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The London Library The HAC Shaftesbury Theatre Young V&A Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery English National Ballet Camley Street Natural Park Frameless Bishopsgate Institute Mansion House Roundhouse The Courtauld Gallery Royal College of Music No.11 Cavendish Square Science Gallery London No.4 Hamilton Place One Birdcage Walk The Postal Museum Sadler’s Wells Horniman Museum and Gardens Houses of Parliament The Royal Institution of Great Britain {10-11} Carlton House Terrace RSA House British Library Two Temple Place The National Gallery Chiswick House and Gardens Goldsmiths' Centre, The Somerset House Sir John Soane's Museum Science Museum Royal Opera House Royal Museums Greenwich RIBA at 66 Portland Place Royal Hospital Chelsea Whitechapel Gallery Royal Horticultural Halls Westminster Abbey Royal Geographical Society Wellcome Collection Venue Hire Wallace Collection RCP London Events (Royal College of Physicians) Royal Albert Hall V&A South Kensington Twickenham Stadium Royal Air Force Museum Trinity House Tower of London Tower Bridge Old Royal Naval College Tate Britain Syon Park St Paul's Cathedral St Martin-in-the-Fields Southwark Cathedral Spencer House Natural History Museum National Theatre National Portrait Gallery Museum of the Order of St. John Museum of London, Docklands Museum of London Museum of Brands The Honourable Society of The Middle Temple Lord's Cricket Ground London Transport Museum Kew Gardens Kensington Palace Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn Harrow School Hampton Court Palace Guildhall Foundling Museum Dulwich Picture Gallery the Design Museum Cutty Sark BAFTA 195 Piccadilly Banqueting House Chelsea Physic Garden Central Hall Westminster Freemasons’ Hall Christ Church Spitalfields

Outside Spaces

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - 12:00

As life is showing signs of getting a little bit more back to normal, with the reopening of pub and restaurant gardens, retail outlets trading once more and the very welcome return of barbers and hairdressers, what better time to start to think and plan how you might meet up with colleagues or clients this summer? Our museums, galleries, tourist attractions and institutions have some incredible outside spaces to host events ranging from dynamic plazas and pavilions to beautiful gardens and ornate terraces. Locations to enjoy summer food and drinks, while taking in the tranquillity of the many green settings London has to offer.

the Design Museum

Image credit: Will Lockyear

The Plaza is the Design Museum’s brand new space which can now be hired as the ideal outdoor setting for your event.

Perfect for a drinks reception in the sunshine the space adjoins our iconic building and is surrounded by Holland Park.

Events can be set up in many formats: with drinks and canapes around our triangular fountain, relaxed seating areas next to our landscaped grounds or even under a sleek canopy on request.

For further information please contact venuehire@designmuseum.org

Harrow School

The Club House is a fully licensed facility located at Harrow School. The venue has a main dining room, kitchen area and a terrace overlooking Harrow School’s stunning nine-hole golf course and angling lake. This is the perfect location for daytime meetings, private celebrations, lunches and workshops for up to 32 guests.

The Club House is a fully accessible venue for all visitors with no step access and a short distance away from designated disabled parking spaces. There is also wheelchair access and a disabled toilet.

Find out more by contacting events@harrowschool.org.uk  for more information.

Kensington Palace

Set amid the tranquillity of Kensington Gardens in the heart of West London, Kensington Palace is steeped in history. Our iconic buildings have served the Royal family for over 300 years and parts of the palace remain a private residence for members of the Royal Family today.

We can only accommodate 20 events in the palace per year, making it a highly exclusive venue.

The East Front Lawns offer stunning views of Kensington Palace's famous architectural palace façade, as well as London's city skyline and Kensington Gardens. Food stations, bars, lawn games and entertainment work beautifully in this space, which can accommodate up to 400 guests for a standing reception.  

The iconic mint green loggia which frames the palace front, offers a beautiful and unique location for a wedding blessing ceremony during the summer months. The vast outdoor spaces at Kensington Palace make it a wonderful option for private, wedding and corporate events.

For further information please contact kensingtonpalaceevents@hrp.org.uk

Lord’s Cricket Ground

Lord’s Cricket Ground boasts amazing views and the Centurions Roof Terrace offers one of the best encapsulating both the traditional and modern elements of the Ground. Scanning from the famous Grade II*-listed Pavilion, and across the hallowed turf to the stunning brand new Compton and Edrich stands which frames the iconic J.P. Morgan Media Centre.

Inspired by the Pavilion, the Terrace itself has a canopy resembling marquees of village cricket and has been replicated in cricket grounds all over the world. The original Terrace was designed in 1898 and it remains a firm favourite as a place to watch the cricket, particularly when bathed in late afternoon sunshine.

Lord’s is looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Ground for a variety of events this summer and the Centurions Roof Terrace is an ideal setting to enjoy the Home of Cricket.

For more information please visit our website: https://www.lords.org/lords/conferences-and-events/centurions

Museum of London

We are excited at the prospect of welcoming visitors back to the Museum of London next month, particularly as we head into the summer months and can make the most of our popular outdoor space at London Wall.  

