For Smith Centre events, Benugo handles catering and White Light provides AV services.

Illuminate can accommodate various configurations as a blank canvas space. The Smith Centre works well for smaller events up to 40 people in cabaret style. Flight gallery can accommodate up to 400 for seated dinner or 350 for dinner with a stage, and costs £8,750 + VAT.

Standard hire runs from 07:00-23:30 with setup access from 07:00, guest arrival typically from 09:00, and all guests must be offsite by 23:30. For events requiring earlier setup, suppliers can access from 07:00, with an early access fee of £500 + VAT applying in some cases.

For a 300-person daytime conference, expect around £30,000 total budget. Venue hire rates start at £4,500 + VAT for smaller spaces. Christmas parties and product launches in Illuminate start at £20,250 + VAT for venue hire, with additional costs for mandatory catering and AV services.

For events only two weeks away, you must attend a site visit on Wednesday and contract the event by end of business Thursday. The venue offers 1st option holds while proposals are being considered. Agency commission of 10% is available on venue hire only (not AV) and must be claimed within two months of the event date.

The venue accepts Mastercard with no fees but does not accept American Express. All invoices must be settled before agency commission can be paid. VAT is added to all venue hire charges and supplier services.

White Light provides all AV services including bespoke lighting designs, state-of-the-art sound systems, projectors, screens, microphones, and staging. They offer minimum spend packages starting around £5,000-£6,000 + VAT, with final costs confirmed after a site visit.

Moving Venue provides catering for Illuminate events, while Benugo handles Smith Centre catering. The venue can accommodate alcohol-free events and bespoke mocktail menus. Catering minimum spends vary by event size, with some packages starting around £55 per person for buffet-style service.