Carnegie Institution for Science

So for all you beautiful brides and parents of the brides out there who have «zero idea what the point of this place is when it’s not hosting weddings,» let me assure you that the Carnegie Institution for Science is a real working institution that does some amazing research in many different aspects of science, including Earth sciences, life sciences, astronomy, and ecology. So when you hold an event at Carnegie on weekends and evenings, you are helping to support an institution on the forefront of discovery.

We recently got married here and worked with Ana. We had to wait over a year to get our Spring wedding since all the dates were booked up one year in advance. The Carnegie is a very popular wedding venue. You do not have to spend a lot on flowers or decorations since the venue is so beautiful. The only downside is that you have to rent every item, but if you go through their approved caterer, they arrange all of that for you. It is a very unique wedding venue because you have a boardroom, ballroom, and dining room to host guests in. The ballroom is the perfect spot for the first dance with your husband. We had our ceremony in the rotunda and had our chairs arranged in a round fashion. It was a very intimate ceremony. My father escorted me down the stairs and we even hired a string quartet for the ceremony music. Definitely add the $ 600 for the Portico because it makes such an amazing entrance when you enter back as husband and wife and you get to enter through the giant double doors. All the guests raved about how great the venue was and how romantic and magical the ceremony was in the round. I highly recommend this venue. I definitely recommend the Carnegie over any hotel in the DC area. You can get married in hotels anywhere in the U.S. but in D.C. you are able to get married in a historic building.

I came to an event here, hosted by ILCP and The Embassy of The People’s Republic of China. It was a beautiful space, great acoustics, and a wonderfully beautiful theatre. I was absolutely taken aback by the murals in the theatre, and could not tear my eyes away from them for the first few minutes, as we waited for the film we were there to see start. We also got a chance to see the ballroom across the hall from the theatre, which is also a beautiful space, and would be perfect for hosting an event. The rotunda, as many have said, is stunning. The whole building is pretty darn gorgeous. It’s yet another one of the beautiful architectural masterpieces in our beloved city.

I have zero idea what the point of this place is when it’s not hosting weddings, but like everyone else I came here for that purpose. Absolutely stunning. The rotunda was beautiful and the perfect backdrop for a wedding and was later converted into a dance floor. The spiral stair case was beautiful, although I was so nervous watching all the bridesmaids and groomsmen navigate those stairs.
The old library was very masculine with dark paneled walls and pictures of old dead people, but it was the perfect place to set up the bar and have cocktails and lounge.
Overall a first class experience. The staff was amazing and there aren’t too many more beautiful places in DC that a wedding could be had.

Came here last night for my cousin’s wedding reception (the ceremony was held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral, which is walking distance) and it was absolutely gorgeous. Having just planned my own wedding earlier this year, here are some of the things I noticed that would matter to someone else planning their wedding:
–Their max capacity for a wedding is 150 people, and I have no idea where all these people would go. There were about 115 people in the reception area for a seated dinner and it was pretty tight. I can’t even imagine what it’d be like with 4 more tables.
–No bathrooms on the same floor as the reception area.
–Rental prices seem extremely reasonable for DC.
–Rental includes tables and chairs (not chivari chairs)
–No preferred vendors/​vendor restrictions
–As long as your caterer allows it, you can provide your own alcohol which is a HUGE cost savings.
–Security is there all night, which is helpful since you bring in all your own vendors who may not have worked at the venue before. Note: security will stop you if you try to leave the premises with alcohol, like my husband did. P. S. He still had two bottles of beer in the inside pockets of his suit, since we were all drunk and classy like that last night.
We had an amazing time in an amazing setting. Definitely a unique, beautiful venue in DC.

My husband and I held both our wedding ceremony and reception at the Carnegie on Saturday, May 24, 2014. When we began our search for a venue we wanted a venue that was «DC», but also could accommodate approximately 120 guests and would be convenient for both local and out of town guests. After searching through the many hotels, museums, restaurants, and other venues in D.C. we decided on Carnegie as it was not only elegant, but accommodated all our other requirements in addition to being well priced in comparison.
Price: $ 5,200 Base Cost for 8 hours of use of the Ballroom, Rotunda, Boardroom, Mayor Room, Library and Portico with access to the Kitchen. Use and Access to the Portico is an Additional $ 800. Additional hours if booked in advance are $ 300 & if holding your event on a holiday or holiday weekend there is an additional 15% fee.
Pros:
* Becky, our liaison at Carnegie, was extremely friendly, responsive, and accommodating
* No Vendor Restrictions
* Temperature is adjusted as appropriate
* You can bring your own alcohol (no restriction on red wine) — we used ACE Beverage who we highly recommend
* Rotunda works great for ceremony (sat 110 chavari chairs comfortably), dance floor (no need to rent, saving $), and band acoustics
Cons:
* TINY kitchen with VERY limited refrigeration
* Must Rent Everything — Although Carnegie has a number of round and rectangular tables available (no cocktail high tops), you must rent chairs (if you want Chavari) tablecloths, glasses, lighting, etc.
* 8 Space Parking Lot — If you need additional spots for vendors you will need to purchase parking permits for the meters located in front and on the side of the building
* No bathroom on the 2^nd floor — Bathrooms only available on the 1^st and 3^rd floors, however, there is an elevator
* Rotunda must be mopped after use typically causing a late departure for vendors (i.e. $ taken out of deposit)
* No outdoor grass space

I had attended a wedding at Carnegie Institute of Science and the event space is pretty amazing. Bride and Groom had their ceremony in the rotunda, cocktail hour in the «library”/boardroom, and dinner in a reception area off the rotunda which was then turned into the dancefloor.
Bathrooms are on ground floor, security guards were nice, and the history and understated grandeur of the building was just phenomenal.
If you are seeking a venue for a wedding, gala, etc. Check out the Carnegie Institute of Science.