With 12 months of remote working for many organisations, getting teams back together once restrictions ease will be so important for boosting team morale, and a summer party is the perfect opportunity for everyone to reconnect and have some fun in the great outdoors! The Rotunda Gardens at the Museum of London is a picture perfect setting for summer celebrations, and has hosted events from seaside themed parties, team BBQs, drinks receptions with lawn games, and more! With nearby access to the Garden Room, clients can be reassured that there is a suitable wet weather option in close proximity if it rains. 

Whether it’s an indoor or outdoor event, the Museum of London is following stringent Covid-compliant procedures and has all of the necessary protocols and social distancing measures in place. Last year, the museum secured two Covid accreditations – Visit England’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ and the MIA’s AIM Secure Accreditation – and recently added another with the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council to give organisers even more confidence when booking at an event that they will be welcomed into a Covid-secure environment.

For more information about the Museum of London, its Covid-compliant procedures and event availability, contact our dedicated team on venuehire@museumoflondon.org.uk

RIBA at 66 Portland Place

RIBA at 66 Portland Place benefits from not one, but three outdoor terraces, all of which provide guests with a sought-after calming sanctuary in central London!

The terrace which adjoins the Florence Hall is the most popular choice for summer parties, due to it being connected to the venue’s main Art Deco inspired space and its ability to hold up to 150 guests for a drinks reception. The Florence Hall terrace also features a living vertical garden which provides a beautiful counterpoint to the architecture of the building and significantly enhances the feel of the outdoor area by bringing nature and ample greenery into an urban environment. 

RIBA at 66 Portland Place’s ‘Build Your Own’ summer party package is perfect for a summertime reunion on the terrace. With multiple F&B options to choose from at different price points to ease the burden of organising Covid-secure F&B, clients are able to spend more time flexing their creativity with theming and entertainment. Find out more here: https://www.architecture.com/riba-venue-hire/parties/summer-parties-london  or enquire by emailing: venues@riba.org

Royal Museums Greenwich

Royal Museums Greenwich is surrounded by lush green outdoors and is perfect for summer parties, festivals, receptions or product launches.

With a myriad of different spaces, their collection of unique open air event spaces will make your summer soiree come to life. Six outdoor lawns surround the National Maritime Museum and Queen’s House, providing space for thousands of people to gather for large scale festivals and concerts or for marquee conferences for up to 1500 or dinners for 1000. For the more relaxed event, the Secret Garden nestled behind the National Maritime Museum provides a retreat from the crowds for up to 150 guests. Up the hill at the Royal Observatory, the home of time, the Meridian Courtyard and Astronomy Garden offer views of the London skyline and Greenwich Park.

For the truly different, Cutty Sark has a top deck overlooking the River Thames so why not start there and finish in the magnificent Under the Hull event space with the ship suspended above you?

If you are still looking for somewhere, contact the RMG events team now on 0208 312 8517 or events@rmg.co.uk

Somerset House

The River Terrace is one of Somerset House’s most exclusive event spaces, a versatile outside space that gives you the flexibility you need to host a safe event. Set against the backdrop of Somerset House’s iconic façade, and with breath-taking views across the Thames, it's an exceptional location to host your summer event.

This summer, the team have partnered with some of their brilliant, accredited suppliers to create exclusive event packages and make the planning process as easy as it can be for all event organisers. In other words, they’ve done all of the hard work for you! Sit back and relax having picked the ideal all-inclusive package for you.

There are a range of catering options available from esteemed contemporary London caterers, with barbeque options from Clement Worrall, canapés and bowls from Alexander & Björck or innovative food stations from Bubble Food. Production house Full Circle is on hand to provide a range of furniture and entertainment options, whether it's DJs or roaming bands, large games and magicians.

The team are ready and waiting, and they look forward to welcoming you back to Somerset House and supporting you in planning your next event please contact them via events@somersethouse.org.uk  or 020 7845 4618.

Southwark Cathedral

With two exclusive outdoor areas at the heart of London Bridge, Southwark Cathedral is the perfect venue to host your next al fresco celebration.

The spacious and beautifully landscaped Churchyard features manicured lawns, herbaceous borders and majestic York stone. Guests arrive through a dedicated entrance and can enjoy unbroken views of the Shard and the atmospheric hustle and bustle of neighbouring Borough Market. A versatile space, clients can create their prefect summer oasis.

From relaxed summer parties to marquee events, The Millennium Courtyard can host a variety of events including BBQs and summer cocktails through to canape receptions and dinners. A hidden gem in plain sight, guests can mix, mingle and relax in their own exclusive slice of the vibrant area.

For more information visit our website www.southwarkcathedralvenues.org or email us cathedralvenues@soutwhark.anglican.org

Twickenham Stadium

If you’re looking for outside space to inspire, there’s nothing quite like pitch-side at Twickenham Stadium. Allow your guests to experience the walk through the Players Tunnel where the England team line up on a match day, and out into the stadium bowl surrounded by 82,000 seats. Pitch-side is available all year round for drinks receptions and BBQ's in the summer months.

You can also excite and engage your team with a whole host of team-building options on The Patch, Twickenham’s second outdoor area available to hire. Build your very own bespoke package to include different activities from rugby themed events such as the HAKA to your very own GPS Challenge, plus an array of catering options, including a mouth-watering barbecue complete with pizza oven!

For further details please contact: conferences&events@rfu.com