Venue Hire

Making your event legendary.

Your guests and associates will never have experienced anything like it.

Holding a function in one of the galleries of the Royal BC Museum guarantees smiles and memories for everyone who attends. Experience the majestic natural beauty, diverse culture and exquisite tastes of British Columbia all in one evening.

The beauty of our galleries and convenience of our location are matched by our attention to detail, our service, and the quality of our catering. Whether it’s a dinner for 10 or a reception for 2,000, you’ll have a unique BC experience. We’ll help you design a menu of local food, drink, and entertainment chosen to perfectly match your event. What could be more memorable than that?

Clifford Carl Hall

Imagine having your guests and colleagues sharing their evening with 200 years of BC history. It’ll be an evening that starts with a stroll through our magnificent glass lobby, filled with historic totem poles. They’ll see all the beauty of BC’s past.

From there, they’ll enter Clifford Carl Hall, the location of many, many successful galas. From sit-down dinners to one-of-a-kind receptions, we offer the very best. If needed, there is space to install a full stage with a large screen. These can be used for any presentations you’ll need to make.

Clifford Carl Hall can seat approximately 200 people. We can arrange for them to sit in round tables or theatre style, depending on your preference.

They’ll also dine extraordinarily well. Our caterers have proved themselves over and over again. We can design a dinner to your theme. Your guests will taste the best in local food and drink. In Victoria, with its oceans, farms, and wineries nearby, it means an utterly delicious local experience.

Natural History Gallery

Nowhere else can an evening explore 80 million years of history. Starting from your first glimpse of the ice wall beside the woolly mammoth, your guests will be riveted by every second they spend there. Imagine them surrounded by exhibits that track how the BC environment has changed over time, walking through a rain forest, hearing the sea lions, seeing a real tidal pool and going under the sea in a submarine. As they mingle and talk, they’ll be drawn to displays of prehistoric life and ancient fossils.

Our Natural History Gallery is an ideal space for small, seated dinners or grazing receptions. The exhibits inspire people to explore the space, and stimulate a sense of fun and adventure in every guest. The gallery will comfortably host your reception or sit down dinner.

And what dinners! Our caterers have served shucked vodka oysters by our seashore exhibit, with freshly caught local salmon as a main course. Because of the bounty that surrounds Victoria, we pride ourselves on focusing on a 100 mile diet. Guests consistently tell us that local food and wines add to all the education and fun that make up an evening in our Natural History Gallery.

Modern History and First Peoples Galleries

The third floor of the Museum will immerse your guests in history. In our Modern History Gallery, attendees will mingle with fur traders and explorers. They’ll walk turn-of-the-century streets and explore a replica of North America’s second oldest Chinatown, or spend some time on a pioneer farm in Northern BC.

First Peoples Gallery

The breathtaking spirituality of the First Peoples gallery will introduce your guests to the rich culture of the First Nations of British Columbia. With some of the finest examples of First Peoples art in the world, your guests will dine amid the silent totems, hear the legends of these amazing people through their music and be transported to the early villages of the people who met Captain Cook. Not just an evening, an experience.

In all our galleries, we can offer much more than just a dinner in a dramatic location. Both food and entertainment can be themed with your choice of location. So, in our First Peoples Gallery, you can dine on traditional native foods, served with a modern twist. Your guests can be entertained by a First Nations storyteller. Across the hall, our caterers might serve Asian fusion in Chinatown. Or local musicians could play traditional music before a murder mystery is acted out in our turn-of-the-century town. Your evening can be completely themed according to your tastes, your budget, and the desires of your organization.

Temporary Exhibitions

The exhibitions are temporary, but the memories last forever. Our Temporary Exhibitions may be rented. Exhibitions, rates and availability change regularly. Please enquire for more information.

Meeting Rooms

The Royal BC Museum also offers excellent meeting rooms and space for business and other groups. From our comfortable modern board room that seats 16 to Newcombe Conference Hall, with seating for 100, we have the space you need. Depending on availability, you can book for a morning, a day, or longer. Whatever time you need to get the job done.

Meeting at the Museum, with its convenient central location, can help to free collective minds. You’re minutes away from downtown, but freed up to think and get things done in the calm and peace of this dramatic and private location. Of course, any audio-visual equipment you need is available for a reasonable rental price.

We can also provide all the food and beverages you need, either through our corporate caterers or from our excellent Museum café.

