Rooms

Ten Unique Spaces Available to Rent

The McNamara Alumni Center offers 35,000 sq. feet of meeting space, made up of 10 small and large rooms, all on the first floor. Our venue’s convenient floorplan combined with award-winning catering, adjacent parking and hotel make us a popular Minneapolis venue for planners of conferences, meetings, galas, dinners and weddings.

Large Rooms

Our three largest rooms are very distinct from one another. Memorial Hall has 90’ ceilings, is lined with 7 miles of hemlock wood and lets in lots of natural light. The Johnson Great Room is lined in copper with an acoustical wood ceiling. A corner fireplace makes it cozy in the winter. University Hall has black terrazzo floor and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a landscaped patio. All of these rooms are very versatile—all are lovely settings for a large celebration or reception, as well as can accommodate meetings and lectures.

Memorial Hall

12,000 square feet
Reception: 800
Theater: 500
Plated Dining: 500
Buffet Dining: 350
Classroom: 215

Johnson Great Room

2,000 square feet
Reception: 180
Theater: 176
Plated Dining: 160
Buffet Dining: 120
Classroom: 96
Conference: 40
Conference U: 30

University Hall

2,060 square feet
Reception: 180
Theater: 150
Plated Dining: 150
Buffet Dining: 120
Classroom: 96
Conference: 36
Conference U: 30

Mid-Size Rooms

We have several mid-size rooms to rent for meetings, conference breakouts, mid-size dinners etc. Heritage Gallery is a museum that honors the accomplishments of University of Minnesota faculty, alumni and students through interactive kiosks and displays. The Thomas Swain Room is similar in ambiance and size to the Johnson Great Room with copper and wood interiors. Ski-U-Mah is a more standard meeting room with bright lighting, white walls with one copper accent wall. The Commons is not a private room, but open space adjacent to Swain. It is often rented for registration for large conferences and galas.

Thomas Swain Room

1,460 square feet
Reception: 110
Theater: 108
Plated Dining: 90
Buffet Dining: 60
Classroom: 56
Conference: 32
Conference U: 26

Ski-U-Mah Room

1,130 square feet
Reception: 100
Theater: 90
Plated Dining: 90
Buffet Dining: 60
Classroom: 56
Conference: 32
Conference U: 26

Heritage Gallery

2,600 square feet
Reception: 100
Theater: 90
Plated Dining: 80
Buffet Dining: 80
Classroom: 56
Conference: 32
Conference U: 26

The Commons

1460 square feet
Reception: 150

Small Rooms

Three small rooms round out McNamara’s meeting offerings. Minnesota is located just off the elevators and often serves as a coat room for Memorial Hall events. Gateway is perfect for intimate meetings. Big Ten has a built-in buffet and table with high back chairs set for 10 people.