Top Philadelphia Holiday Party Museums

• Spaces for 250-500 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark

The Horticulture Center, located in Philadelphia’s beautiful Fairmount Park, includes a modern exhibition hall and greenhouse on stunning historic grounds. The Center was built in 1979 and sits on the site of the former Horticultural Hall, an 1876 Centennial Exposition building. Boasting both intimate indoor and large-scale outdoor gathering spaces, the Horticulture Center is the ideal setting for unique private celebrations, exceptional weddings, and memorable corporate events.

• Spaces for 200-500 Guests
• 2 Museums
• 1 Ballroom
• 2 Total Spaces

PAFA honors the transforming potential of art and art-making as the country's first art school and museum. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, which was established in 1805, provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the fine arts, cutting-edge exhibitions of classic and modern American art, and a top-tier collection of American artwork. Among PAFA's illustrious former students are Mary Cassatt, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Thomas Eakins, William Glackens, Barkley L. Hendricks, Violet Oakley, Louis Kahn, David Lynch, and Henry Ossawa Tanner, who was awarded the National Medal of Arts. If external groups or individuals are interested in renting space from PAFA for a private event, they should get in touch with our Event Rentals department. Do you picture classic charm or slick modernism when you picture the appearance and feel of your ideal wedding? You don't have to make a decision at PAFA. As we work together to create the day you've envisaged, you'll have both incredible alternatives at your fingertips. No matter which building you choose—the sleek Historic Landmark Building, the cutting-edge Samuel M.V. Hamilton Building, or both—you will be in awe of the exquisite details wherever you look. Weddings at PAFA are absolutely unlike any other in Philadelphia, from our ideal location in the center of Center City to our jaw-dropping design features to flawlessly executed catering solutions. We'll imaginatively adapt our spaces to match your demands and ideas, from first impressions to final sendoffs, and we have room for up to 275 guests. You'll discover that PAFA offers an award-winning wedding venue at a pleasantly affordable pricing point for all of these reasons and more.

• Spaces for 50-2,000 Guests
• 7 Museums
• 7 Landmarks
• 8 Total Spaces

Make great art the centerpiece of your next special occasion. Give a toast from a grand balcony graced by seventeenth-century tapestries, mingle in a garden among Rodin’s classic bronzes, or dance the night away in the atrium of an Art Deco building. No matter the affair, the setting will be unforgettable at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Stunning spaces in our main building, the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, and the Rodin Museum offer an array of options for indoor and garden events of all sizes, from photo shoots to business meetings to formal weddings. Constellation Culinary Group, the Museum’s exclusive caterer, creates custom menus, offering food and drinks that are as spectacular as the setting. Entertaining with us also helps support our programs—all the more reason to celebrate.

• Spaces for 50-450 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 1 Ballroom
• 3 Total Spaces

Located on the most historic square mile in the country, the Weitzman is an architectural landmark that boasts 20,000 square feet of multi-purpose event space across five floors. The flagship space is a 7,000 square-foot ballroom with seating for 500 (reception for up to 700), floor-to-ceiling wrap-around windows, and the adjoining Toll Terrace. The indoor-outdoor space overlooks Independence Mall—the most historic square mile in the country—and offers a one-of-a-kind, panoramic view of the Philadelphia skyline.

• Spaces for 150-800 Guests
• 2 Museums
• 2 Landmarks
• 1 Event Space

Welcome to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, where history and architecture combine to create a truly unique and elegant venue to make every event one to remember. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia is not a college, but a non-profit institution, promoting the heritage and future of health and medicine. With its historic ambience and stately architecture, it’s no wonder that the College – located in Philadelphia’s charming Rittenhouse-Fitler Historic District – has been the chosen setting for a diverse range of memorable events. Its many event spaces provide plenty of opportunities for personalization, plus a lovely outdoor herb garden, making it a choice Philadelphia wedding venue. The eight individually unique spaces our building offers can satisfy any of your event needs. Our rental options offer optimal customization by allowing you to select a combination of spaces that best suit your event. Many of our spaces are interconnected, permitting events to flow through multiple rooms with ease.

