National Museum of Women in the Arts Reviews

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Washington, DC

4.8 out of 5 rating, 44 reviews

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4.8 out of 5 rating

4.8

Excellent

44 reviews

Recommended by 96% of couples

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4.9 out of 5 rating
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4.8 out of 5 rating
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4.9 out of 5 rating
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National Museum of Women in the Arts - 1

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Alexandra Sent on 09/01/2019

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Most beautiful venue in DC

We fell in love with NMWA museum the second we saw it. We had been struggling to find a place in DC that met all of our needs and budget. NMWA was worth every penny. The staff was super helpful in answering our questions throughout the process. They also have a long list of recommended vendors with different price points. Our friends and family were blown away by how beautiful everything was.
Harry Sent on 02/23/2025

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Beautiful Venue, Great People

The venue is stunning and the whole team was fantastic to work with. Very responsive, worked great with us and our planners. We loved having the cocktail hour in the 3rd floor gallery. Dinner on the mezzanine with dancing on the ground floor worked super well. Absolutely loved it!
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Christine Sent on 08/08/2019

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The Perfect Classic DC Wedding Venue

When choosing wedding reception venues in DC there are a lot of great options, but I couldn't be happier that we went with the National Museum of Women in the Arts. A truly elegant and gorgeous space, the Women's Museum was the perfect size and definitely a unique spot with the art galleries and second floor mezzanine. Guests couldn't get over the beautiful chandeliers and had so much fun taking photos there. We choose to have our cocktail hour on the mezzanine level followed by dinner/ dancing on the first floor. The staff here were very helpful in the planning process and providing their recommended vendors. The night felt like a fairy tale!

Mumu Sent on 04/13/2019

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Beautiful Venue!

The National Museum of Women in the Arts was the perfect venue for us! The space itself is stunning, and the staff incredibly professional. We couldn’t have asked for more.

The Museum is gorgeous. The pictures hint at it, but it is a beautiful collection of marble and light, with fantastic chandeliers and open spaces. (When we were touring venues, we snapped a few casual pictures on our phone, and they turned out fantastic. That was a hint at just how wonderful the space looks, and how easy it was to photograph.) We had our wedding ceremony on the ground floor, and it was just perfect. Plenty of room for our guests to sit comfortably, a grand staircase to walk down, and absolutely beautiful views and acoustics. We then moved to the cocktail hour on the mezzanine, where our guests had plenty of space to walk around and enjoy. Finally, we moved back downstairs for dinner and dancing. Again, there was plenty of space, and such a beautiful setting.

The Museum staff was also great to work with. Meredith was our main contact, and she was constantly responsive, professional, and easy to work with. The security staff and other contacts were also great to work with - present without being obtrusive.

We couldn’t have asked for a better venue or staff.
Emily Sent on 12/29/2018

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An elegant venue!

We loved the NMWA as our wedding venue! It is a beautiful space and is one of the aspects our guests have complimented the most. We had the ceremony in the great hall, cocktails in the third floor gallery, dinner on the mezzanine, and dancing again in the great hall. Our guests loved cocktails in the gallery to enjoy the art; it was special and a great way to move around the space since the ceremony and reception were in the same place. Dinner on the mezzanine was elegant. One of the things we loved most about the space is you're always around all of your guests, in the same space.

Katie and Lori at the museum were also fabulous to work with - super responsive and professional.
Joan Sent on 07/29/2017

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The Museum was everything we dreamed of. The chandeliers, art and beautiful marble was the perfect backdrop to our decor. It was a pleasure working with the director there to plan the reception.
Ashley Sent on 02/11/2017

