Rendezvous in the Piazza: Harvard Art Museums’ Calderwood Courtyard

Introduced in Italy during the Middle Ages, the piazza became a celebrated informal gathering place and as well as the stage for many weddings, festivals, baptisms and other symbolic demonstrations. A sacred location where people unite as a community—this is the experience guests walk away from after attending a wedding reception, corporate gala or other milestone event in Harvard Art Museums’ Calderwood Courtyard.

Harvard Art Museums Events in the Courtyard
Triangle Constellation © Carlos Amorales

Italian architecture

The Harvard Art Museums comprise three separate museums—the Fogg Museum, Busch-Reisinger Museum and Arthur M. Sackler Museum—each with a different history, collection, guiding philosophy and identity. The Harvard Art Museums’ recent renovation and expansion builds on the legacies of these three museums and unites their remarkable collections under one roof for the first time. Renzo Piano Building Workshop’s responsive design preserved the Fogg Museum’s landmark 1927 facility while transforming the space to accommodate twenty-first-century needs. The three constituent museums retain their distinct identities in this new facility, yet their close proximity provides exciting opportunities to experience works of art in a broader context.

Lounge Couches Set Up for Event at Harvard Art MusuemTables Set Up For Event in The Calderwood Courtyard

Guests who experience an event here will be transported to a place of pure grandeur. They will be entranced by the courtyard’s gallery views, its iconic arches, travertine columns and a dynamic glass ceiling, designed to capture light in the most effective and complementary ways. Whether enjoying an extravagant dinner underneath the courtyard’s luminescent steel mobile or dancing across its bluestone floors, the Calderwood Courtyard is covered from top to bottom in details worth indulging and sharing with others.

The Calderwood Courtyard provides an unparalleled event space for cocktail receptions,  celebrations, networking events and other important occasions. The museum is available for after-hours entertaining from Monday through Sunday starting at 6:30PM, providing exclusive and private access to its exhibitions and collections. It’s truly an immersive and memorable experience for your guests.

Tables Set Up For Event in The Calderwood Courtyard
Triangle Constellation © Carlos Amorales

Unparalleled catering and event production

Surrounded by beauty and inspiration, a wedding catered by The Catered Affair at the Harvard Art Museums is a one-of-a-kind experience perfect for those with ties to the Harvard community or intrigued by the seamless blend of the contemporary with the classic in the museum’s many spaces.

Create and savor your own masterpiece with the Catered Affair at Harvard Art Museums! The Catered Affair invites you to entertain after hours with exclusive, private access to vast art collections. From lively strolling receptions to client dinners and milestone tributes, The Catered Affair elevates an average event into an extraordinary experience. Our dedication to exceeding client expectations is matched only by our commitment to flawless service and culinary excellence. With over forty years of celebrated success, we can assure you that you are in the very best hands with The Catered Affair!

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