Ideas / Around big conferences / Abroad
After-hours access
A museum, a working studio or a landmark, opened for you after closing. Drinks, one short welcome, then let the place do the work.
How it runs
- Months beforeVenue secured, rules agreed.
- InvitationsThe venue name does most of the selling.
- 19:00Doors open. Short tours by people who work there.
- 21:30Close, while it's still at its best.
What to know
- Museums set strict rules on food, drink and numbers. We plan around them.
- People rarely say no to a place they can't otherwise get into.
- Curators and staff as guides beat any hired entertainment.
Good for
The big evening of your conference week.
Not for
Very large crowds or loud parties.
Questions planners ask
Are museums open to private events?
Many are, for a venue fee and with clear rules. The best ones book early.
Can we serve food and drink?
Usually, in designated areas. Some galleries allow standing drinks only.
How long should it last?
Two to three hours. End it before people start leaving.
Thinking of doing this?
Borrow the idea, it's yours. If you'd like a hand, or just a second opinion on whether it suits your group, write to me. I produce ideas like this one at Sorry, No Polar Bears, a Helsinki studio I co-run.
Also strangely doable
Abroad
The morning run
An easy 5 km at seven, breakfast at the finish. The executives who skip every party turn up for this.
15–60 people · Conference week · €
Abroad
The breakfast before the doors open
Twelve customers, one question about your product's future, done by half past nine.
8–15 people · Conference week · €
Abroad
The roundtable with no slides
Fifteen seats, one sharp host, one question worth arguing about. No deck, no recording.
10–20 people · Conference week · €€