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The NMWA is an exceptional wedding venue. It is extremely beautiful and tax deductible (who knew?)! My husband and I decided to switch our wedding date from a Saturday to a Friday because it saved us around $2000. Also, we had a winter wedding, which also reduced the price of the venue. We were also pleased that the beauty of the museum allowed us to minimize our decor budget as we didn't feel we needed as much in such a gorgeous space. There are a lot of rules around the venue so be aware that if things like stages and aisle runners are important to you, they aren't allowed. This did not cause us any problems, but if redbull vodka is your favorite drink you're going to have to give it up to get married in this venue. You can also book the 3rd floor gallery for cocktail hour, but this is an additional fee and there are a LOT of rules to use it. For example, there are no red beverages allowed in the 3rd floor gallery. We chose to use the mezzanine for our cocktail hour and that was perfect for us (plus already included in our contract!). There is also a great room in the back of the mezzanine to take photos in and get ready in. My husband and I hid in that room during the cocktail hour to have some alone time and to celebrate with just each other after the ceremony. Overall, we loved getting married at the museum and our guests raved about how lovely everything was. Thanks NMWA!

On a side note, apparently their lunch is very yummy so I will have to swing by sometime to try it out!
Lauren Sent on 09/26/2016

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Get married here! You will have zero regrets. It was the wedding of a lifetime which my guests and I will never forget. The customer service is awesome. Their list of vendors is great and such a help. The pictures are incredible. You can't go wrong!
Nathalie Sent on 04/19/2016

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What a beautiful and perfect spot to get married. We did both the ceremony and reception here, and everyone told me how much they loved the space. They were super easy to deal with, but know going in that you're going to have to bring in ALL the vendors... the museum doesn't provide anything other than the space, and their expertise... which was actually super plentiful and much appreciated!
Gabriella Sent on 10/23/2015

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I cannot imagine a better place to have had our wedding and reception. I wanted a space that was architecturally interesting and this space is that and more. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, it was grand without feeling too big. We had 125 guests and the space worked perfectly for the ceremony downstairs, cocktails on the balcony and the reception back downstairs. Christina was great to work with and worked very well with our other vendors. We cannot say enough about NMWA!
User2276791 Sent on 08/18/2015

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We were so happy that we chose the NMWA for the reception! An elegant space which we configured (with the staff's advice) to maximize the space for cocktails and dancing on the first floor with dinner served at tables on the balcony. That turned out to be a perfect decision----those wanting to dance had plenty of space to do so and to enjoy the band after dinner, and guests wanting to chat and rest could do so either at small tables downstairs or at the dinner tables upstairs. There was space for enjoying both the wedding cake and dessert table without cutting into the wonderful dancing space. It was truly perfection! The museum staff was also wonderfully helpful----even provided suggestions for guest hotel choices in the area which were great.
Terrance Sent on 08/01/2015

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We thoroughly enjoyed this venue. It is a wonderful space. We fit about 230 guests upstairs for dinner, although it was a bit tight.
User2070269 Sent on 03/18/2015

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The National Museum of Women in the Arts was a fantastic location to have our wedding reception. Not only is it stunningly beautiful and centrally located in downtown DC, but the staff was exceptional and provided great assistance during the overall planning process. Lori was a pleasure to work with- she is extremely knowledgeable about event planning and was a joy to have help plan our dream wedding. I would recommend this venue to anyone who is looking for an exceptional venue that will keep your guests talking for years to come :)
Alexandra Sent on 09/22/2014

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NMWA is an amazing space for a wedding. We had both our ceremony and reception at the museum and it was perfect. Really classy venue with excellent event staff to help along the way--Christina and Alison are great; very helpful and responsive. Thanks for an unforgettable day!
Amber Sent on 09/01/2014

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The NMWA is an amazing venue for a wedding ceremony and reception in the DC area. All of our family and friends were amazed at the space and commented on it repeatedly the entire night. We rented all 3 floors and it was great for guests to experience the art gallery during cocktail hour. We worked with Allison at the museum and she was great. She provided input on how things could be done and it was very valuable. I am extremely happy I had my wedding there and I would recommend anyone looking for a wedding venue in DC check out the NMWA.
Nneka Sent on 08/18/2014