The best part is that, when the work is done, your team will get a group rate to the Royal BC Museum. So you can finish your day with a trip through our wonderful exhibits. We also offer a full companion/family program for your delegates.

Our Preferred Suppliers

Truffles Catering: Official Corporate Catering Partner

Truffles Catering is a 100% local Vancouver Island Company which was started just over 20 years ago by chef proprietor Don Calveley.

We have been working with the Royal BC Museum since the inception of the facilities rental program and have continued to develop and enhance the partnership between our two organizations. Our understanding of producing events inside the museum galleries is second to none and our team gets great delight in every event we cater to at this very special venue.

We are proud to showcase the best of our region and many of our menu designs reflect this. Our culinary team is highly talented and specializes in creating menus to suit individual occasions. For out-of-town guests Truffles is best placed to represent local specialties from Vancouver Island producers and suppliers, being a local business committed to sustainable practices.

A range of sample menus is available, and we would be happy to discuss options and event styles at any time.

We look forward to talking with you!

Phone: 250-544-0200
Email: yummy@trufflescatering.net

Decorate Victoria with Huff N Puff

From simple and elegant to fantasy and fun!

Custom designed special event decor for any theme. With over 6,000 square feet of props, specialty linens and fresh floral, our creative team can make your event magical.

When the decor looks good, you look great!

Sandra Long
480 Tennyson Place, Victoria, BC
Phone: 250-382-4833
Email: Sandy@DecorateVictoria.com

FAQs

Food and Catering

We ask that you use our caterers. The Royal BC Museum, following the Government of British Columbia guidelines, put a request for proposal on BC Bid. Catering companies who complied with the requirements of the bidding process were evaluated according to the policy and a three year contract was awarded to caterers who met the criteria.

No, the Museum has a liquor licence.

No. A requirement for our liquor licence is that all liquor is purchased and served in accordance with BC Liquor Control Board policy.

The acids and composition of these have the potential to stain and or damage artifacts if spillage occurs.

General Questions

Tables and chairs and equipment having to do with food and beverage service are negotiated with the caterers. Equipment such as sound, audio visual is available from the Museum the list is included in the rental contract and will be post billed.

Capacities vary depending on what kind of an event you are doing (stand-up reception, grazing stations or a sit-down dinner). Each event is different.

The Museum event coordinator, a Tec, normal security, and cleaning. Any additional services such as special security, a sound system, or audio visual equipment will be post billed. The client negotiates with the caterer and any entertainment.

The Museum as a list of entertainment providers who have entertained in the galleries. Additional entertainment may be brought in but must be cleared by the Museum event coordinator. The Museum reserves the right to approve entertainment. All entertainment must be respectful of the protocols involved and the Museum reputation.

The Royal BC Museum does not raise funds for other organizations.

No, this would be a conflict of interest with our gift shop.

Policies

The Corporation may, at its discretion, terminate this Licence upon 90 days written notice to the User in which case the Corporation will return any money it has received from the User and the User’s rights under this Agreement will terminate without compensation. The User may, at its discretion, immediately terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the Corporation.

If the User terminates this Agreement

at least 60 days prior to the Commencement Date, the Corporation will return the Deposit to the User;
less than 60 days but at least 31 days prior to the Commencement Date, the Corporation will keep the Deposit and return any amounts paid pursuant to s.2.01(b); and
less than 31 days prior to the Commencement Date, the User will pay the full amount set out in this Agreement.

The Royal BC Museum Corporation is committed to acting responsibly on the purchase, use, and disposal of energy or materials that have an impact on the environment. This policy provides a framework within which the Royal BC Museum operates, and which demonstrates responsibility and due diligence on the part of the Royal BC Museum Corporation. In addition, we aim to educate and assist members of the Royal BC Museum community to understand and fulfil their responsibilities to practice environmental sustainability.

SOCAN license will be arranged by RBCM when the renter provides RBCM with details of planned performance in writing.
A provincial certificate of insurance is required, showing $2,000,000 comprehensive general liability.
Please note: Red wine and certain foods are not permitted in the galleries.
All prices include basic Museum security, cleaners, an A-V technician and an Event Coordinator.
The Museum has a full range of A-V equipment, staging material and props available for rent.

Contact

To learn more about how the Royal BC Museum can turn your event into an unforgettable occasion, please contact:

Judith Brunt, Facilities Rental Program Manager
Phone: 250-387-5745
Fax: 250-387-6062
Email: jbrunt@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca