Hire Space
Central Hall

The National Gallery

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Elegant Central Hall in The National Gallery, ideal for upscale corporate events and receptions.
  • From £18000
  • 200 Standing
  • Charing Cross
  • From £18000
  • 200 Standing
  • Charing Cross
Host your event surrounded by world-famous masterpieces in the heart of London, overlooking iconic Trafalgar Square.
Aidan De Forest-Brown
Aidan De Forest-Brown

Venue Expert @ Hire Space

  • Dedicated event manager included
  • Security and cleaning teams included
  • Wi-Fi included
  • Late license until 02:00
  • Accredited supplier network
  • Orange Street accessible entrance
  • Trafalgar Square location
  • Picture galleries with masterpiece artworks
  • Pigott Theatre with 300-seat capacity
  • Yves Saint Laurent Gallery
  • North Galleries
  • Roden Centre for Creative Learning

This spectacular room, beautifully lit by an elevated glass rooftop, showcases Northern Italian paintings from the 16th century. The striking marble staircase entrance leads up to an intricately decorate ceiling of golden leaves, making it a truly regal setting. Just situated off the Portico Entrance, Central Hall is perfectly located to accommodate exceptional receptions for up to 200 guests, or dinner for up to 100.

Frequently asked questions

Dry venue hire starts from £18,000 + VAT, which includes the venue, an event manager, security, first aid, and cleaning/porter teams. Some smaller spaces like the Yves Saint Laurent room are available from £10,000 + VAT for up to 60 people, and the Pigott Theatre starts from £15,000 + VAT.

Catering, production, florist, and entertainment are all additional to the facility fee and must be provided through approved suppliers from the accredited supplier list. You can extend events beyond standard hours at £2,000 + VAT per hour until 02:00.

Evening events typically run from 18:45/19:00 with guest access until 22:00 for receptions or 23:00 for seated dinners. Events cannot be hosted on Fridays as the gallery is open to the public until 21:00, and New Year's Eve is unavailable due to Trafalgar Square celebrations and road closures.

Yes, all catering, production, florist, and entertainment must be selected from the National Gallery's accredited supplier list. You cannot bring in external suppliers - all services must go through their approved partners.

The National Gallery cannot host ticketed events as per gallery policy. This restriction applies regardless of the event type or size.

Daytime spaces are currently under major capital refurbishment and will not be available until May 2025, with bookings opening in September 2025. Only evening event hire from 18:45 is currently available.

The venue books up quickly, with November dates often fully booked months in advance. After initial enquiry, they arrange a site visit to view the spaces, then place your event date on hold while you finalize details.

Evening hire starts at £18,000 + VAT for 300 people for receptions. Smaller spaces include the Yves Saint Laurent room at £10,000 + VAT for up to 60 people, and specific room combinations can accommodate different group sizes with varying pricing.

Exhibition access at the National Gallery is an exclusive benefit of Corporate Support only. For events that include private views of exhibitions, you must contact the Corporate Team separately - this is not included in standard venue hire.

Standing receptions are £18,000 + VAT for three-hour hire with guest access from 18:45/19:00 – 22:00, while seated dinners cost £20,000 + VAT for four-hour hire with guest access from 18:45/19:00 – 23:00. Both prices are for events accommodating around 300 people.

More about The National Gallery

The National Gallery is one of the most visited and best loved art galleries in the world. We're located in the very heart of Central London, with an iconic building overlooking Trafalgar Square.

Choose from a variety of spectacular picture galleries for hosting dinners for up to 350 guests and receptions for up to 1,200. You can also dance the night away until 02:00.

In our unique venue, we also have a range of modern conference facilities for between 2-328 delegates.

What better place to entertain your guests than the National Gallery located in the heart of London!