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My husband and I absolutely loved this venue. The location, the ambience and the staff were absolutely awesome. We worked with Christina during the planning stages and she was so sweet and helpful throughtout. We were notified last minute that Christina was no longer available to be the staff on duty on our wedding day. However, her colleague Alison was just as nice and extremely helpful as her replacement on the day of. I highly recommend this gorgeous museum for any couple looking for an unconventional but beautiful venue for their wedding. Definitely the best decision we made!
User1647979 Sent on 06/05/2014

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Absolutely gorgeous space. Event staff at the museum was extremely helpful and stayed through the event. Museum was very flexible in permitting our decor choices. The space is so majestic but not stuffy in feel. Our guests loved it. Being there just makes you feel special.
Ashley Sent on 02/20/2014

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I had my wedding at NMWA this past weekend and it was an absolute dream!! I worked exclusively with Alison and could not have been more please with her and everything she did.

My husband and I knew that we wanted to have the ceremony and reception in the same venue. We looked at hotels and decided not to go that route, because we wanted more than just 4 walls. That cut down our choices drastically. We then began the search through DC for the perfect venue and once I walked into NMWA I said to myself "This is it!". Alison gave me the initial tour and answered all of my questions before I could even ask them. She was extremely attentive and responsive to any of my questions and needs. She let us come and walk around the museum whenever we wanted to which was such a huge help!

I cannot recommend NMWA enough. Not only is it an absolutely beautiful building and venue, the staff were all wonderful all the time and worked with us for whatever we needed. I am sad that I won't get to see and talk to Alison as much, but plan on going back from time to time.
Cara Sent on 01/21/2014

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When planning our wedding, we were looking for a place that was not a hotel where we could host 200+ for a seated dinner in downtown DC. I had done corporate events at NMWA before and it was a great fit - super walkable to the metro and hotels (for out of towners) and the most beautiful and elegant space. I recommend working with Lori - she is so kind and the most flexible of the special events staff.
User1307444 Sent on 08/29/2013

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We just had our wedding a few weeks ago and it was AMAZING. Every single one of our guests raved about the beautiful venue and location. Many said that this was the best wedding they had ever attended!
Alison Roth, our event manager, was so sweet and accommodating. She and the entire staff were incredibly helpful and responsive to our every need. She made sure that all of our questions and needs were met and always responded immediately.
Lauren Sent on 01/17/2012

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This museum was the absolute perfect spot for our wedding!! The space is beautiful and exquisite and with all the lighting and decor set up on the day of the wedding, it was stunning. My husband I had originally planned to be married at a resort on the beach in October 2012, however, due to his military obligations we had to move our wedding up to January 2012 and move it to DC, where I live. Needless to say, I was extremely disappointed but once I saw this venue, I knew I would love it just as much! It was a little pricey but we did get a slight discount since our wedding was in January (not an especially popular month). Elise was our contact at the museum and she was super sweet and answered all my questions. She helped recommend vendors (all whom were fantastic choices) and was very accommodating whenever I wanted to come into the museum and meet with a vendor. I would absolutely recommend this venue for a wedding or really any large special event!
M. Sent on 06/21/2011

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The National Museum of Women in the Arts was absolutely the perfect venue for our event. The Museum is the most beautiful in Washington DC and is really set up to be the perfect venue. The main floor is gorgeous and has a marble floor, beautiful columns, art work, and wood trim. The second story balcony overlooks the main floor and is so grand with beautiful columns, chandeliers and art work. We were so thrilled with our choice and couldn't imagine having had our wedding anywhere else!!
Anne Sent on 11/01/2010

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This was the absolute ideal location for our wedding of 225 guests. Highly, highly recommend!
Lindsay Sent on 10/28/2010

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What a beautiful venue - the place looked amazing for my wedding! It was a little bit more than I wanted to spend on the venue, but well worth every penny. Love the chandeliers and the dramatic lighting in the evening. I used uplights during my ceremony and reception, but I don't think that you need them.
Nina Sent on 02/12/2010

