Celebrations
Spaces to suit every celebration
Our Grade II* listed building is brimming with Victorian architectural charm, social value and compelling human stories.
Bishopsgate Institute can accommodate anything from intimate drinks receptions to grand parties. Our spaces range from our Great Hall ballroom, which can hold up to 400 guests and is perfect for dancing the night away, to our wood-panelled Library and the bright, airy Upper Hall.
Whether you’re looking to celebrate your engagement or wedding with your nearest and dearest, plan a party for a milestone birthday, or dance the night away at a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, we would be honoured to host your event. Our experience of hosting large celebrations means that your event is in safe hands with us.
Image gallery
A gallery slider
Exchanging rings at a micro-wedding in our Library, August 2024.
© 2024 Credit : Fanny Beckman
A wedding taking place in the Great Hall, 2024
© 2024 Credit : Ruby Pluhar
The Great Hall decorated for a wedding.
© 2024 Credit : Ruby Pluhar
The Great Hall
Guests at a long table toast during a wedding ceremony at Bishopsgate Institute, November 2024
© 2024 Credit : Ruby Pluhar
The Great Hall lit up for the evening wedding party, November 2024
© 2024 Credit : Ruby Pluhar
A couple sit and hold hands during a wedding at Bishopsgate Institute, November 2024.
© 2024 Credit : Ruby Pluhar
The Great Hall
The Upper Hall staircase
Credit : Kathleen Arundell Photography
The Upper Hall
The library lit up specially for a micro-wedding, August 2024.
© 204 Credit : Jess Rose
A micro-wedding in our Library, August 2024.
© 2024 Credit : Jess Rose
A micro-wedding in our Library, August 2024.
© 2024 Credit : Jess Rose
A unique experience, expertly curated
Whichever of our spaces you choose to hire, our friendly, dedicated Events team is here to make your preparations as smooth and stress-free as possible.
We work to ensure that each element of every event hosted in our spaces is delivered to the highest standards and our experience of hosting large celebrations means that your event is in safe hands with us.
In addition to our in-house team, our directory of accredited suppliers has been compiled to help create the perfect occasion for your specifications. We have carefully curated a range of production companies, florists, photographers, caterers, and more. We have worked hard to ensure that all of our suppliers reflect Bishopsgate Institute’s values while also providing the best possible service.
View the full range of our suppliers here.
The entire experience of getting married at the Bishopsgate Institute was a dream for us.
Inclusive and welcoming weddings
We are proud to be an inclusive venue that welcomes all couples to celebrate their love. Our world-leading special collections & archives, which include the UK’s largest LGBTQIA+ collection, can be incorporated into your celebration through a number of tailored add-on options.
We’d be delighted to curate an add-on package especially for you and your guests, be it a curated display of materials from our internationally-renowned collections & archive, an expert-led workshop, or a private tour.
By holding your wedding here, you become a part of the legacy of learning, community and human stories that has been at the heart of Bishopsgate Institute for over 130 years.
Thank you so much to the entire Bishopsgate team for all your hard work on the days leading up to and on the day of the wedding. We had the best time and every single part of it was even better than we ever could have hoped for!
Capacities
| Hire Types | The Great Hall | The Upper Hall | The Library |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theatre seating | 270 | 120 | 50 |
| Cabaret/Dinner seating | 150 | 120 | - |
| Standing reception | 400 | 220 | 100 |
If you are looking to host an intimate event, the Front Library is perfect. For anything larger, we recommend our airy, spacious Upper and Great Halls.
Contact us
To make an enquiry about hiring one of our spaces, fill out our form or call us on 020 7392 9200 (Monday to Friday, 09:30 - 17:30).
Bishopsgate Institute is a registered charity. When you hire a space with us, every penny goes towards keeping our building open and providing learning opportunities through our public programme of creative events and classes.
As a secular and independent charity. Our building cannot be used to host rallies, party political or religious events. We also don’t hire our building for public classes and courses run by external parties.
What We Do