• Spaces for 40-100 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark
• 2 Total Spaces

Built in 1786, this square, four-story brick house is the only free-standing Federal townhouse remaining in Society Hill. With its huge doorway fan light (the largest in any Pennsylvania residence in 1786) plus grand proportions and straight, classical lines, Physick House is an exceptional example of the Federal style. It is decorated with outstanding examples of French-influenced Neoclassic furnishings, popular during Dr. Physick's time in the house. The unusually large city garden is a serene and peaceful.

• Spaces for 100-3,800 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Landmark
• 3 Total Spaces

Come experience The Met presented by Highmark, the newly renovated crown jewel of North Broad Street’s renaissance. Formerly the Philadelphia Metropolitan Opera House, this grand hall was originally built in 1908 by opera impresario Oscar Hammerstein. After a $56 million restoration, The Met Philly surpassed its original grandeur and redoubled its emphasis on world-class hospitality. As a legendary landmark, The Met is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, Pennsylvania State and National Registers of Historic Places. Located in North Center City, Philadelphia’s largest non-arena facility possesses both the city’s largest performance stage, as well as its most monumental, theatrical auditorium. Whether hosting a corporate event, private concert, or large scale ceremony, your guests will be dazzled at this unique and breathtaking setting. The mammoth stage can host a banquet of 300 alone, while the Grand Salle can accommodate a soirée of 250 VIPs. The Met Philly will surely exceed the expectations of even the most discerning guest, with its access to the world’s greatest musical entertainment, full-service event production, state-of-the- art sound and lighting, succulent, custom menus and heavenly craft cocktails.

• Spaces for 110-600 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 3 Landmarks

Plan your next corporate meeting, event, gala, fundraiser, or wedding at Pennsylvania’s most visited and beloved museum. Whether you need a meeting, luncheon, reception, or dinner venue, The Franklin Institute’s professional staff will ensure a memorable event with exceptional customer service.

• Spaces for 160-200 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

The Michener Art Museum, which bears the novelist and philanthropist's name, is well situated downtown Doylestown. The Museum is located in a gorgeously renovated historic building that was originally built in 1884 as the Bucks County prison. The Museum is now a warm hub of culture and beauty that offers visitors a dramatic and refined environment for entertainment. This is the ideal Bucks County wedding venue, including a top-notch collection of Pennsylvania Impressionist artwork. The Michener Art Museum in Doylestown serves as a fantastic hub for events. The Museum is 50 miles from Philadelphia, Allentown, and Princeton, and 100 miles from New York City. Doylestown and adjacent New Hope both have a lot of attractions. Because of its position, it serves as an ideal gathering spot for families and businesses that are distributed over the Mid-Atlantic region. A inviting space appropriate for cocktail hours is the Grand Entry Hall. The terrace garden is a charming and serene location for charming wedding ceremonies and may also be used as a laid-back area for cocktail hour. The event pavilion, which has all-glass walls and access to galleries and a sculpture garden, is the ideal location for sit-down receptions, dinners, and dances. You are welcome to meander through the galleries with your guests while you are celebrating. Formal tours can be arranged with a knowledgeable docent for your event. The Michener has plenty of free parking, is fully accessible, and has air conditioning. On request, audiovisual equipment is offered. Non-profit organizations, individual members, and commercial partners are all eligible for discounts. As the sole caterer for the Michener Art Museum, Catering By Design takes great pride in plating expertly prepared food with influences from all over the world. To ensure that your event is exactly as you imagined, menus can be tailored from scratch.