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This is an absolutely beautiful and romantic venue, with chandeliers and marble staircases. You also have the option of renting out the art galleries on the 3rd floor for your cocktail reception which will guarantee your guests a truly unique experience and allows a change of scenery while the main hall is being flipped for dinner (if you have both your ceremony and reception here, which we did).
Sheerin Sent on 10/01/2008

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My wedding was like a dream - if you have a big wedding - 200 plus, I would highly recommend it. Plenty of room for dancing, and it's just gorgeous!
Annie Sent on 09/12/2018

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Once we started the venue search and came across NMWA, we stopped talking about any place else. After visiting, we knew it was our venue (we never even visited another option). We ended up with about 220 guests and had the ceremony on the first floor, cocktail hour in the gallery, dinner on the mezzanine and dancing back on the first floor. Its beauty speaks for itself, but you also get a dynamic and interesting space that most other venues can't provide. The space took my breath away every time I visited and of course again on our wedding day. The team was wonderful to work with but because we had to bring in all vendors, investing in a wedding planner was definitely worth the cost as well. I wouldn't change a thing about our wedding at NMWA- in fact I'd love it if we could do it all over again!
User895033 Sent on 08/09/2012

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The National Museum of Women in the Arts is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful spots to get married in DC. The space is so truly amazing that you really don't need to do much in the way of decor. I had the opportunity to work with Elise, who unfortunately is no longer there. She was absolutely amazing every step of the way. She answered all of my many questions, provided me with vendor recommendations, and was even willing to work with me when it came to storing favors, table markers, programs, etc. in her office. My husband and I were even able to have pictures taken in the gallery, which ended up being my favorite pictures of that night.
Maya Sent on 01/04/2011

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This venue is breathtaking and makes for a fabulous wedding spot! We had our ceremony in the round on the first floor followed by cocktails in the 3rd floor gallery, seated dinner on the mezzanine and dancing, dessert and a lounge area back on the first floor. The space is so dynamic, lends itself beautifully to dramatic lighting and decor and allows for a totally unique set up! So many guests commented on how beautiful and special the venue was.

I knew I wanted a change from the usual Hotel ballroom set up and NMWA was exactly this!

The people at NMWA are also very easy to work with. There are a few museums in the DC area that rent the space out for weddings but NMWA is by far the most accommodating- allowing our vendors to start setting up prior to the museum close.

While the space is a bit pricey, in the end I really felt like it was worth every penny.
Stephanie Sent on 06/09/2015

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Just absolutely amazing!!!! This venue es elegant, beautiful, and just PERFECT. I worked with Alison Roth (super nice and friendly) and it was a very smooth ride. Highly recommend this venue...just walk in and you'll immediately imagine your wedding!
Hira Sent on 09/15/2014

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I just had my Labor Day wedding at the NMWA and was so happy I chose this venue. It was the perfect setup for my wedding of ~180 guests. Just be aware that there are more rules associated with this venue than others since it holds valuable pieces of art and that there a few more hidden costs to this already expensive venue before you book. However, the slight extra hassle and extra cost were totally worth it in the end. Our guests loved being able to look at the art during cocktail hour and everyone loved the venue and its central location in downtown DC.
Sara Sent on 09/13/2010

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I had my wedding here in August 2010 and it was the perfect venue. I had 190 guests and they fit perfectly in this venue without feeling too large or too cramped, and still had a large enough dance floor. We had both our ceremony and reception here, as well as cocktail hour on the 3rd floor gallery. My wedding day was perfect, thanks to this venue, and I am still getting compliments on how breathtaking the museum was as a wedding venue. While it is a little pricey, it is worth every penny, and the museum coordinators were very helpful in suggesting other vendors (caterers, florists, photographers, etc) to make the entire wedding more affordable!
Naomi Sent on 04/13/2016

