FACILITY RENTALS

Membership at the Ribera Patron Level – $500 (individual) or Donor’s Circle Level – $1,000 (corporate) is required to rent space at the Meadows Museum. Details can be found on the Membership page. This requirement is waived for nonprofit groups.

The Meadows Museum welcomes the support and participation of the business community, therefore four levels of membership are offered to provide special access to the Museum along with significant benefits for employees, clients, and business associates. Benefits include event opportunities, free passes to Museum and exhibitions, executive memberships, and much more. For more details, please contact the membership office by calling  214.768.2765.

Fall events will not be booked until SMU has released its football schedule for the year so that no events will be booked on days with home games. This can happen as late as March; please check the SMU Athletics page for the schedule.

A professional, museum-approved caterer must be employed for any food or beverage service in the Museum. (A current list of vendors will be provided with a quote or upon request.) The caterer is responsible for set-up and break down of all chairs and tables and the clearing and removal of all garbage, equipment, surplus food, and decorations immediately following the event.

Food and beverages are allowed in the following areas: Gene and Jerry Jones Great Hall, Algur H. Meadows Founder’s Room, The Gates, and the South Lobby.

Alcohol service can be arranged through SMU Catering. Only beer, champagne, and white wine may be served in event spaces.

Meadows Museum staff must approve decorations, flowers, and music. Candles (including votives), oil lamps, and are not allowed anywhere in the museum. (The exception to this is sterno provided by a museum-approved caterer in the center of an event space.) Helium balloons are not permitted inside the museum. Glitter, sequins, confetti, fake snow, etc. are not allowed. Fresh flowers must be arranged before delivery and must be of “museum quality” (i.e. sprayed for bugs). Amplified music (whether live or recorded) is allowed during non-operating hours only.

Museum staff must approve (for technical and factual accuracy) any promotional materials produced for the event that reference the Meadows Museum (including invitations, programs, press releases, etc.).

Outside vendors (caterers, rental companies, bands, valet parkers, etc.) must provide a certificate of liability insurance. All deliveries must be made to the security entrance located on the SE corner of the Meadows Museum.

All commercial photography must take place under the supervision of a Meadows Museum staff member; requests for commercial photography shoots are considered on a case-by-case basis and approved/denied/scheduled at the staff member’s discretion, as their time is limited.

• Portrait sessions (bridal, engagement, graduation, etc.) are available for a fee of $200 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour and the booker must be a member at the $60 level or above. For members at the $2,500 level or above, a portrait session will serve as the free facility rental benefit. Contact the Events Manager (meadowsmuseumevents@smu.edu) to inquire.
• Other commercial requests (media, student projects, etc.) may be approved by the Assistant Director of Marketing & PR—email Carrie Sanger (csanger@smu.edu) to inquire.

All filming and photography of the museum and its grounds by outside vendors, including those wishing to represent any work they have done in partnership with the university, is subject to approval by the Marketing & PR Department before it may be used; a copy of the final layout, script or storyboard may be required.

In addition to regular gallery rules, further restrictions are outlined in this document. Drone photography is not allowed indoors; outdoor drone photography may only be approved in coordination with both the museum’s Collections Manager and university staff. See policies for outdoor drone photography. Vendors seeking to do commercial photography elsewhere on campus should visit this link for the university’s Marketing & Communications department

Included in the rental rate is the use of 11 72” round tables and 100 banquet chairs. All other equipment must be rented.

There are 110 parking spaces in the Meadows Parking Center dedicated to museum visitors. Parking is complimentary for visitors; however, spaces cannot be guaranteed. Valet parking is permitted but must be arranged by the client.

Event insurance is required. It can be purchased at Tulip Insurance or provided through your own carrier.

Security charges will apply to weekends and events that begin or end outside of museum public hours.  Management fees will apply at all times.

The Museum cannot host fundraising events for other organizations.