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Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Great setting for photos
Great setting for photos
Couple with bridesmaid and groomsmen
Couple with bridesmaid and groomsmen
Table settting
Table settting
Couple by the stairs
Couple by the stairs
Wedding ceremony ongoing
Wedding ceremony ongoing
Cocktail tables
Cocktail tables
Bride and flower girls
Bride and flower girls
The Farmhouse (rendering)
The Farmhouse (rendering)
Couple walking down the path
Couple walking down the path
Couple slow dancing
Couple slow dancing
Couple out the farm
Couple out the farm
Lion statue
Lion statue
Couple's portrait
Couple's portrait
Tented outdoor reception
Tented outdoor reception
Formal indoor seating
Formal indoor seating
Lakeside reception
Lakeside reception
Outdoor tented wedding reception
Outdoor tented wedding reception
Barn wedding
Barn wedding
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Farmhouse
Farmhouse
Farmhouse Deck
Farmhouse Deck
Farmhouse Plaza at Night
Farmhouse Plaza at Night
Farmhouse Plaza
Farmhouse Plaza

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Stamford Museum & Nature Center

About

Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a historic wedding venue located in Stamford, Connecticut. Less than an hour outside of New York City, this picturesque mansion was once the estate of businessman, fashion designer and philanthropist Henri Bendel. Now, the 118-acre estate offers two distinct event venues where you can host the wedding of your dreams – the Bendel Mansion and the newly constructed space, The Farmhouse.

Facilities and Capacity

Stamford Museum & Nature Center can accommodate up to 150 wedding guests in its superb indoor and outdoor event spaces. The Bendel Mansion was Bendel’s former weekend retreat and was designed in the style of a European estate. It features grand-scale rooms like The Great Hall, the Bendel Gallery, the Sunroom and the Solarium, oversized lead glass windows and outdoor terraces, and is surrounded by classical statues, sculptures and paintings. Intimate and grand ceremonies and receptions can be held inside the Bendel Mansion. Meanwhile, The Farmhouse is a rustically chic event space that features natural finishes, a high exposed-beam ceiling, and a large outdoor terrace with sweeping views of the charming, 118-acre estate. It sits on the estate’s working New England Farm with its pastures, barns, maple sugaring house and organic gardens.

Services Offered

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a gorgeous property that is available for hosting several types of wedding celebrations, such as bridal showers, engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, ceremonies and receptions. The museum and nature center offer a variety of event services to couples planning their nuptials in the heart of the historic city of Stamford. Those services include event planning, event rentals and wireless Internet. The talented event specialists at the museum can also refer you to preferred vendors in the area in an effort to make your special day a memorable event for all. Stamford Museum & Nature Center is a wheelchair-accessible property that offers ample parking to couples and their guests on their wedding day.

illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$4,000

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$500

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
Parking
Tables

Describe your venue:

Art Gallery
Barn
Farm/Ranch
Historic Building
Mansion
Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms
Wifi

What event items are available?

Audio Equipment
Chairs
Tables
Tents

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March

Reviews of Stamford Museum & Nature Center

Write a review
Write a review
Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 1
Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 2
Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 3
+7 User photos
Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 4
S
Samantha Sent on 11/19/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Kind and Patient Team to work with

Jeanette and team were incredible to work with! Jeanette helped with every detail and was laid back yet clear on executing our overall plan. We had a the best day because of the professionalism and ease of the Stamford Museum Team.
G
Gina Sent on 10/10/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Experience

We originally looked at the farmhouse for our wedding venue but then saw the Bendel Mansion and fell in love. The mansion was beautiful the day we toured it but the day of our wedding, it was incredible. Our guests all commented on what a gorgeous facility the SMNC is. We had our cocktail house out on the Otter Bridge and it was worth the extra expense! Jeanette was my contact and she was incredible. She was incredibly helpful, answered all my questions in a timely manner and gave me her cell number and told me to reach out at any time. She made the planning process so much easier offering her recommendations and suggestions when requested. She went out of her way to find me the day of the wedding and, again, told me to let her know if I needed anything. I can't recommend the SMNC enough!
  • Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 5
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    Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 7
C
C. Catrini Sent on 10/07/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Perfect Venue

Jeanette and her staff helped make our wedding event fantastic! The grounds are beautiful and our guests were very impressed.
A
Amanda Sent on 09/16/2019
5 out of 5 rating

Very Special Place!

