If your question is not answered here, of if you need further clarification, please contact our team at private.events@charlesrivermuseum.org

  1. Parking

A. Where should I direct my guests to park?
The Museum does not have a designated parking lot. We recommend parking in the Embassy Street Lot: GPS Address 42 Cooper Street. From there cross a footbridge leading to the Museum’s front door.

B. Do my guests have to pay for parking?
Yes, the Embassy Street Lot is a paid lot. The lot is free after 6:00pm and on Sundays.

C. Can I prepay for my guests parking in the Embassy Street Lot?
You can contact the city’s Traffic Engineering department to inquire about prepaying for cars ahead of time.

D. Will the Embassy Street Lot hold all of my guests’ cars?
This lot is a two level garage and open lot for a total of 150 spots. How busy the lot is varies greatly depending on the season, day of the week, and if there’s a community event taking place nearby. There are other municipal lots throughout Waltham for additional parking options.

E.  I want to provide transportation for my guests, where do I direct them?
It is easiest to have one pick-up and drop-off location for ease of the bus drivers and guests. That being said, the Embassy Street Lot at 42 Cooper Street is the best place to direct all vehicles, and the scenic route over the bridge and along the river is a nice welcome for guests.

2. Access for Guests, Vendors and/or Handicap Guests

A. I have handicap guests that cannot do stairs, how will they maneuver through the event?
We have a handicap lift inside the front door of the Museum and our first floor is completely handicap accessible. When it is time to transition guests to the second floor those guests will be assisted from the service entrance on the first floor to a ramp that leads directly into the Jackson Room, the main reception space.

B. I have guests that due to handicap restrictions or old age cannot do the walk from the Embassy Street Lot. What instructions should I give them?
Our service entrance at the back of the Museum can be used to drop off guests who cannot do the walk from the Embassy Street Lot. We do not have any parking available there as it is a private residential lot, so those guests will have to be dropped off and picked up.

C. How do I direct handicap guests and vendors to the Service Entrance at the back of the Museum?
The address for the Service Entrance is 154 Moody Street. This is admittedly hard to find—from Moody Street you want to take the driveway between Enterprise Rental and the bridge. Drive straight back between all the businesses and buildings (do not pull down any alleys or driveways). At the second green sign that says Francis Cabot Lowell Mills, take a right and we are at the bottom of the hill.

D. Can vendors stay parked in the Service Entrance?
Two catering vehicles ONLY may stay in the service entrance for the duration of the event. All vendors must move to the Embassy Street Lot once they’ve unloaded their equipment. They can return with their vehicle to the Service Entrance at the end of the event to load out their items.

E. Can I provide additional signage to help guests find the front door?
Absolutely, directing guests from the Embassy Street Lot towards the bridge and from the bridge to our front door is suggested and makes a nice welcome to guests. We do require that they be taken down at the conclusion of the event.

3. Ceremonies & Landry Park

A. I want to hold my ceremony in Landry Park, what does that entail?
In order to hold a ceremony in Landry Park you must obtain a permit through the DCR, a nominal permit fee is required. The DCR requires you provide insurance for your ceremony. Suggested ways to do so are through your renters’ or homeowners’ insurance or by purchasing it online.

B. What else do I need for a ceremony in Landry Park?
If you would like your guests to have a seat at your ceremony you will need to rent chairs which the Museum does not provide. We suggest requesting your DJ provide a battery powered speaker for amplification OR a long enough extension cord (approximately 400ft.) to run from the Museum’s front door to Landry Park. (Landry Park will be undergoing renovations beginning mid-May 2025)

C. What are the indoor options for ceremony location and is there a ceremony fee?
We do not charge a ceremony fee. We have two options for indoor ceremony: the first is the Main Gallery on the first floor, which is best for a mix of seating and standing room or a fully seated ceremony of up to 100. The second option is the Jackson Room, this can accommodate a full seated ceremony with space in the back, to hide pre-set dinner tables.