• Spaces for 60-629 Guests
• 12 Museums
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 12 Total Spaces

Designed in the 1890s, the Penn Museum is a 300,000-square-foot historic building on the University of Pennsylvania's campus, with exterior details including glass mosaics by the Tiffany Glass Company, sculptures by Alexander Stirling Calder, and marble medallions by John Ross of New York City. Inside, the Museum houses one-of-a-kind artifacts acquired from over 300 archaeological and anthropological expeditions, giving guests a world of history to explore in a single evening. The Museum welcomes wedding ceremonies and receptions, showers, rehearsals, mitzvahs, corporate events, and philanthropic occasions. Event spaces range from the Asia Gallery, the Museum's largest, set beneath a 90-foot early 20th-century dome, to the newly renovated Sphinx Gallery with its arched windows and marble staircases, to Coxe Hall's soaring ceilings and polished terrazzo floors. Outdoor options include the Warden Garden, with Tiffany Glass Company mosaics, and the Stoner Courtyard, featuring sculptural pieces by Alexander Stirling Calder and a central marble fountain. For lectures, meetings, and performances, the Museum offers the coffered-dome Harrison Auditorium, the fully AV-equipped Widener Lecture Hall, and Rainey Auditorium. Catering is provided in-house by Restaurant Associates, and the Museum's Simple & Sweet package offers an intimate, budget-friendly weekday daytime wedding option for up to 70 guests. Every event is monitored by museum security personnel to protect the collections and historic structure throughout.

• Spaces for 180 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor

Alverthorpe Manor is the private event venue of Abington Art Center, set on a 27-acre campus in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania that includes a sculpture park and nature trail. The manor was once the home of art collector Lessing Rosenwald, whose belief that art should be shared with the public still shapes the organization today. Couples and hosts can choose from a covered outdoor pavilion with closeable side walls and a heated floor for year-round use, curated indoor art galleries suited to cocktail hours and receptions, and lawn space for ceremonies, with two private manor dressing suites available for wedding-party preparation. A historic, speakeasy-inspired basement bar is also available pending availability. Tables and chairs for up to 180 guests are included with a rental, along with a complimentary one-year membership to the Art Center. Alverthorpe Manor allows outside caterers and food trucks, and connects hosts with a network of trusted vendors rather than requiring an all-inclusive package. As a nonprofit, rental proceeds support the Art Center's mission of keeping the arts accessible to the community.

• Spaces for 56-700 Guests
• 6 Museums
• 2 Landmarks
• 6 Total Spaces

Located in the heart of Historic Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center pairs its role as a museum dedicated to constitutional education with a set of dramatic event spaces overlooking Independence Mall. Its signature space, the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Overlook, rises 60 feet beneath a wall of sweeping windows and features a 100-foot First Amendment Tablet inscribed with the first 45 words of the Bill of Rights, creating a striking backdrop for receptions, dinners, and programs. Rental of the Overlook also grants access to the adjacent Signers' Hall, home to 42 life-size bronze statues of the Founding Fathers. Beyond the Overlook, the Center offers the Kenneth C. Griffin Great Hall Main Lobby, an open 12,000-square-foot space with sweeping views of Independence Mall, and a Rooftop Terrace for open-air cocktail receptions and evening celebrations. Smaller gatherings can be hosted in the Delegates' Cafe, a naturally lit space with floor-to-ceiling windows, the John C. Bogle Chairman's Room for intimate or boardroom-style meetings, and the F.M. Kirby Auditorium for seminars and presentations. For the largest occasions, the venue offers full-museum buyouts accommodating up to 2,800 guests, with private access to its exhibits available as an add-on for any event. Rhubarb Hospitality Collection serves as the Center's exclusive caterer, and rental fees include an on-site event coordinator, exhibit staff, and building engineer, along with basic audio-visual equipment and standard event furniture.

• Spaces for 150-250 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 space at this venue

Established in 1931 as the first art center on the Main Line, Wayne Art Center began in a carriage house on Louella Avenue and has grown into a 30,000-square-foot facility on Maplewood Avenue in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The nonprofit center welcomes more than 35,000 visitors and program participants annually and hosts more than 20 exhibitions each year alongside its classes in painting, ceramics, jewelry, and the culinary arts. The center's galleries and studios double as event space for weddings, corporate gatherings, and milestone celebrations. The Davenport Gallery, the largest of its exhibition spaces at 3,500 square feet, features cathedral ceilings and a wall of windows that fill the room with natural light, while the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery offers hardwood floors and museum-quality LED lighting. Seven gardens connect the property along a stone walking path, including a terrace with magnolia trees that serves as a backdrop for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Rentals can accommodate up to 250 guests for a cocktail-style event or 150 for a seated dinner, with amenities including air conditioning, hardwood floors, high ceilings, ample parking, and full handicap accessibility.

