Exhibition Centres

London's Top Exhibition Centres

London is one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the world. Fantastic transport links to Britain and Europe, luxurious hotels, wonderful nightlife, and the capital’s status as a centre of international business combine to make it the ideal conference venue. All preferences and budgets are catered for, intimate meeting rooms contrasting with impressive modern spaces. See below for our guide to the top venues in the capital.

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Alexandra Palace

Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY
After a shaky start - destroyed by fire 16 days after 'The People's Palace' first opened in 1873 - Alexandra Palace re-opened again two years later becoming the place from where the BBC beamed its first broadcast in 1935. The palace title maybe a little misleading - it's charm being more shabby chic than regal. Still, it's a great venue for the regular rock concerts, raves and exhibitions staged, with two massive indoor spaces. And, perched above the city, it boasts beautiful surroundings and wonderful views over London. From the first warm days of spring until the annual fireworks display in November, outside is the place to appreciate Ally Pally taking in the nearby boating lake, children's playground and parkland. A London institution.

Current events at Alexandra Palace

Florence + The Machine event Thursday 8th March until Friday 9th March
TIMES Thursday 8th March and Friday 9th March 2012 PRICING phone for prices
Singer-songwriter Florence Welch leads her outfit in playing indie and folk-influenced alt pop in support of the album Ceremonials.... More about this event

All events at Alexandra Palace

Barbican Centre

Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS
Described by the Queen as 'one of the wonders of the modern world' , the Barbican Centre has also been voted 'London's ugliest building'. Ugly or not, this multi-faceted performance and arts venue is truly wondrous. Open 363 days a year, it offers the most diverse program of any London venue. As well as being home to the London Symphony Orchestra, the centre's giant Barbican Hall attracts a host of international classical, jazz, rock, and world music stars. Two theatres offer a year-round program of some of the finest in international performing arts, while three cinemas mix mainstream films with specialist seasons. The Barbican Art Gallery, several smaller exhibition spaces, shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, live music in the foyer, and a host of talks, signings, and events for children are also on offer. The building itself is a labyrinth and finding your route from the station or car park is an adventure in itself. Staircases twist around each other, directing lost patrons into mysteriously empty mezzanines, where odd snatches of music are the only guide back to the main lobby. The joy of coming across exhibitions, live music, or talks from a major arts celebrity in some odd corner of the building is a unique feature of this remarkable concentration of artistic talent.

Current events at Barbican Centre

New York Philharmonic/Gilbert - Thomas Ades' Polaris event Friday 17th February
TIMES 7.30pm PRICING Various
The New York Philharmonic bring their latest accomplishment to London in 2012, with the UK premier of More about this event

Barbican Weekender - Urban Stories event Saturday 3rd March until Sunday 4th March
TIMES 10am PRICING Free
Exploring the use of the voice through music, film, song,... More about this event

New York Philharmonic event Saturday 18th February
TIMES Saturday 18th February 2012 - 4pm PRICING £20, under 16s £10
Alan Gilbert conducts Bernstein's Overture To West Side Story, Symphony No 2 'Age Of Anxiety: Masque' and Three Dance Episodes from On The Town, pl... More about this event

OMA/Progress event running until Sunday 19th February 2012
TIMES 6th October 2011 to 19th February 2012 - Various Times PRICING £10, concs £8, ages 13-17 £7, adv £8, adv concs £7, ages 13-17 £6 adv, under 13s/mems Free
Curated by the Belgium-based collective Rotor, this survey of the global architectural practice looks at the productivity and recent projects that are... More about this event

The Devil And Mister Punch event running until Saturday 25th February 2012
TIMES 2nd February 2012 to 25th February 2012 - Various Times PRICING £16
Devised puppet theatre show from Improbable, in which a pair of down-at-heel vaudevillians are forced into presenting a Punch and Judy show, which doe... More about this event

All events at Barbican Centre

Business Design Centre

52 Upper Street, London, N1 0QH
Exhibitors love this venue and it's easy to see why. The Business Design Centre in Islington is in a great location just one mile from The City and two from The West End. It also perfectly combines architectural beauty with modern facilities, offering a huge space to host the most stylish of events. One of its best features is the natural light that pours through the high barrel-vaulted roof of the Mezzanine. The ground level, Gallery Hall and Conference Centre combine to offer 6,000 square metres of flexible space in total and room enough to seat up to 1,500 visitors.

More info: Business Design Centre Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Central Hall Westminster

Storey's Gate, SW1H 9NH
Combining its dual functions as an event / conference venue and a Methodist church, the imposing Central Hall Westminster also offers visitors (curious about exploring the inside of this Edwardian structure) free admission and free guided tours daily from 9.30am to 5pm. Of the 30 meeting rooms, the largest holds 2,160. While refurbished to meet the needs of a modern functions host, the venue still has a strong period feel to it and has featured in a number of films, including 'Calendar Girls' and 'Jekyll and Hyde'. Gandhi, Churchill and the Price of Wales have all spoken here. The hall also played host to the first General Assembly of the United Nations in 1946.