The farmhouse was the perfect setting for our big day! We wanted something that felt off the beaten path without the inconvenience of the middle of now where. Jeanette, the event coordinator at SM+NC, was great to work with! Quick to respond, accommodating to all my crazy bride requests, meeting us on site many times to go over the details of the wedding. Would recommend for any event, but especially a wedding! :)
S
Sherry Sent on 08/18/2018
5 out of 5 rating
My name is Sherry Le Fay and I was the wedding coordinator working on a wedding earlier this summer and I wanted to let everyone know the phenomenal experience I had with them. To put this in context for you, I’ve never felt so compelled to praise a team, to the extent that i’ve found out who their boss is and took the time to right them a note during busy wedding season-- this is a first. That’s how awesome this team is.
Jeanette throughout the entire planning process was an absolute dream. Jason and Ann were very detailed and thorough, and Jeanette answered every single one of their many, many emails and requests. Then while onsite, Jeanette went above and beyond. She always made herself present and continuously asked how she could be of help. Dom was an extension of Jeanette. Being just as incredibly helpful, and taking over when Jeanette departed, Dom was the epitome of cheerful and hospitable. He was kind, friendly and a joy to work with. Even though we had some major setbacks with our caterer being over two hours late in the beginning, these guys didn’t miss a beat. Don’t get me wrong, it was a mad dash to get everything finished on time, however Jeanette and Dom were the reason the bride and groom never knew that catering was so late. Jeanette and Dom without asking or hesitation threw themselves into the mix, setting up all 150 ceremony chairs, popping-up tables, working with the caterers, they even printing floor-plans when the catering company had arrived with none - just to make sure they were set, and they took care of all their questions (when they did finally arrive). You have an absolute dream team on your hands and I just couldn’t go without saying anything. I hope to be back with you all soon to work with this awesome crew again!
U
User2383709 Sent on 08/03/2015
4.9 out of 5 rating
We had an awesome time at our wedding at the Nature Center! We had our cocktail hour on the Otter Bridge, our friends and family enjoyed all of the nature and animals. The reception was in the museum and was a beautiful and unique setting. Highly recommend for someone looking for something a little bit different.
Ashley
Ashley Sent on 02/18/2019
4.8 out of 5 rating

Nice venue

We looked at Stamford Museum early in in our wedding venue search & although the venue was nice & has great potential to host a beautiful wedding, it was not right for us. However, the staff was very helpful & showed us the various visions the venue had to offer. Perhaps if our wedding vision was different we would have been able to have a great wedding there. The location could also be used for other events.
leahgraffdeleon
Leah Sent on 08/10/2010
4.8 out of 5 rating
My wedding was spectacular. The mansion was beautiful, and at a low cost. The reason why I cannot rate a 5.0 for value is because you have to rent EVERYTHING for the venue. And I mean EVERYTHING. However, there is a great rental place nearby that works with the museum regularly. They are very affordable and FANTASTIC to work with. Party Fixins. They made the mansion look even more spectacular. It's Henri Bendel's mansion by the way. Yep, 5th ave's own. The grounds and the place was stunning. My photos came out so elegant. Definately reccommend it but get ready for some serious work because this is not your cookie-cutter wedding venue where everything is done for you.
Courteney
Courteney Sent on 01/03/2020
4.6 out of 5 rating

A magical venue & wonderful team

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center was a magical backdrop for our October 2019 wedding. If you are looking for a venue that is beautiful on its own and needs only basic decor to create a unique, history-rich, romantic atmosphere, the Bendel Mansion is just the place. The elegance of the space mixed with the fun of the surrounding farm makes it the perfect eclectic venue. We were even able to have our cocktail hour in the art gallery so guests could check out the featured photography. I really liked that the rental fee benefits an art/nature community organization. I can't say enough about Jeanette, our event coordinator. Throughout the entire process, she maintained a positive, "we can do it" attitude that put us at ease, she was available when we had (many) questions and needed to drop by, she recommended a list of great vendors, notably our caterer Revel with Dinner Thyme, who were absolutely stellar. The space is intimate, and she helped me with a floor plan that seated 135 guests comfortably. On the day of the wedding, Jeanette and her team were flexible and went above and beyond to make sure the day ran smooth. Amidst all the stress of wedding planning, knowing Jeanette had our backs and truly cared about our day made everything so much more enjoyable. Thank you SMNC-- you will always have a special place in our hearts!
  • Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 8
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    Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 10
M
Meighan Sent on 08/27/2018
4.4 out of 5 rating
We chose the Stamford Museum and Nature Center because it was beautiful and unique. The grounds and mansion are gorgeous and it was something that all of our guests gushed about throughout the night and in the days and weeks following our wedding in June 2018.

The space inside of the mansion is a bit tight. We were originally told 150 guests for a buffet-style reception, but we were pretty comfortable at 90 with a small dance floor. I can't imagine more than 120 in the provided space, if you're looking to include a dance floor.

Jeanette was truly the best part of booking with SMNC. She was incredibly professional, responsive, and accommodating. I felt that things were in good hands with her and she went out of her way to ensure that our wedding ran smoothly.

Suggestion:
Look into which exhibits will be in the museum during your event, if you'll be hosting guests in the mansion.
  • Stamford Museum & Nature Center - 11
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Awards

12
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner

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Professional Network & Endorsements

1 Endorsement
David's Soundview Catering David's Soundview Catering Wedding Caterers

LOVE This venue - elegant, charming and beautiful - plus the team is amazing to work with . Cate is the best!

Preferred Vendors
Palmer's Catering & Events
Palmer's Catering & Events
4.9 out of 5 rating , 89 reviews
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David's Soundview Catering
David's Soundview Catering
5.0 out of 5 rating , 10 reviews
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Marcia Selden Catering and Event Planning
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4.7 out of 5 rating , 11 reviews
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Stamford Museum & Nature Center frequently asked questions

Stamford Museum & Nature Center includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Parking
  • Tables
The space offered by Stamford Museum & Nature Center for wedding events is known for:
  • Art Gallery
  • Barn
  • Farm/Ranch
  • Historic Building
  • Mansion
  • Museum
Stamford Museum & Nature Center offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Stamford Museum & Nature Center offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Stamford Museum & Nature Center offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Wifi
Stamford Museum & Nature Center offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Audio Equipment
  • Chairs
  • Tables
  • Tents
Stamford Museum & Nature Center is recommended by 91% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.6 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.7 in flexibility, 4.6 in professionalism, 4.5 in quality of service, 4.5 in average response time and 4.5 in value.
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