Spe­cial Event FAQ

Here are answers to gen­eral ques­tions about spe­cial events at The Polasek.

1. How much does it cost to rent the museum?

Please call the museum to con­tact our spe­cial events coor­di­na­tor. Pric­ing is tai­lored to the size and needs of your spe­cial event.

2. How much is the deposit to hold the space?

The deposit is typ­i­cally $350.00 to hold your date, how­ever may vary depend­ing upon your event. Your date will not be reserved with­out a con­tract and deposit.

3. How many peo­ple can the gar­dens accommodate?

Each site can accom­mo­date var­i­ous num­bers of guests, but gen­er­ally, the gar­dens can accom­mo­date up to 350 guests.

4. Do I need an appoint­ment to see the gardens?

It is rec­om­mended that you con­tact the museum office to sched­ule an appoint­ment.  Admis­sion fees apply to tour the res­i­dence and galleries.

5. How far in advance do you take reservations?

We book up to 18 months in advance. Please call for availability.

6. What kind of music may I have at my event?

Acoustic bands are a wel­come addi­tion to any spe­cial event at the Polasek. How­ever, ampli­fied music is allowed in the gallery and des­ig­nated areas of the prop­erty.  Please con­tact the museum for addi­tional infor­ma­tion or recommendations.

7. If needed, is a rehearsal included in the rental fee?

If sched­uled within nor­mal busi­ness hours, the rehearsal fee is typ­i­cally waived.  To book a rehearsal out­side of nor­mal busi­ness hours, please con­tact the museum directly.

8. What hap­pens if it rains on my event day?

We have sev­eral indoor alter­na­tives avail­able depend­ing upon the size of your party. You may also choose from a wide vari­ety of tents from our pre­ferred ven­dor list.

9. What time can my func­tion start and what time must it end?

Set up for your spe­cial event may begin as early as 9:00 a.m. the morn­ing of your event. Break­down and cleanup must be com­plete by 9:30 p.m.  All music, bar and food ser­vice must end by 9:00 p.m.

10. Is there park­ing available?

Onsite park­ing spaces will hold approx­i­mately 100 cars with valet park­ing. If your event requires addi­tional park­ing space, the valet ser­vice will deter­mine whether park­ing should be on  —  or off-site. All groups requir­ing park­ing of 65 or more guests must uti­lize valet ser­vice. All guest cars must be off-site imme­di­ately fol­low­ing the event. Our gates will be locked after the event until the next sched­uled museum oper­at­ing hours.

11.  May I bring in my own food?

No. The museum has a list of pre­ferred licensed cater­ers in var­i­ous price ranges that are famil­iar with our facility.

12.  May I serve alcohol?

Yes. All alco­holic bev­er­ages must be served by one of the preap­proved cater­ers with the proper licens­ing for alco­hol service.

13.  Does the Polasek pro­vide a dress­ing room?

You may use our main gallery rest room and dress­ing area.

14.  May I rent chairs, tables or tents?

All chairs, tables, tents, cater­ers etc. must be pro­vided by a ven­dor on our approved list. They are famil­iar with our site and can make your spe­cial event a beau­ti­ful expe­ri­ence for you and your guests. All set-up and break-down must be done by an approved vendor.

15.  May I decorate?

Dec­o­rat­ing is per­mit­ted in the gar­dens, but noth­ing can be glued, sta­pled or nailed. All dec­o­ra­tions must be free stand­ing. No plants or land­scap­ing can be dis­turbed. All dec­o­ra­tions must be removed imme­di­ately fol­low­ing your event.

16.  May we throw flower petals?

Live rose petals, biodegrad­able rice or bub­bles are the only things that may be thrown. But­ter­flies or doves may be released in the gar­dens. Noth­ing may be released or thrown inside the chapel.

17.  Are can­dles allowed? 

Lit can­dles are allowed in the gar­den only. You may use bat­ter­ies oper­ated can­dles for indoor events.

18.  May I come early for photography? 

If your event is booked here, you may take pho­tos any time dur­ing your rental hours.

19.  May I have my for­mal pho­tog­ra­phy ses­sion in the gardens?

Yes. If you will require addi­tional time for pho­tog­ra­phy other than your rental hours, you must sched­ule an appoint­ment at the rate of $100 per hour.