8 Things To Consider When Choosing Your Event Venue

By Author: Millennium Gate Museum
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Many decisions must be made when organising an event, but selecting the right venue and location like museum space for rent of Millennium Gate Museum is the one that will have the greatest impact on your event. Everything from the event date to speaker lineups, catering options, and attendee experience is determined by the event venue and location you choose.

Is this a little intimidating? You are not required to feel this way. Here are some pointers on when to make a decision, what to think about, and how to do better.

When to Start Looking for a Venue
The sooner, the better. You can start looking for a venue once you have a good understanding of the three factors listed below: budget, estimated event size, and space requirements.

Book a venue at least 8 months in advance to allow time for other critical tasks such as securing great speakers, creating an event programme and website, beginning ticket sales, engaging with attendees, and more.

What to Consider When Searching for a Venue

1. Location
You've probably thought about it already. You may be looking for a venue that is a ...
... reasonable distance from the majority of attendees' homes or places of work for a local event. If many attendees are coming from out of town, a location near the airport or their hotels will be advantageous. In any case, don't forget to factor in traffic, transportation, and parking.

If you want to reduce the likelihood of your attendees being late, provide them with a mobile event app, which is becoming more common these days. Your attendees will feel confident and assured heading into the event with maps, driving directions, and parking/shuttle information at their fingertips. If the venue is on a large campus or institute, using maps with pinned locations can be extremely helpful. Interactive indoor maps will make it easier for attendees to navigate events with exhibitions, posters, or parallel sessions.

2. Parking
Is there a parking lot or valet service at the venue? A venue with a parking lot is the stuff of dreams. If that's not the case, see if there are any nearby parking lots that attendees can use. If there is no parking available, you are not completely out of options; instead, consider the following:

Reserve nearby parking lots for your attendees and either include the cost in the ticket price or charge them when they arrive.
Make it possible for attendees to share a ride or a cab. It would also be an excellent opportunity for them to interact with one another.
Even if the venue does not provide valet parking, offer it for the event. If the event is upscale, such as a gala, providing a valet may be necessary.

3. Capacity and Minimums
What is the maximum capacity? You'll need to know the venue's room capacity for a few reasons. For starters, a room with a capacity of 250 people cannot comfortably accommodate 500 people (if that is your estimated event size). Second, there are fire and safety codes that the history museum event rental must follow.

What are the food and beverage minimums? If your venue serves food and/or beverages and has a minimum food and beverage spending amount (known as an F&B minimum), make sure that previous event F&B records are in line with the minimum. If you estimate significantly more F&B spending than the venue requires, it means you'd be a good customer for them. Negotiate whether they will provide a complimentary service (e.g., upgraded Wi-Fi or A/V support) in exchange for a certain level of spending.

How to make adjustment based on attendee feedback? It is critical to be able to make an informed adjustment for the size of a room or F&B immediately prior to or during your event. You can easily count attendees or collect instant feedback using live polling on an event app, saving you time and money. Here are 64 ready-to-use event survey questions in templates.

4. Contract Flexibility and Force Majeure
Obtaining an official contract with the venue provider is essential, as changing the event location is probably the last thing you want to see.
However, given the pandemic's uncertainty, it's a good idea to negotiate flexible contract terms with your venue, as your event may be delayed or cancelled due to unforeseen factors. A lockdown order, for example, or a natural disaster may prevent people from attending your event even if they have registered.

5. Services and Amenities
Is there a kitchen at the venue, and can it provide catering for your event? If this is the case, many venues will waive the facility fee in exchange for a down payment and the cost of food for each attendee. Venues without kitchens may have a partnership with a food provider that you must use, so you should check their food ahead of time. For the best attendee experience, choose a venue that serves great food or allows you to bring in outside food vendors.

Is it equipped with tables, chairs, and linens? If a venue has these items, you can save a lot of money and time by using what they have, as long as it matches your theme and ambiance.

Is there a crew for setup and cleanup? Rejoice if you've found a venue that includes a setup and cleanup crew! This isn't always true. If these services are not available, you will need to form an event team or find volunteers.

Is it equipped with AV capabilities? Some venues have built-in audio-visual equipment for you to use, while others require you to bring your own.

6. Layout
Even if you find your venue early in the event planning process, you'll want to have a rough idea of what types of activities you'll include, the amenities you'll need, and the needs of your team and attendees.
Obtain an illustrated floor plan of each venue and walk through your favourites at least once, noting important details such as where the outlets are and where AV equipment is or can be found.

A few different aspects of your event will be greatly influenced by the layout and floor plan:

Traffic flow - Consider the flow of traffic through your event. For each event, you'll want a different kind of flow. What areas of the event will see a lot of foot traffic? Registration? What about the auditorium doors? Keep this in mind when selecting your venue, and keep in mind that how you set up the tables and decor will have a big impact on this as well.
Event activities - If you want keynote speakers at your event, you'll need a stage or a place to set up a rented stage. Will you require a demonstration area? Is there going to be a bar?

7. Insurance
Some establishments will refuse to do business with you if you do not have insurance. Several venues require a certain amount of liability as well as having them listed as additional insured for the event. Typically, you can obtain this endorsement for your event from your general liability insurance agent. It is also a good idea to START EARLY in planning to have this added, as well as to have all of the required wording, address, and so on, before contacting your agent.

8. Ambiance and Accessibility
Pay close attention to the venue's existing décor like in Millennium Gate Museum events. What architectural style is the building, and what message does the interior convey? You'll probably need different venue accommodations for a gala than you would for an expo. The less the ambiance corresponds to the desired feeling of your event (upscale, high tech, etc.), the more decorating you'll need to do to compensate.

The possibility that everyone, especially those with special needs, can access the building and its amenities is referred to as accessibility. You must first understand who your attendees are and what their needs are before you can answer this question.

You'll most likely know if there will be children at your event, but you may not know if there will be people with other special needs. In this case, reviewing recent events hosted by your organisation may provide some insight.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when selecting a venue for your event. However, if you consider the aforementioned factors when conducting your research, you will find the ideal venue for your event.

Know more about Millennium Gate Museum, please visit www.thegatemuseum.org.