D. I would like to hold a ceremony rehearsal; how do I schedule that?
You may request a date and time in your contract or via e-mail at any point. The date and time of your rehearsal cannot be guaranteed until your final payment is paid. This is due 60 days before the event. We will work with you to find an alternative time if your requested time is not available.

4. Timing & Optional Fees

A. The rental fee includes 2 hours of set-up, will that be enough for my vendors?
It depends. If you are hiring a professional lighting company for overhead lighting, they will likely need 1-2 additional hours for set-up. Ask your caterer how much time they need - some are content with 2, others prefer 3 hours.

B. At the time of signing my contract I was unsure of the timing of my event and what optional fees I would need. Can I update those items at a later time?
The timing of your event, start time to end time, cannot be changed after the final payment is due. However, all optional fees can be added at any point up until the day before the event.

5. Included vs. Not Included

A. What is included in the Full Venue Rental fee?
The rental fee includes private use of the Museum open only to your guests for a 6-hour event, with additional 2 hours for setup and 1 hour for breakdown. It also includes (20) 72” round tables, (10) 60” round tables, (5) 30” cocktail tables, (8) 6’ banquet tables, (130) modern black chairs, (50) black samsonite chairs and speakers in the main gallery with a hookup for your audio source.

B. What is included in the Cocktail Reception Package?
The rental fee includes private use of the Museum open only to your guests for a 3-hour event, with additional 2 hours for setup and 1 hour for breakdown. It also includes (5) 30” cocktail tables, (4) 6’ banquet tables, (50) black samsonite chairs and speakers in the main gallery with a hookup for your audio source.

C. What is included in the Conference & Meeting Package?
Use of our conference room for either 4 or 8 hours, projection screen, projector, and speakers. The room is set up classroom style for 32 guests. It also includes one hour of Museum viewing time either before, during or after the event.

D. What do I need to rent?
All of our authorized caterers can handle your rental order for you regarding quantities, delivery and pickup times. You will need to rent linens, glassware, plates, silverware, napkins. If your guest count is higher than 135 or if you’d prefer a different type of chair you will need to rent those as well.

6. Authorized Caterers & Approved Vendors

Must I hire from your authorized list of caterers?
We prefer that you stick to our list of authorized caterers as they meet the Museum’s standards for events, are accustomed to our rules and restrictions and are most familiar with the space. However, for an additional fee of $500 and with approval of the Event Manager, you can bring in a caterer who is not on the list.

7. Decorations, Storage & Museum Layout

A. What kinds of decorations are allowed and what is prohibited?
We do not allow balloons or confetti inside the Museum. We do allow candles as long as they are contained to votives or hurricane glass. Anything that requires a ladder to hang from the rafters of the reception room must use a professional lighting/design company.

B. I have personal decorations I would like to bring to the Museum ahead of time. How and when can I do this?
Personal (non-food) items can be dropped off during the Museum’s visiting hours. You may use the Service Entrance for this —those doors are always locked but there is a buzzer you can ring to alert a staff member of your arrival. The Museum staff will guide you on where to store your decorations. Our last admission is 30 minutes before closing, the Museum will close at that time if we do not have visitors so please be mindful of how long it will take to unload.

C. Can I leave anything at the Museum overnight after the event?
Yes, storage of personal decorations can be arranged in the Museum. Please remember to have them picked up in a timely manner after the event,

D. Does anything HAVE to leave at the end of the night?
Trash, leftover food, opened alcohol, cards & gifts MUST go.

E. How is the reception room typically setup?
Designing a floor plan specific to your guest count, furniture and food service is one of the highlights of the Museum. You have full control over how it is used. We highly recommend the website AllSeated to design a floorplan.

F. How many restrooms are available to my guests?
On the first floor is a men’s room with two stalls and women’s room with three stalls. The reception room has two single stall unisex handicap restrooms.