The Scottish Event Campus leads with the 3,000-seat SEC Armadillo and halls accommodating up to 12,000, while hotel options include DoubleTree's Grand Ballroom for 1,500 theatre and Radisson Blu's spaces for 800. The Technology & Innovation Centre delivers academic gravitas with its 450-seat auditorium, perfect for plenary sessions. For something different, Kelvingrove Art Gallery's Centre Hall hosts 550 theatre-style amid world-class exhibits. Stadium venues like Hampden Park offer suites for 500 with pitch views, whilst The Engine Works brings industrial character for conferences up to 414 theatre.
Day delegate rates across Glasgow range from £30 at venues like Village Hotel to £95 at premium spots like Kimpton Blythswood Square. The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall publishes transparent pricing with the Main Auditorium at £7,350+VAT per day and the Strathclyde Suite at £1,750+VAT. City Halls' Old Fruitmarket costs £3,200+VAT for private functions. Most business hotels cluster around £45-£70 DDR, with venues like thestudio offering packages from £40-£60. SEC campus pricing runs bespoke for major events, typically starting from £10,000 for auditorium hire.
voco Grand Central sits literally inside Glasgow Central Station with zero walking time, while thestudio faces the station entrance just 1-2 minutes away. The SEC campus connects via covered walkway to Exhibition Centre station in 5-7 minutes. City centre venues like Glasgow Royal Concert Hall reach Queen Street in 3-4 minutes and Buchanan Street Subway in 2-3 minutes. Technology & Innovation Centre offers dual access with High Street station 6-8 minutes away. For southside events, Hampden Park provides Mount Florida station just 5-6 minutes' walk.
Museums and galleries transform after hours, with Riverside Museum's Zaha Hadid design hosting 1,000 standing receptions and The Burrell Collection's parkland setting accommodating 300. Historic venues include Trades Hall's Robert Adam rooms from 1790 and Òran Mór's converted church with celestial ceiling murals for 360 theatre. Sports venues like Celtic Park's Kerrydale Suite handle 600 delegates with pitch views. Glasgow Science Centre combines 14 spaces with interactive exhibits, while The Engine Works' Victorian industrial architecture creates memorable backdrops for 500+ delegate conferences.
The SEC/Finnieston district dominates with the Scottish Event Campus, plus five major conference hotels including Crowne Plaza, Radisson RED, and Village Hotel all within 10 minutes' walk. The city centre triangle between Central Station, George Square and Blythswood clusters 15+ venues including Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, multiple Hilton properties, and thestudio. Merchant City offers heritage options like City Halls, Trades Hall and the Technology & Innovation Centre within a compact zone. The West End provides academic venues at University of Glasgow plus characterful spaces like Òran Mór along Byres Road.
thestudio specialises in training with 6 daylight-filled rooms from 24-260 capacity, all featuring built-in AV and hybrid capability opposite Central Station. The Mitchell Library offers 13 flexible rooms with the Blythswood space seating 80 theatre at rates from £404. Technology & Innovation Centre provides 10 conference rooms for 40-80 delegates each within its academic setting. Emirates Arena combines Function Rooms for 200 with smaller breakouts from £27.50+VAT per hour. AC Hotel's Collector's Hall handles 120 theatre near George Square, whilst 200 SVS provides 20+ rooms across its townhouse venue.
DoubleTree by Hilton leads with 1,500-theatre capacity in its Grand Ballroom plus guest rooms on-site. Radisson Blu offers 800-delegate conference space with refurbished accommodation above. The SEC-adjacent Crowne Plaza links to the campus via walkway whilst housing 15 meeting spaces and the Argyll Ballroom. Hilton Glasgow provides 17 meeting rooms with 1,000-capacity ballroom and business-friendly rooms. For boutique options, Kimpton Blythswood Square combines a 44-seat cinema and Monte Carlo Suite with luxury accommodation around its Georgian square.
Scottish Event Campus delivers 22,355 sqm across 5 exhibition halls alongside conference facilities, making it Scotland's premier venue for conference-exhibition hybrids. Glasgow Science Centre's Atrium handles 500 reception with interactive exhibits as natural networking backdrops. Technology & Innovation Centre's spacious foyers connect the 450-seat and 150-seat auditoria for delegate exhibitions. DoubleTree's Grand Ballroom subdivides for simultaneous conference and exhibition zones. The Engine Works offers flexible industrial volumes with the Engine Room accommodating 414 theatre plus showcase areas, whilst City Halls' Old Fruitmarket spans 1,300 standing for product displays.
Major conferences at the SEC or Technology & Innovation Centre typically book 12-18 months ahead, especially for autumn's peak conference season when international associations convene. Hotels like Radisson Blu and DoubleTree recommend 6-9 months for conferences over 300 delegates. Unique venues such as Kelvingrove Art Gallery or Glasgow Royal Concert Hall often have limited evening availability, requiring 9-12 months' notice. For smaller meetings under 100, venues like thestudio or The Mitchell Library usually have availability 2-3 months ahead. January and August offer best last-minute availability when corporate bookings traditionally dip.
Radisson RED's 9th-floor Sky Bar provides exclusive rooftop access for 220 with SEC views, perfect for conference networking. Glasgow Science Centre opens onto the riverside with outdoor event space, whilst Riverside Museum's Event Square accommodates up to 10,000 for large-scale activations. The Burrell Collection sits within Pollok Country Park offering parkland settings for breakout sessions. Several hotels feature terraces, including DoubleTree's riverside positioning and Crowne Plaza's quayside location. University of Glasgow's historic quad provides atmospheric outdoor reception space between Hunter Halls sessions.