Conference & Event Services
Host your next conference, group retreat, student, faculty or staff event on McMaster’s beautiful campus!
We offer a range of flexible spaces, including classrooms, breakout rooms, lecture theatres, signature venues, and exhibit spaces. Our goal is to deliver a most memorable experience to you and your attendees.
Enhance Your Event
We’ve included some additional items that may be of interest to you while organizing your event. If you have any questions regarding these features, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Stay Satisfied View the catering menu
McMaster Catering Services is proud of its excellent service, exquisite cuisine, and professional staff who will do the utmost to please you and your guests in every way possible.
We will work with you to put together a perfect package, whether it is for a meeting, reception, small informal dinner or full service banquet.
Stay Ready Visit Parking & Security Services
Parking lots are conveniently located throughout campus and we are happy to arrange special parking packages and rates for your event.
Stay Active Visit McMaster Athletics & Recreation
Leisure activities provide the necessary break from any conference. Come out and enjoy our indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, as well as The Pulse, an active living facility with state-of-the-art equipment. If your group would like exclusive use of an area (for example, gymnasium, swimming pool, the outdoor track or playing fields), you can rent these facilities by the hour or by the day.
In addition to the above, we can arrange for your group to try out Canada’s first Alpine Tower Challenge Course, located behind the Ivor Wynne Centre. Outdoor wilderness activities can also be arranged, just let us know and we’ll make it happen!
Stay Amongst the Stars Visit W.J. McCallion Planetarium
McMaster is excited to offer a Planetarium where images of stars, planets, and constellations are projected on the inner surface of a dome. Our private shows are geared toward educating the audience about the earth and its relationship to the solar system and the rest of the universe. Shows are primarily facilitated by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at McMaster and occasionally by faculty.
Stay Thoughtful Visit Our Campus Store
No visit to the McMaster campus is complete without a trip to the McMaster Campus Store! Here you will find unique gifts, McMaster souvenirs, and gifts for conference speakers.
Stay Passionate Visit McMaster Museum of Art
Explore the unique exhibits within McMaster’s own Museum of Art. The Museum serves as a cultural hub for the University campus and the region through dynamic and multi-disciplinary exhibitions and programs, scholarly interpretation and preservation of collections, and innovative practices in museology.
Stay Polished Visit MPS
MPS Print Group provides published material from state-of-the-art facilities. Our capabilities run the gamut from electronic desktop printing, copy duplicating, offset printing and full bindery services. MPS Design Group provides graphic design, copywriting, illustration and new media design services for a wide range of print and electronic needs.
Stay Curious Visit McMaster Nuclear Reactor
McMaster Nuclear Reactor offers complimentary tours of the nuclear reactor facility. Each tour is conducted by a trained guide or MNR staff member and is approximately 30 minutes in duration.
Stay with Nature Visit the Biology Greenhouse
The McMaster Biology Department Greenhouse is an expansive space located centrally on main campus. Spanning 780 square metres, the greenhouse is a facility dedicated to research and training purposes.
Visit to feel inspired and discover everything the collection of live plant species have to offer. Plant selections are exceedingly diverse and constantly changing or expanding. Drop by for activities, events, tours, and more.
Need to Know
Find contact information for all of Conference & Event Services here.
Events/Activities which are complementary to the University’s academic mission and operations.
This includes University and student-organized events both within university facilities and off campus, and events at McMaster that are booked and hosted by outside organizations (i.e., tournaments, conferences, public speakers, etc.). This does not include academic events but does include events which are educational in nature.
Space access of groups will continue to be defined by those included in Policy on the USE of University Facilities for Non-Academic Purposes, as follows:
- Recognized Campus Groups
- Recognized Student Groups, Departments, Faculties, Institutes, Associations, Unions
- Accredited External Organizations
- Those non-profit organizations with direct relationship of an educational, cultural, professional, or social service nature
- Non-Accredited External Organizations
- All other organizations that pay a facility rental fee
Housing & Conference Services operates as part of McMaster’s ancillary services. To learn more, kindly read the following memorandum about Optimizing McMaster’s Ancillary Units in Support of the Operating Budget Memo .
Housing & Conference Services is committed to upholding McMaster University’s standards and maintaining a Tobacco & Smoke Free campus. Click this link to see detailed information on the Tobacco & Smoke Free University Policy .
The university’s Alcohol Policy is a useful tool assisting in managing regulations and expectations of alcoholic beverages served on campus or off-campus during sanctioned events.
For information related to domestic animals on campus, the Domestic Animals in the Workplace Program provides resources for acceptable conditions and a safe environment for everyone. Please note that this program does not apply to service animals.
The Freedom of Expression, Protest and Dissent: Guidance for Event Organizers and Participants is a useful resource to guide events towards an environment supporting the free exchange of opinions and ideas for knowledge and understanding.
Kindly read the Policy on Discrimination and Harassment: Prevention & Response to learn how McMaster strives to foster a welcoming environment free of discrimination and harassment on campus.
Unsafe noise levels can lead to hearing loss, it is suggested to review the Noise Control and Hearing Protection Program to protect all faculty, staff, students, visitors and contractors who may be exposed to hazardous noise levels.
Questions about using computing resources on campus? The Information Security Policy is the resource that can assist in making positive decisions to help protect the university’s and your own privacy and property.
Information specific on internet use network connection can be accessed at the University Network Policy and Terms of Service.
The McMaster University Policy on the Use of University Facilities for Non-Academic Purposes (PUFNAP) governs the utilization of university facilities for non-academic activities. It outlines the procedures, responsibilities, and criteria for requesting and approving such use, ensuring that activities align with the university’s mission and values while prioritizing academic needs. The policy also addresses fees, insurance requirements, safety protocols, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, fostering a transparent and fair process for accessing university facilities for non-academic purposes.
