Museum peace
National Museum, Singapore
What is it?
The National Museum of Singapore offers a variety of function spaces and settings for corporate events, seminars and receptions.
Why is it special?
The building dates back to 1887 and, with its colonial architecture, the National Museum of Singapore makes an ideal heritage venue for events.
What can I do there?
From a small gathering of 20 people to a key corporate event for 200 people, the museum has a variety of spaces to cater to your function. Venue hire is available to corporate members, who gain not only discounts on bookings but also complimentary entry tickets to the museum itself.
CONTACT
email: oh_li_li@nhb.gov.sg
Vintage port
Customs House, Brisbane, Australia
What is it?
The Brisbane Customs House is regarded as one of Queensland’s most stylish and elegant function venues with facilities for all kinds of corporate events.
Why is it special?
The port of Brisbane grew quickly in Victorian times, so in the late 1880s, the Queensland government agreed to replace its existing Customs House, a single-storey brick building, with a much grander effort. The building is two storeys high on the Queen Street frontage, while three storeys are visible from the river side. Its grand public space, The Long Room, is topped by a copper-sheathed dome.
What can I do there?
In-house catering is available for groups of six to 300 people (200 for a seated dinner). The Customs House has a team of event coordinators on hand to assist your group. All-inclusive packages are available or alternatively event coordinators can organise a quote and menus to suit specific requirements of your event.
CONTACT
email: chris@customshouse.com.au
Starry, starry night
Sky Bar and Sirocco, Lebua at State Tower, Bangkok, Thailand
What is it?
On the 64th floor of the Lebua at State Tower hotel, these bars and restaurants offer stunning and open-air views of the city below.
Why is it special?
Standing or sitting on top of Bangkok’s second tallest building, the State Tower with its golden dome offers your group an unforgettable setting. In one corner of the Sirocco restaurant is the Sky Bar, where you can enjoy cocktails at its illuminated counter which changes colour every few minutes.
What can I do there?
Cocktail functions, special dinners and receptions. The stunning nighttime views make this an ideal introduction to the Thai capital.
CONTACT
email: information@lebua.com
Permission granted
Forbidden City, Beijing, China
What is it?
The former home of the imperial royal families that ruled China for centuries. The dynasties have long gone but the grandeur remains.
Why is it special?
This is one of Beijing’s must-sees. A tour of the grounds takes several hours. History lingers at every corner. If you have seen Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, you will get a sense of what the Forbidden City meant in years gone by.
What can I do there?
You can arrange group tours of course, but the Forbidden City is also available for exclusive group events. While permission takes time and is relatively expensive, there are few venues in the world that can match the history and the majesty of the Forbidden City. ETG Staging Connections created a stunning outside dinner for delegates of a client. It built a Chinese Wall to separate the dinner within the City and decorated the area with Chinese lanterns and street decorations. As guests arrived, they were greeted by 60 hostesses dressed in traditional costume and carrying Chinese red lanterns.
CONTACT
email: gerard@etgsc.com
Art and Seoul
Sangsang Madang, Seoul, South Korea
What is it?
Sangsang Madang is a seven-storey cultural complex with a four-storey basement situated in Hongdae, the area around Seoul’s Hongik University.
Why is it special?
Hongdae is one of Seoul’s funkiest and most bohemian areas. It is a centre of Korea’s vibrant youth culture and the creative arts.
What can I do there?
Featuring a cinema, a performance stage, studio and gallery, cafe and academy, the building has several functions from exclusive film shows, concerts or a more standard corporate reception or cocktail evening. One of the charms of the building is the chance for your delegates to browse, and even buy, various works by young artists that are on display here. Seoul is 2010’s World Design Capital, a perfect theme for your event to link in to.
CONTACT
email: ub@ssmadang.co.kr
Blast from the past
Casa Manila, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines
Why is it special?
Even before World War II, most houses and some churches in the old Spanish city of Intramuros were already damaged by major earthquakes in 1863 and 1880. This makes Casa Manila – a well-preserved, colonial-style house circa 1850 – a rare architectural gem.
The Casa Manila is now a museum, providing visitors with a glimpse into the daily lifestyle of the upwardly mobile ilustrados (upper class) of the era.
Intricate interiors, antique furniture pieces and a lot more will delight connoisseurs of late 19th century Philippine history.
What can you do there?
Casa Manila is perfect for Filipiniana-themed events, either for a private exclusive lunch or evening cocktails.
Choose a central meeting point somewhere at the Intramuros, have your group ride a convoy of the traditional horse-drawn calesa to Casa Manila. You can recreate a late 19th century Spanish-style wedding reception at the old patio with entertainers dressed up in the finery of the era re-enacting the social customs and traditional dances common during the 1850s, while your guests nibble on canapés made from local delicacies.
CONTACT
tel: 63 3 5274084
www.intramurosadministration.com
Art on a plate
Silks Palace, Taipei, Taiwan
Why is it special?
Opened in June 2008, Silks Palace has become a culinary sensation for its unique concept in food presentation. Each dish is dressed to look like one of the signature collections at the National Palace Museum, which is just next door. The concept is meant to show the close relationship between Chinese art and cooking.
Built at a cost of NT$400 million (US$12.56 million), different sections of the five-storey restaurant (two below ground, three above) carry distinctive interior design influences that go all the way back to the Sung and Tang dynasties.
What can you do there?
Groups can combine a visit of the National Palace Museum with a fine-dining experience at the Silks Palace. Order a meal that includes an edible replica of the Meat-shaped Stone sculpture from the Ching Dynasty.
With a menu featuring signature cuisines from Taiwan, Hong Kong and eight culinary regions of Mainland China, the experience is a one-of-a-kind gourmet food trip.
For exclusive corporate events, Silk Palace has ten private rooms on the second floor. Each room can seat between eight and 20 people. Bigger groups can use the multi-function banqueting site on the third floor, which can seat up to 400 persons.
CONTACT
email: silkspalace@grandformosa.com.tw
www.silkspalace.com.tw/english
Bend it like Beckham
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
Why is it special?
With the popularity of soccer in Asia, treat your group to a special function at the de facto home of the famous Real Madrid and walk on the footsteps of world-class players in the league.
What can you do there?
Real Madrid football club offers great facilities for any kind of event, whether it is a small ten-person affair or a large gathering of more than 80,000.
The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and Real Madrid City at Valdebebas are unique, large, luminous, versatile and exclusive venues. The Real Madrid brand guarantees your event will always be remembered.
The venues can hold presentations for new products, conventions, work meetings, lectures, galas, concerts or even mock matches on the pitch. Groups from multinational companies like Fujitsu, GlaxoSmithKline, UBS and Nintendo have organised events there.
CONTACT
email: eventos@corp.realmadrid.com
