2023-11-24 00:35:46
From spaces with views to scenic waterfronts and new hotel rooftops, elevate your meetings and events at outstanding venues. Washington, DC is filled with iconic monuments and memorials, but few places match the unique blend of history, culture and global significance offered by the city’s remarkable, dramatically located venues. Many are as compelling as some of the historic landmarks on their doorstep. Iconic views, abundant green space and central locations, the inviting capital city makes meetings and conventions more memorable. DC’S GRAND DAMES Surrounded by gardens, the soaring Gothic Washington National Cathedral stands high above the city and boasts a glorious reception space for up to 1,600 and banquet seating for 850 guests. Be inspired by the world’s largest book collection at the Library of Congress, where dramatic vaulted marble event spaces like the show stopping 1890s Great Hall can accommodate 450 for a seated dinner and up to 1,200 for a reception. The Mumford and Montpelier rooms offer intimate areas for up to 200 standing guests. Beginning with Grover Cleveland, the National Building Museum has hosted presidential inaugural balls since 1885. Its grand Great Hall with massive Corinthian columns has capacity for large-scale stage setups — film, video, music and lighting —and can accommodate up to 2,000 guests for a most memorable event. WONDERFUL WATERFRONTS Impress attendees with expansive views of the Potomac and Anacostia rivers at The Watergate Hotel’s Top of the Gate (overlooking the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Georgetown) and the Cambria Hotel Washington DC in Capitol Riverfront where the rooftop event space includes a bird’s-eye view of the U.S. Capitol. The Roof Terrace Restaurant at the Kennedy Center has floor-to-ceiling glass windows and views of the Lincoln Memorial; the riverfront terrace enchants with fountains, willow trees and expansive views. Sitting at the edge of the Anacostia River directly across from Nationals Park, HQO, a LEED Platinum-certified venue, features a modern facade made of undulating glass and three stories of indoor/outdoor spaces. The Wharf, a newly developed waterfront destination, offers a variety of exciting venues, from the naturally lit, art deco-inspired grand ballroom at the Pendry Washington DC to the glass-enclosed Dockmaster Building at the end of District Pier. La Vie, a restaurant with industrial and coastal vibes, overlooks The Wharf and features indoor and outdoor event spaces. Take your meeting to the Potomac River with City Cruises Washington DC, offering a range of ships equipped with event space and all-inclusive packages. EXPLORE MORE at WASHINGTON.ORG/WATERFRONTS UP ON THE ROOF Apolitical and great fun, the International Spy Museum combines espionage secrets and a spy mission experience with a state-of-the-art venue and a variety of spaces. The ballroom features extraordinary views while the top-floor, glass-enclosed terrace offers both indoor and outdoor space. Together, the ballroom and rooftop terrace accommodate up to 700 guests. With its iconic sightline, the Vue at the Hotel Washington is flooded with natural light and a stellar backdrop of the city. You can’t beat the views of the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument from the Potomac View Terrace at the American Pharmacists Association, one of the only private venues on the National Mall. Shadowing over City CenterDC, the sleek rooftop at Conrad Washington DC accommodates up to 135 reception guests who can meet amid 7,600 square feet of plants and stunning panoramic views of the nation’s capital. The Top of the Hay at the historic Hay-Adams hotel is an enviable indoor/outdoor private event space to capture Instagrammable photos with the White House and monuments in the background. Hi-Lawn, Union Market’s urban green-turf rooftop space arranged with picnic tables, colorful umbrellas and a shipping container bar, accommodates up to 1,000 standing guests in DC’s lively NoMa neighborhood. DISTINCTLY DC Highlight DC’s Black history and culture by hosting an event on U Street or in Shaw, where historic Lincoln Theatre and Howard Theatre have been thriving since the Jazz Age. The newly restored Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library with artwork by DC artists including Xenobia Bailey features the Great Hall for seated dinners, an auditorium and a rooftop event space. Dock 5, an exposed brick warehouse in Union Market, is perfect for intimate gatherings or large receptions. Both the Center Field Plaza and Delta Budweiser Terrace at Nationals Park, home of DC’s major league baseball team, are two great outdoor meeting areas with capacity for 1,000-1,700 guests. The high-definition LED video board is a dynamic way to display signage. BRING THE FUN FACTOR Add a mini golf experience to your next meeting at newly opened Puttery, a 19,000-square-foot entertainment center with three themed courses in Penn Quarter. Puttery offers several event spaces that can accommodate small gatherings of 10 guests to a venue buyout for up to 400. CitySwing, an indoor golf experience founded by BIPOC ex-Tesla executive Tari Cash, features golf simulator suites with lessons and catered team-building activities. For a live performance combined with flexible stage presentations, The Anthem at The Wharf can’t be beat for large-scale gatherings. Or make your own music at Wok and Roll Karaoke in Chinatown with private event space for up to 40 guests. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM Impress and inspire attendees with a social gathering and large events at a museum featuring world-class art and captivating exhibits. Options range from the glass-canopied Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, one of DC’s most magnificent event spaces connected to the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, to the elegant Renwick Gallery located steps from the White House to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the only national museum devoted to showcasing the African American story. Reopening in the fall after a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Great Hall of the National Museum of Women in the Arts dazzles during events with its marble reception area and grand ballroom adorned with three crystal chandeliers. Dedicated to the love of language, DC’s new Planet Word features multiple indoor and outdoor event spaces including the Great Hall with dinner seating for 180 guests, 12-foot-tall windows and a 4,400-LED globe that serves as a chandelier. The Mansard Room seats 150 for dinner and features a rooftop terrace with gorgeous city views. INTIMATELY INSPIRING For small but memorable events, bespoke hidden gems abound in Washington, DC. They include the inviting 120-capacity Foxhall Ballroom filled with natural light in the Dupont Circle Hotel and the charming carriage house and courtyard of the historic Decatur House across from the White House. At Dumbarton House, a Federal-style estate in Georgetown, attendees can begin with a seated dinner in the elegant Belle Vue Room followed by dancing under the stars in the outdoor courtyard. EXPLORE MORE at WASHINGTON.ORG/DC-VENUES
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