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Magical place for a wedding. We had 150 guests and it was the perfect space. We did a ceremony in the round, cocktails in the third floor galleries and dinner and dancing in the Great Hall. We loved how little we needed to do by way of decor and lighting. Our guests couldn't stop talking about the venue! Bonus: so many vendors work with the museum so you aren't restricted.
Kathryn Sent on 04/20/2019

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Beautiful DC Venue

We had our wedding on 4/6/19 at the NMWA. As always, the venue was absolutely stunning and our guests (approx. 115) were definitely wowed by the inherent beauty of the space. We had our cocktail hour on the third floor galleries, which our guests loved -- the art gave people an easy opening to strike up conversations and kept people engaged during cocktails.

Our point of contact, Katie Ryan, was professional and responsive and made everything a breeze. I have nothing but positive things to say about her.

As a museum and a historic building, there are some restrictions on what food/drink you can serve in certain portions of the museum, so definitely be aware of that, but the restrictions are reasonable and easy enough to work around.

I couldn't imagine a better place to get married than NMWA!
Stefanie Sent on 07/30/2017

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We absolutely loved our reception at NMWA. The first time we saw the space we knew we wanted to have our reception (170 guests) there. We had cocktail hour on the mezzanine and dinner and dancing on the main floor. They do have a list of approved catering vendors, but they accommodated our request to use an outside vendor for a fee. Communication sometimes took some time, but overall we were happy with our interactions with the staff.
Kate Sent on 03/15/2016

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The NMWA is probably the best, most impressive, beautiful, and centrally-located wedding venue in the DC area. Although we had to wait almost 2 years to lock down a date for our wedding, I don't regret our choice to have our wedding at the NMWA FOR A SECOND. It's such a beautiful space that you have to do very little to make it picture perfect for the wedding. And our guests were so impressed by having cocktail hour on the 3rd floor gallery. Thank you to the entire NMWA team for your help!
User2285783 Sent on 08/25/2015

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This venue is absolutely stunning. I fell in love with it from the moment I walked in and getting married there was a dream! It is a museum which comes along with many "rules" which can be difficult to work around. For example, I was not allowed to light taper candles which are traditionally used in the Persian wedding ceremony. They did provide some flexibility in allowing us to light a unity candle though. Having said that, they were more flexible than other museums in DC and with the help of a wedding planner, I was able to have the most magical wedding in the most magical venue! Our guests LOVED the venue, especially the cocktail hour in the gallery!
User1453497 Sent on 06/08/2014

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Stunning venue and was so happy to use them!
Mollie Sent on 02/28/2010

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My husband and I had our wedding at the Museum in August 2008. We had only 8 months to plan for 200+ guests, so our options were somewhat limited. We were thrilled when we found out about having our event at the Museum. We had to book a Friday because it was so popular that Saturdays were reserved many months past our date, but this ended up working out better for us on several levels. We had a cocktail hour in the "ballroom" area on the entrance level, moved upstairs to the balcony for a seated dinner, and had dancing with an 8-piece live band in the "ballroom" afterward. The space is truly stunning and our guests raved about the ambiance and experience. We were even able to arrange a dramatic entrance down the marble staircases when we were announced as husband and wife - this is one of the most memorable moments of the day and was hugely impacted by the setting. The staff at the Museum were professional, helpful, and friendly. Their help before and during the event was excellent. They coordinated deliveries and set-up throughout the day, which helped me relax, knowing it was all being taken care of. They provided recommendations for sound and stage set-up as well as catering. The only drawbacks are some of the limitations made necessary by the setting (a Museum) and the cost, but they are well worth the experience it provides. I would highly recommend this Museum for any event!
Megan Sent on 01/06/2016

4.5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4.5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4.5 out of 5 rating
Stunning venue. Beautiful architecture and large enough for my big wedding!
Christine Sent on 11/07/2011

