As London based event planners we love that we get to work in spaces others sometimes never see. We also often get to stay behind in some of the most iconic buildings after they’ve closed their doors to the public. It’s a perk of the job and we’ll never tire of it. We thrive on producing events in these venues, learning how to work within them and their intricacies. Due to the fact that many of the best event spaces weren’t originally designed to host parties we find that we are often recommended by venues to help their clients coordinate and pull together logistically complex events. We regularly turn homes into high end restaurants, gardens into wedding receptions and museums into party venues. Last November we were lucky enough to be asked to work with the United Arab Emirates’ to plan their National Day Celebration at one of our favourite iconic London venues, The Natural History Museum.
National Day Celebration at the Natural History Museum
The purpose of the event was to showcase the British National day of the UAE at a typically British venue. The stunning surroundings of Hintze Hall under Hope the Blue Whale was the perfect space for British guests of honour and diplomats to experience how the National Holiday is celebrated. We were tasked with creating an event that reflected and celebrated the UAE and British cultural relations, in a luxurious and stylish setting where guests could network and take in the various local traditions on display. To represent the colours of the National Emblem of the United Arab Emirates, bold red lighting from Wise Productions was used throughout, softened with gold lighting in the archways of Hintze Hall. The national colours also covered the exterior of the Museum creating a dramatic entrance to the event for all of the distinguished guests.
The floristry from Mary Jane Vaughan consisted of beautiful domed displays using white winter Hydrangea, roses, red berries and foliage to again represent the colours of the National Flag of The United Arab Emirates. Due to the grand ceiling height Hintze Hall needs high impact displays, therefore tall displays were situated on the corners of the rectangular contemporary bar. In addition, the displays were used to frame the impressive staircase which was the backdrop for a speech given by the Ambassador about the National Holiday.
Red LED poseur tables added a contemporary twist whilst again retaining the colour scheme of the event. Caterers, Zafferano served a delicious fusion menu of Middle-Eastern and British canapés and bowl food as well as whole roasted lamb spits, a culinary specialty of the UAE on this particular holiday.
One of the challenges of using the museum is the tight turnaround time from the members of the public leaving to the first guests arriving. We had just one hour to create the sponsors area in Waterhouse Way. The space was transformed into a full exhibition with hanging banners, exhibition stands and branding to showcase their products and traditions.
On the main stage traditional Yula dancers entertained and many of the guests, British and Arabic, joined in with the dancing. This was followed by a singer flown in especially, from the UAE and a British military band that performed both the Emirate and British national anthems. There was then a prize giving followed by a speech by the Ambassador.
To bring the speeches to a close Oxford Maqam, a band with a deep appreciation for music of the Arab world took to the main stage to perform. The mixture of entertainment at the event once again served to celebrate and honour this National Holiday in Britain.
We are lucky to work regularly at the Natural History Museum, creating an array of events. Seeing the rich mix of cultures, entertainment and traditions was certainly not something you see everyday, especially under the ginormous skeleton of a Blue Whale. We’re lucky that even a space we know so well can surprise us with its flexibility and ability to accommodate such unique events.