More info: Central Hall Westminster Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Earls Court Exhibition Centre

Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA
The Earl's Court and Olympia exhibition centres are the most popular in London for major public exhibitions. Located down the road from fashionable Kensington, this venue is as familiar to shoppers as it is to companies, and was selected as one of Britain's 'Superbrands', alongside Shell, Samsung, and Rolls-Royce. The centre has its own conference rooms, hotels, bars and a huge range of additional facilities. Events here are always well catered and set up for wireless internet use.

More info: Earls Court Exhibition Centre Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

ExCel London Exhibition Centre

Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1XL
A stunning architectural achievement, gigantic amounts of floor space accompanied by shops, bars and hotels, London's purpose built exhibition centre, opened in 2000, is an exciting venue in the city. The range of flexible, high-spec rooms is second to none, as is their customer support service. Though not as close as other venues to the major airports and central London, it's very close to City Airport and the presence of a DLR stop inside the centre means it remains convenient for public transport.

Current events at ExCel London Exhibition Centre

Motorhome, Caravan & Camping Show event Tuesday 14th February until Sunday 19th February
TIMES 14 - 18 Feb 10am-6pm; 19 Feb 10am-5pm PRICING Advance tickets from £8 (under 15's go Free)
Launched for the first time in 2012, the More about this event

London Super Comic Convention event Saturday 25th February until Sunday 26th February
TIMES Sat: 10am-6pm, Sun: 10am-5pm PRICING 1 day £15, 2 day £25. Under 11's go Free when accompanied by a paid attendee.
The London Super Comic Convention is aiming to bring the US comic convention to London; with a vast amount of... More about this event

The Baby Show event Friday 24th February until Sunday 26th February
TIMES 28th October, 29th October and 30th October 2011 PRICING Advance £12.50; £20 on the door
Taking place four times a year across four venues, The Baby Show offers the widest range of baby products on ... More about this event

All events at ExCel London Exhibition Centre

Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Centre

Greycoat Street, SW1P 2PE
This architecturally unique venue boasts two halls and a conference centre. Lindley Hall, overlooking leafy Vincent Square, is a popular venue for corporate events. Since it re-launched in 2001 it has been the location for Paul Smith's fashion shows and Decanter Wine Awards. Originally built in 1904, this classical Edwardian structure has state-of-the art contemporary facilities including fully integrated sound system. Next door, Lawrence Hall has gorgeous high vaulted ceilings. This Art Deco style multi-purpose hall has become well established for hosting niche market trade shows such as antiques shows, wine fairs and classic car auctions. When combined with the Conference Centre - which can house any number from two to 200 people - it has proved a successful choice for exhibition organisers looking for up to 1,800m² of stunning space.

More info: Royal Horticultural Halls and Conference Centre Map, Prices, Opening Times and Nearest Tube

Olympia

Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road, W148UX
The Olympia Exhibition Centre is the most popular in London for major public exhibitions. Located down the road from fashionable Kensington, this venue is as familiar to shoppers as it is to companies, and was selected as one of Britain's 'Superbrands', alongside Shell, Samsung, and Rolls Royce. The facilities here are first rate and the in-house technical and support staff are the most experienced in Britain. They can cope with just about any request.

Current events at Olympia

Who Do You Think You Are? Live event Friday 24th February until Sunday 26th February
TIMES Friday 10am - 6.30pm, Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm, Sunday 9.30 - 5pm PRICING £15-£30
Following the success of the television show, Who Do You Think You Are? Live will be enabling visitors to exp... More about this event

Move It event Friday 9th March until Sunday 11th March
TIMES Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-5pm PRICING Adults £13.50 (1 Day), £25 (2 Day), £34 (3 Day), Children £10.50 (1 Day), £18.50 (2 Day), £25 (3 Day)
Whether you want to be a ballerina or learn how to dance like a 'Strictly Come Dancing' star, Move It has a... More about this event

The Listed Property Show event Saturday 18th February until Sunday 19th February
TIMES Saturday 18th February 2012 at 10am-5pm & Sunday 19th February 2012 at 10am-4pm PRICING Free
The Listed Property Owners Club provide tips and advice from over 150 suppliers for running and maintaining listed properties.... More about this event

The Back Pain Show event Friday 24th February until Saturday 25th February
TIMES Friday 24th February and Saturday 25th February 2012 - 10am-5pm PRICING Free
Find out about ways of relieving the symptoms of pain with exhibitors and demonstrations of therapy including pilates, yoga, Alexander Technique, Indi... More about this event

Who Do You Think You Are: Live At Olympia event Friday 24th February until Sunday 26th February
TIMES 24th February 2012 at 10am-6.30pm, 25th February 2012 at 9.30am-5.30pm & 26th February 2012 at 9.30am-5pm PRICING phone for prices
Research the military history of your family and see if one of your ancestors was a member of the Royal Artillery.... More about this event

All events at Olympia