4.5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3.5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  5 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  4 out of 5 rating
I immediately knew the NMWA was the venue I was going to get married once I walked in and saw the beautiful chandeliers and the marble staircase. My vision for a modern day princess entrance immediately ran through my mind. What I loved about the venue is the fact that you have the option to not do too much extra with decorating and let the natural beauty and décor of the venue shine through or you can completely transform the room with lighting and flowers to give it a different theme. I did tons of research on the internet and found how other brides had used the space so beautifully – with tons of opportunities for beautiful pictures both inside and outside of the venue. Lori and her team (Elise and Amy) at the NMWA are experts at what they do. I think they have done and seen enough weddings at their venue to know what needs to be done and who best to do it. They were very helpful when I asked questions regarding vendors, best way to setup the space, etc. My only con would be that sometimes there would be a bit tough to get them on the phone, but they did respond to emails fairly quickly. Needless to say, my guests are still talking about how beautiful the space was, and I am still amazed as well!
Josh Sent on 04/06/2008

4.5 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  5 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  5 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  5 out of 5 rating
- Value
  4 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3.5 out of 5 rating
This venue was increbile and stunning. Truly unique which was why we knew it was the right place for us as soon as we walked in. We held the wedding on 3 different floors - ceremony in the main hall, cocktails in the upstairs museum and dinner was on the second level. I cannot rave enough about how much we loved this venue. The only tough part is adhering to the museum rules - limited time there, vendors can only set up once the museum closes, must follow the rules designed to protect the art. Well worth it though...
User1521730 Sent on 01/29/2014

3.4 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  4 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  4 out of 5 rating
- Value
  3 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3 out of 5 rating
We got married at this venue -- did the ceremony on the first floor, cocktail hour on the third floor gallery, dinner on the mezzanine, and dancing on the first floor. It was BEAUTIFUL and elegant and really a perfect setting. It was winter and it felt warm and candle lite and all the guests loved the paintings and beautiful details of the rooms. It's an expensive place, but it really is beautiful. The staff was helpful but not super responsive. I was planning from out of town and had some difficulties with them being flexible to my schedule of limited travel opportunities. So I'd say its not the easiest venue to work with professionally, but it really is beautiful so was worth it for us.
User2314761 Sent on 09/14/2015

2.9 out of 5 rating
- Quality of service
  3 out of 5 rating
- Average response time
  3 out of 5 rating
- Professionalism
  3 out of 5 rating
- Value
  2 out of 5 rating
- Flexibility
  3.5 out of 5 rating
The NMWA location itself is beautiful and the only location in DC besides a hotel that can sit over 170 people for a reception. We had our wedding reception there in May of 2015 using the first floor (mezzanine) for cocktails, upstairs for dinner, then back down for dancing. We had furniture and high tops also setup on the first floor which was nice because it got people up from sitting at their tables all night. Loved the location and venue. You are only paying for the venue, you have to bring in all your own vendors, and they only provide staff to secure the building. I worked with Christina who was good and highly recommended a day-of planner because there is a lot that they don't manage at the venue. I used their recommended vendor because of their experience at the venue. Elizabeth Duncan Events is not the vendor I would recommend for day-of services because of their lack in organization, attention to detail, and worthless support staff. I was told, paid for, & ordered meals for 3 (1 lead and 2 support staff). I was only provided 1 support staff who did not carry her weight for a 215 person reception. As a result, numerous things occurred at additional costs I assumed. When I followed up with Elizabeth Duncan, she said lied to me about the number of support staff and told me the issues caused didn't "warrant" any type of reimbursement for the $2k they charged which was the highest price on the market. Elizabeth Duncan delivers below average services at high costs. I am more than disappointed with the lack of respect and owning responsibility for their mistakes. In an industry where you don't have to worry about repeat business, customer service was clearly not valued by Elizabeth Duncan Events. NMWA will run you about $13K, for just the building. The additional recommended day-of planner was $2K and completely a waste of money.

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