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Chabot Space & Science Center

Oakland Wedding Location
10000 Skyline Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94619

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Description

Looking for an out-of-this-world location to celebrate your wedding? Let the stars smile on you at Chabot Space and Science Center. In the evenings, this state-of-the-art science education center perched high in the Oakland hills makes a unique setting for private events.

The Center is surrounded by thirteen wooded acres in Joaquin Miller Park, and its architecture takes full advantage of that fact: numerous floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass skyway, and a catwalk-like loggia hugging the exterior really make you feel like you’re up in the trees. The two main buildings, the Spees and Dellums Buildings, are linked at the second floor by the skyway, and at ground level by an amphitheater and a courtyard with gardens. Exposed ceilings, black floors, and architectural details in green glass, aluminum and blond wood create a smart, polished look throughout the Center.

Event spaces in the Spees Building include the Tien MegaDome Theater, where you can project your own slides, DVD, VHS, or PowerPoint presentations; a café, which provides a handy reception site; and a surround-sound planetarium featuring one of the world’s most advanced immersive visualization systems. This allows them to take their audience on real time jouneys to the edge of the known universe and back again. We were particularly taken with the idea of a celestial ceremony in the planetarium: imagine getting married on a spot-lit stage beneath a 70-foot dome of gorgeous night sky thick with stars, while your guests sit spellbound in comfortable tiered seats. If you want to go all out, you can even make arrangements with the projectionist to create a sky that changes throughout the event.

Another appealing ceremony option—and one that will give every guest a great vantage point—is the semi-circular amphitheatre surrounded by trees. This is a particularly appropriate place to mark an important moment in time, as the amphitheatre also functions as a nifty clock. At the top level of the amphitheatre, the Pleiades Courtyard stretches back to the Spees Building café. Together, the two spaces make a convenient indoor/outdoor spot for serving post-ceremony refreshments. After dining, guests will enjoy strolling through the adjacent EnviroGarden, designed to showcase native plants.
You’ll also want to consider serving cocktails in the sleek open spaces of the Spees Building. Although the Spees is a two-story structure, there are several areas where you can stand on the ground floor and gaze up unobstructedly to the top of the building. The most striking of these is the Rotunda, an atrium-like space capped by a huge octagonal skylight. During the day, light flowing in from the skylight illuminates a decorative green glass compass inlaid on the first floor. If you set up musicians or a DJ on the Rotunda’s circular "balcony," the music floats down to your guests mingling below.

Indoor receptions can take place in the exhibit spaces of the three-level Dellums building, but the size and configuration of your event will depend on the current exhibits. The top floor of the Dellums opens to the outdoor plaza of the observatory complex. This is the highest point of the center, and from here the sweeping bay views over the treetops are sure to wow your guests. The three domes house telescopes named "Leah", "Rachel" and "Nellie". You can arrange for access to the domes, and can actually hold a small sit-down dinner inside the larger of the two.

Chabot Space and Science Center is a stellar (sorry, we couldn’t resist) location, not just for weddings, but for private and corporate events, too. And even if you aren’t an astronomy buff, you’ll delight in the sunset over the bay and the dazzling nighttime panorama of city lights twinkling below.

Capacity

Ceremony	Reception/Special Events	Meetings
Max. Seated Indoors: 243 Max. Seated Outdoors: 150	Max. Seated Indoors: 500 Max. Seated Outdoors: 300 Max. Standing Indoors: 1000 Max. Standing Outdoors: 500	Max. Seated: 241
CEREMONY CAPACITY: The Obsevatory Complex and the Amphitheatre each seat 150 guests, the Ask Jeeves Planetarium holds up to 243 seated guests and the Dellums Building accommodates up to 200 guests. EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY Space Seated Standing Spees Building 500 1,000 Patio Tent/Garden 300 500 Dellums Building 180 250 Observatory Complex 150 250 MEETING CAPACITY: Galileo, Kepler and Copernicus can each hold up to 60 seated guests. The Ask Jeeves Planetarium holds up to 241 guests seated theater-style, and the Tien MegaDome holds up to 210 guests seated theater-style.

Fees & Deposits

50% of the rental fee is required to reserve your date. A $1,000 refundable cleaning deposit, along with the balance of the rental fee, is due 30 days prior to the event. Rental fees range $1,500–13,000 depending on space rented. There is a discount for 501 ©(3) nonprofit groups.

Availability

Year-round, Mondays and Tuesdays, 6am–midnight, or Wednesday–Sundays, 5pm–midnight. Some seasonal restrictions apply, call for details.

Catering Select From List BYO Alcohol BYO Sites Uses Ceremonies Wedding Receptions Special Events, Parties Business Functions/Meetings Rehearsal Dinners Services/Amenities Catering: select from preferred list Kitchen Facilities: full kitchen Tables & Chairs: BYO Linens, Silver, etc.: BYO Restrooms: wheelchair accessible Dance Floor: built in or BYO Bride's Dressing Area: no Meeting Equipment: some provided Parking: ample free parking on site Accommodations: no guestrooms Telephone: pay phones Outdoor Night Lighting: yes Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no Cleanup: provided View: panoramic and bay views Other: use of exhibits, some event coordination provided

Music Indoors Outdoors Wheelchair Access Wheelchair Accessible Site Views Cityscape Ocean/Bay Panoramic Restrictions Alcohol: BYO Smoking: not allowed Music: amplified OK Wheelchair Access: yes Insurance: extra liability required Other: no balloons or confetti

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