• Spaces for 12-300 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 1 Ballroom
• 3 Total Spaces

The Venue at Chester County History Center occupies a historic complex in downtown West Chester, Pennsylvania, blending two distinctive 19th- and early 20th-century buildings. Horticultural Hall, designed by architect Thomas U. Walter and built in 1848, once hosted the Chester County Horticultural Society and served as the West Chester Opera House; it stands alongside the former YMCA building, a 1908 structure designed by Philadelphia architect Charles Barton Keen. A 1990s restoration returned the High Street facade to its original Colonial Revival appearance, and the combined 56,000-square-foot complex now houses the museum's exhibition galleries, library, and research areas alongside its event spaces. Surrounded by six galleries of Chester County and Southern Pennsylvania history, the venue accommodates weddings and receptions, corporate parties and conferences, fundraising events, milestone celebrations, and small meetings. It is fully handicapped accessible with complimentary WiFi throughout. Wedding packages can include use of the full rental venue, access to the museum, a wedding suite, day-of coordination, choice of caterer from a preferred list, tables and chairs, a dance floor, and a tent for the terrace. The venue offers discounted rental rates for non-profit organizations hosting fundraisers. Its location in the heart of downtown West Chester puts guests within walking distance of Hotel Warner, garage parking, boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants, and minutes from major Brandywine Valley attractions.

• Spaces for 60-150 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 3 Total Spaces

The Mercer Museum is a distinctive concrete castle in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, built by archaeologist and historian Henry Mercer between 1908 and 1916. Its seven-story structure, anchored by a towering central atrium originally designed to display large early American artifacts, now houses roughly 40,000 objects spanning more than 60 pre-industrial trades, widely regarded as among the most complete collections of its kind in the country. For private events, the museum offers the Elkins Gallery, a Georgian-style room with a vintage baby grand piano and two fireplaces well suited to intimate weddings and receptions, and the Great Hall, set beneath a glass ceiling with views of the castle and available for evening events with self-guided tours included. A clear-sided tent in the courtyard accommodates larger plated dinners from May through October, with views of the illuminated castle at night, while an outdoor ceremony garden with a log-house backdrop provides space for al fresco ceremonies and photography. The venue hosts weddings, anniversary parties, corporate receptions, and team-building events among its historic galleries.

• Spaces for 60-200 Guests
• 7 Museums
• 2 Outdoor Spaces
• 7 Total Spaces

Founded in 1912 to honor Wilmington illustrator Howard Pyle, the Delaware Art Museum has grown into one of Delaware's primary arts and cultural institutions, housing more than 12,000 works that include the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art on display outside the United Kingdom and nearly 4,000 works of American illustration. The museum offers a distinctive setting for private events, with a mix of indoor halls, board rooms, an auditorium, and outdoor spaces including a sculpture garden and a labyrinth set within a former reservoir. Catherine A. Fusco Hall accommodates up to 175 guests for cocktail receptions or 150 for seated dinners, while the East Court provides a more intimate option for up to 125. The North Terrace overlooks the sculpture garden and is suited to outdoor entertaining and happy hours. Board rooms and the DuPont Auditorium serve corporate meetings, presentations, and retreats. Events are supported by a roster of preferred local caterers, and the museum's galleries — including the permanent collection — are available as part of event experiences. The venue rental team can be reached at venuerentals@delart.org or 302-351-8535.