This place is GORGEOUS. My review only goes for the 2^nd floor, which seems to be where most events here take place.
The main hall is enormous. I attended an event with probably 300 people and there were several wine stations set up, tables to stand at to put food on, and a very long table with food on it for the event.
Everything is beautiful marble and huge. The windows are extremely large. I am seeing that a lot of folks have attended weddings or receptions here, and I would definitely recommend taking a look at this place for such a venue.
I’m not sure how much it costs though — probably a large amount given how much space there is.
The auditorium is also nice — seats several hundred people with excellent acoustics and lighting.

This place is beautiful
My co worker had her wedding here
I want to have my wedding here
It could not be any more perfect and beautiful
The main hall is breathtaking
The balcony is perfect to throw a bouquet off
Who throws the bouquet in a gay wedding?
Is there a bouquet?
I went to an event there with a bunch restaurants and businesses!
It was awesome.
It was the perfect venue
Is is the perfect venue
I have one problem with it
Bathroom only on first floor
It’s an old building
Put another bathroom on second floor
and fix air condition in library room
These things can be overlooked.
Who knew about this lovely place?
I didn’t!
Now I do!

Carnegie Institute is one of DC’s best kept secrets in regards to event space. By day it is is a scientific discovery research center and by night it is a glamorous event venue with lots of classic Washingtonian details.
It is a very versatile space — — I have attended two charity galas, as well as hosted my own wedding here and it’s wonderful to see how each organization is able to put their own special touch to the venue.
A few notes and tips to anybody looking to use this place as an event space:
*It is absolutely worth it to shell out the extra $ 800 to add the Portico/​front facing entrance to your rental. The grand entrance is super impressive and is a wonderful place for guests to get some air during the reception. (In fact, I think they should just include this cost in the total rental price. It’s weird that they break the front entrance out)
*Tables and conference chairs are included in the rental fee. The conference chairs have definitely seen better days so you may want to factor the cost of renting chiavari chairs to your final count.
*You are allowed to bring your own caterer and alcohol for your event.
*To make the venue extra special, I highly recommend adding a few strategic up lights.
*Bathrooms are located on the bottom floor and top floor which is not very convenient for older or lazier guests.
*Limited parking available but you can hire a valet or have guests park in a garage across the street.
*The upstairs has a fancy schmancy library which is perfect for photos!

I had the pleasure of attending Kimberly S (formally V) & Robert S’s wedding this past weekend and their wonderful reception was held here. This venue is absolutely stunning! The architecture and the décor both outside and inside is classic and elegant.
Cocktail hour was held in the boardrooms, as well as open bar. (Another open bar was held across the way) The rotunda had beautiful ceilings and was the perfect setting for the dancefloor. We were served dinner in the ballroom, which is located through sliding walls from the rotunda. There were a lot of photo-​ops around the whole venue, such as: the library upstairs, the winding staircase leading to the rotunda, the steps leading into the huge wooden double doors of the Institute, and so much more!
DC brides should definitely consider the Carnegie Institute as one of their wedding venues!

No, New Yorkers, this place is not a description of the Carnegie Deli, an institution in the Big Apple.
Carnegie Institution refers instead to an apparently very popular Washington DC wedding venue as the other reviews indicate. I had the great pleasure of visiting not for a wedding but rather a cybersecurity conference.
But wait, viewing this spot as a meeting spot for nuptials or nerds alone misses the bigger picture.
Andrew Carnegie, the Carnegie of Carnegie Institution, decided to spend the last years of his life practicing philanthropy. Instead of having his wealth confiscated by the government, Carnegie was able to spend it as he saw fit, which in this case was to benefit his fellow Americans through such charities and institutions as this, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Mellon University and more. In an era before a federal income tax and political rhetoric about one percent of Americans versus every one else, Carnegie was able to use his great wealth for the greater good of education.
Of course, the DC location is the ultimate irony, given the political nature of this city and the very private sector wealth that made the Carnegie Institution possible.
Enough background.
As for as conference locations go, this one was ideal for a smaller gathering of about 200 guests. A larger auditorium on the second floor had acceptable acoustics and interesting murals, the kind that likely contain an esoteric meaning and would be viewed as politically incorrect if constructed today. (European explorers, a map of the North American continent and Native Americans)
The second floor contains smaller rooms perfect for breakout sessions. A main ballroom links the areas. The look and feel of the place is copied by much newer construction hotels and their conference areas that seek to mimic the opulence of old money.
I can easily see why this makes for a popular wedding location.

