Space Usage

All private events include the use of all four floors of the Museum. Our main event space is the second floor of the Museum.

Capacities

Evening Cocktail Reception: Maximum 200 guests
Seated Dinner Reception: Maximum 100 guests
Wedding Ceremony: Maximum 100 guests
Business Meeting or Luncheon: Maximum 100 guests
Seated Theatre-style Presentation: Maximum 100 guests

Museum Event Staff

The Museum provides two employees for each event for assistance. Staff assists with greeting visitors, providing parking validation, providing gift shop assistance and coordinating with caterers and vendors throughout the night. To enhance your guests’ experience, Museum staff will be available to informally interpret the art and artifact collections, exhibitions, and the history of the building.

Pricing & Availability

The Museum is available for private events seven days a week. Evening events can start at 6:00 PM with set up starting at 4:00 PM. Rentals starting before 6:00 AM or ending past midnight are at a rate of $1,000 per hour. One hour of setup and one hour of cleanup must be included in the booking rental. We also offer the Museum as a meeting or luncheon space during Museum hours, in which case we close the Library and Hall of Immortals to visitors during the rental time.

Table and Chair Rental

Tables and chairs are not included in the rental price unless otherwise stated. We have six 6-foot tables with tablecloths and seven highboy tables and folding or banquet chairs for rent that can be rented for $12 per table and $8 per chair. Tables and chairs can also be rented through our approved vendors.

Accessibility

The Museum has two indoor ramps and an elevator. A wheelchair accessible entrance is located on the north side of the building.

Guest Parking Guest parking is not available. Street parking is extremely limited. The Museum validates parking for several nearby public parking lots which provide guests with an hourly discount. The IMSS has no on-site parking. Ample discounted parking is available in 2 locations within a few minutes walk of the Museum. Retrieve a discounted validation voucher/stamp at the Museum box office to present to the parking attendant upon exiting the lot/ramp.

*Please note: the Museum cannot verify lot prices due to fluctuation. Most range between $9-$17. Please call lot directly for pricing information.

Public Parking Lot – Behind the Chicago History Museum located at Clark and LaSalle Streets, Chicago, IL 60614; entrance on Stockton Drive. 773.549.3145.

Public Parking Lot – In the condominium building at 1350 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60610; entrance on E. Banks Street. 312.337.1350.

Spot Hero: For alternate parking options we recommend booking convenient and affordable parking in advance through SpotHero. To reserve your parking spot, visit the International Museum of Surgical Science Parking Page and book a spot with rates up to 50% off drive-up.

Rules and Regulations

Outside food and beverage is allowed. For larger events with catering, the Museum asks that the client first review our list of preferred vendors. Off-list caterers are permitted to operate at the Museum with prior authorization. Please discuss with Museum Event staff.
Alcohol is permitted to be served on premises. Clients may serve beer, wine, or seltzer but must hire a licensed vendor to serve liquor.
Select items of furniture may be moved with prior authorization. Requests must be made at least one (1) week prior to the event date. Museum reserves the sole discretion to approve or deny requests.
Events with fifty (50) or more guests require Event Security. Museum will charge an Event Security fee of $500.
Ticketed events are permitted.
For hourly rentals, we require that one hour of setup and one hour of clean up is paid for for private events such as dinners, weddings, parties, galas, etc. in addition to the event rental period.
The Museum strictly prohibits public nudity in any and all forms or manifestations.

Please contact in**@im**.org or call (312) 642-6502, ext. 3120 with any questions.