• Spaces for 250 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Historic Space
• 1 Art Gallery

Founded in 1979 and housed in a 33,000-square-foot renovated building on Wilmington's Riverfront, The Delaware Contemporary is a non-collecting contemporary art museum that doubles as a distinctive private event venue. The building — a former industrial space now home to seven galleries, 26 working artist studios, an auditorium, and event spaces — provides a backdrop unlike any conventional banquet hall. The Atrium Lobby accommodates 50 to 250 guests and suits the full range of private occasions, from intimate seated dinners to large gala receptions, wedding ceremonies, bar and bat mitzvahs, and holiday parties. The Black Box Auditorium, included in all after-hours rentals, can be configured for speaker presentations, ceremonies, or nightclub-style dancing. Gallery access, guided tours, and interactive art-making activities are available as add-ons, giving events a creative dimension that few venues can offer. Accessible from I-95 and Wilmington's Amtrak station, The Delaware Contemporary has been recognized by The Philadelphia Inquirer as one of the most innovative organizations of its kind on the East Coast. Nonprofit organizations and corporate partners are eligible for discounts.

• Spaces for 150-200 Guests
• 1 Museum
• 1 Event Space

The Delaware Museum of Nature & Science — formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History — is a private nonprofit institution founded in 1957 and opened to the public in 1972. Following a significant renovation, the museum reopened in May 2022 with transformed galleries that span regional and global natural history, paleontology, and interactive science exhibits. Located on Kennett Pike in Wilmington, Delaware, the facility also houses millions of scientific specimens above its public galleries, serving as an active biodiversity research resource for scientists worldwide. For private events, the museum offers indoor and outdoor rental spaces available after its 4 p.m. daily closing. The Ederic Exhibition Hall, the museum's largest event area, accommodates up to 150 guests for a seated dinner with dance floor or 200 in theater-style seating. Add-on experiences — including live bird presentations and museum animal ambassador appearances — give events a distinctive, one-of-a-kind quality that few venues can offer. Six preferred catering partners are available, and a dedicated events contact coordinates bookings and logistics.

• Spaces for 85-450 Guests
• 2 Museums
• 1 Outdoor
• 2 Total Spaces

Morven Museum & Garden is a National Historic Landmark in Princeton, New Jersey, built around 1757 by Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The estate served as New Jersey's official Governor's Mansion from 1945 to 1981, housing five governors, before reopening as a museum and public garden in 2004 following a multi-phase restoration. More than 260 years of history are woven into the grounds, from the Colonial Revival gardens to the period architecture of the mansion itself. Three event spaces accommodate weddings, receptions, and private gatherings of varying sizes. The Stockton Education Center is a modern indoor venue with views of the pocket gardens, welcoming up to 115 guests for cocktail receptions or 85 for seated dinners, with WiFi, accessible restrooms, and 60 on-site parking spaces. The Great Lawn is a sweeping outdoor space framed by mature trees, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions, buffet dinners, or seated dinners, with the option to add a tent for larger events or weather coverage. The Colonial Revival Garden offers a historically designed open-air setting for ceremonies and tented gatherings. Planning resources include an approved caterer list and a preferred vendor list.

• Spaces for 55-140 Guests
• 3 Museums
• 3 Outdoor Spaces
• 3 Total Spaces

The Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts occupies three interconnected mid-1800s homes in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is Pennsylvania's only decorative arts museum, one of just fifteen such institutions nationwide. Founded in 1954 through the bequest of Annie S. Kemerer, the museum houses her personal collection of Pennsylvania German textiles, Bohemian glass, and a 200-piece wedding china set, displayed alongside period rooms and rotating exhibits of furniture, paintings, and silver across two floors. Its grounds include gardens designed by Scott Rothenberger's PLACE, featuring stainless steel sculptures by Bethlehem native Skip Kralik. For private events, the museum offers art, textiles, and history as a backdrop for small, intimate gatherings such as weddings, anniversary celebrations, rehearsal dinners, and baby showers, as well as corporate celebrations. Guests can move between the two-floor art exhibit and an outdoor patio area, and the museum can also serve as a cocktail hour site following a small ceremony at the nearby Moravian Museum's Saal.