We had our wedding here in August. In terms of aesthetics, the venue was perfect. The rotunda made our ceremony feel grand and elegant, the boardroom was a cozy place for cocktail hour, and the dining area was ideal for our group of 120 guests. There’s also this classic library where I got ready that was a bonus.
There was one big drawback. The air condition could not keep up with the hot day (it was in the low 90s outside), and it was too warm, particularly in the boardroom. The venue gave us no warning about this even though I’m certain we weren’t the first event to experience this in the summer. Another drawback was the wedding venue coordinator was not on site during our event.
Nonetheless, we were happy with the other aspects of the venue.

I am in awe of this place! It is so grand and beautiful. It makes me want to get married just to have my reception here. (A gal can dream, can’t she?) If I won the Mega Millions (I did not — don’t stalk me) I would throw a fabulous party here!
I was here last night (Thanks be to Unilocal) to attend the Pearls of Purpose signature gala event to celebrate the free, aware, inspired, and restored girl
which was held on the upper level. The guest speakers gave their speeches in the upstairs main area, not in the rotunda area, so acoustics were okay, but it was hard to see the speakers with everyone standing around.
The room is spacious, so even with food tables and two bars, there was plenty of room to mingle for the 200+ guests. This is a great location tucked away on P street near 16^th. Street parking nearby wasn’t too bad either.

This building is a beautiful event space. I attended the DC Taste of Success here on 10/​20/​2011 with Lauren S. and we had a blast. We ate all of the food we could eat and drank all of the bevvys they had to offer. But when it was time for the speakers to tell their success stories, the acoustics proved to be working against them. At any rate, we heard as much as we could hear and then… started the eating and drinking all over again. Having an event at the Carnegie Institution is as good as it gets.

A good friend of mine got married here and it was beyond stunning. Here’s how it works:
The ceremony took place in the middle of the rotunda, with chairs set all around. This gave everyone an excellent view of the ceremony and was intimate, despite the huge space.
When the ceremony was over, we moved into the study and outside entry-​way for cocktails, this space was easily able to accommodate the 100+ guests as we mingled and got beverages.
Then, the walls were moved from behind the rotunda (directly across from the entry doors), and a beautiful reception area was set-​up. PLENTY of space for tables.
Meanwhile, a band set-​up in the entry-​way, the rotunda turned into a dance floor, and a photo booth was set-​up in the study, with the bar still there.
It was a great space, with lots of room to move around and an elegance that is beyond description and I doubt any photo could do it justice.
The *only* thing I found less-​than-​perfect (but not enough to knock a star off) was the echo in the rotunda while the vows were being said.
Absolutely stunning venue. If you’re a DC bride, you must check it out.

Just got married here over the weekend. One of the more beautiful venues in the city, it doesn’t come cheap, but it’s well worth it, and actually underpriced compared to some of the other popular non-​hotel venues in the city-​proper.
The whole experience was great, including all the planning with Michelle, their events coordinator, leading up to the wedding. We must have bombarded her with over 100 emails over the past year, and she never once expressed any annoyance with us.
The event itself went off without a hitch, a testament not only to the wonderful staff at the Carnegie, but also to the rest of our vendors. The rotunda, where the ceremony and dancing took place, was simply stunning. The ballroom where the dinner was held was just about the perfect size for us (I would not recommend having more than 100 guests for a sit-​down meal, however, so HUGE wedding-​holders might want to look elsewhere. Perfect for a mid-​size event though).
A++ experience, but they book FAST, so make sure you allow yourself a year+ worth of time to grab a Saturday event date here.

Need a reception location? Check out this place! I just attended a wedding reception here last night and it’s a beautiful place for an upscale party or reception. We started with cocktails in the side parlor room on the second floor and then the dinner and dancing were in the main room and beautiful rotunda area. Restrooms are on the first floor with a free coat check area. Entrance is on P St. between 16^th and 15^th. It’s a few blocks from the Dupont Metro.

Of all the places named Carnegie in this city, this might be the most beautiful. Or second most. I’m not sure.
I went for a Georgetown reception honoring Dr. DeGioia (uni president and one of Washingtonian magazine’s «Washingtonians of the Year»). I was going to meet E there, so I gave him the address… of the wrong Carnegie Institute. Too many of those things around. This one is located surreptitiously in Logan Circle, a block away from Whole Foods, so although it’s kind of a weird locale and not very parking friendly, it is very convenient: not far from Dupont Circle, but away from the bustle of downtown.
The reception was held in the hall upstairs, mostly in the foyer with marble columns and a high, domed ceiling that made for great acoustics (you wouldn’t even need a mic at all). And there’s a staircase that winds dramatically before you, leading up to the balcony. There’s also a huge ballroom and a smaller club room, perfect for a smaller social. Both had lust carpeting and rich, dark wood paneling. The club room has those distinctive chairs that are comfy once you sit in it, but look stiff as the men in the portraits lining the walls.
Overall, I was very impressed, and I hope the Alumni Association holds another reception there. Good picking, Georgetown. ;)