Photo: Palm Tree Studios

Venue Rentals

The National Gallery of Canada’s dazzling, light-filled building is the perfect setting for your next event. From intimate dinners to elegant receptions for hundreds of guests, and classical concerts to public lectures, we have a venue to suit any event you may have in mind.

Request a Booking

 

Jump to:

Scotiabank Great Hall Foyer Cafeteria Auditorium Lecture Hall Fees Caterers

Gallery Venues

Tables and chairs set up for a wedding dinner in a glass-walled space.

The Scotiabank Great Hall set up for an autumn wedding dinner, with a view of Parliament Hill.

Scotiabank Great Hall

The Gallery’s iconic colonnade leads to the spacious Scotiabank Great Hall, where your guests will be surrounded by stunning architecture, floor-to-ceiling windows, and an atrium-style glass ceiling. Featuring panoramic views of Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River, this is one of the most spectacular event venues in the National Capital Region.

The Scotiabank Great Hall is the Gallery’s largest event space — ideal for banquets, cocktail parties and weddings.

Availability: Events may begin an hour after the Gallery closes to the public.

Maximum Number of Guests*
Standing Reception: 570
Sit-Down Dinner: 350
Sit-Down Dinner with Dance Floor: 250
Theatre-Style: 275
*Capacity may vary, depending on event set-up and/or planned programming.

Request a Booking for the Scotiabank Great Hall 

Tables and chairs facing a small stage in a glass-walled space.

The Scotiabank Great Hall with tables and stage set up for a corporate event, looking out at Parliament Hill.

A square stage with bright red carpet, surrounded by flat rows of chairs.

The Scotiabank Great Hall set up with a central stage and theatre-style seating.

Tables and chairs facing a long stage with a screen.

The Scotiabank Great Hall set up for a dinner event, with stage and screen.

Large open space with blue light filtering through a glass-bottomed pool on the floor above.

View of the empty Foyer, with natural light filtering through a glass-bottomed pool on the floor above.

Foyer

Natural light filters through a pool of water from the floor above, and is reflected onto the Foyer’s glass floor, offering a unique ambiance for a more intimate function. This space is conveniently located near the Gallery’s Auditorium, Lecture Hall and entrances.

The Foyer is an ideal space for cocktail parties, ceremonies and corporate events.

Availability: Events may begin an hour after the Gallery closes to the public.

Maximum Number of Guests*
Standing Reception: 230
Sit-Down Dinner: 150
Sit-Down Dinner with Dance Floor: 100
Theatre-Style: 200
*Capacity may vary, depending on event set-up.

Request a Booking for the Foyer

Formal dinner tables with light filtering through the glass floor above, and curtains along the far wall.

The Foyer set up for a wedding.

People socializing in a large open space with green and red lighting.

The Foyer during an after-hours social event.

Formal dinner tables in an open space with light from the floor above, and rectangular openings on the far wall.

The Foyer set up for a sit-down dinner.

Formal dining setup with white tablecloths and floral centerpieces.

The Restaurant arranged for a sit-down dinner.

Cafeteria

The Cafeteria features a glass rotunda and a private terrace offering views onto Kìwekì Point (formerly Nepean Point) and Parliament Hill. Available exclusively to clients who book the Gallery’s onsite caterer, the Cafeteria is an ideal space for cocktail parties, receptions and intimate events.

Availability: Events may begin after the Cafeteria has closed to the public.

Maximum Number of Guests*
Standing Reception: 250
Sit-Down Dinner: 120 panorama; 80 in tea area; 45 in rotunda
Sit-Down Dinner with Dance Floor: 120
Theatre-Style: 120 in tea area
*Capacity may vary, depending on event set-up.

Request a Booking for the Cafeteria 

Formal dining tables in a rectangle, with empty space in the middle.

The Restaurant tea area set up for a formal event.

Light-filled space with flat rows of chairs facing a wall of windows.

The Restaurant tea area set up with seating for a wedding.

Formal dining tables with red tablecloths in a round light-filled space.

The Rotunda set up for a sit-down formal dinner.

Side view of an auditorium with raked seating, facing a screen with curtains.

The Auditorium.

 

Auditorium

All eyes are on the stage in the Auditorium. With theatre seating, a podium with microphone, screen, translation booth, standard lighting and sound system, this space accommodates audiences of all ages and interests. Additional equipment can be rented, if necessary. The Auditorium is an ideal space for conferences, educational talks, film screenings, and performances.

Auditorium equipment must be operated by Gallery-approved personnel or suppliers.

Availability: This space is available during and after the Gallery’s public hours.

Additional Equipment and Service Charges:
Barco Cinema Projector: $500/event
Live Streaming and Recording: $1,200/event
Advance consultation is required with the Gallery’s onsite AV Production Manager. Prices may vary, depending on requirements.

Maximum Number of Guests
Fixed Theatre-Style: 399 (No food or beverages permitted)

Detailed technical information is available upon request.

Request a Booking for the Auditorium

View from a stage looking out at raked theatre seating.

The Auditorium from centre stage.

View of an auditorium bathed in pink light, facing a stage with movie screen.

The Auditorium with special lighting.

View of an auditorium stage with flags on floor stands behind a podium.

The Auditorium set up for a panel-style event.

Small space with flat rows of seating facing a pull-down screen.

The Lecture Hall set up for a conference event.

Lecture Hall

The Gallery’s 91-seat Lecture Hall is a cozy space that is perfect for intimate presentations, with an ambiance sure to keep your guests engaged and focused. Equipped with a translation booth, screen, small stage and podium, this room is ideal for media events, corporate conferences, educational talks, panel discussions, or lectures.

Availability: This space is available during the Gallery’s public hours.

Maximum Number of Guests*
Fixed Theatre-Style: 91 (No food or beverages permitted)

Detailed technical information is available upon request.

Request a Booking for the lecture Hall

 

Rental Fees

Venue Availability Fee
Scotiabank Great Hall One hour after public hours $5,795
Cafeteria One hour after public hours $4,575
Foyer One hour after public hours $2,975
Auditorium* During and after public hours $2,975
Lecture Hall* During public hours $1,775
Permanent Collection - Private Viewing* One hour after the Gallery closes to the public. Viewings are available for a period of two hours or less. Pricing available upon request.
Special Exhibition - Private Viewing* One hour after the Gallery closes to the public. Viewings are available for a period of two hours or less. Pricing available upon request.

* No food or beverages permitted.

All fees are subject to change without notice. Additional charges will apply based on your event requirements. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Functions must be for a period of 10 hours or less, including set-up and tear-down. Partial set-up and deliveries may begin the night before, or the morning of the event, outside of Gallery opening hours, subject to Gallery approval.

Rental fees include cleaning, room set-up and take-down of Gallery furniture.

Request a Booking

Preferred Caterers

Empty wine glasses on a table, with people in the background.

From cocktail parties to sit-down dinners, our preferred caterers are ready to meet your every need.

The National Gallery of Canada is proud to offer a preferred list of suppliers who specialize in event catering. Our preferred caterers provide professional service and creative, innovative menus of the highest quality.

Whether you are planning a wedding, private reception, conference, product launch, customer event or staff celebration, our preferred caterers will make planning food and drink for your event a rewarding and stress-free experience.

A full list of caterers with contact information will be provided upon request.