Central Reservations

Wisconsin Union Facilities

The Wisconsin Union offers a wide variety of convenient, comfortable and functional meeting rooms for the university community and Union members. From cozy fireside charm to conference seating for 1300, the Union has a space for every occasion. The following page provides a closer look at our event facilities, including space assignment policies, common set up and seating options, room capacities and fee information.

In this section: Wisconsin Union Spaces

Memorial Union: The Heart of Campus
Union South: A Different Angle
Space Assignment
Set Up Options
Room Capacities
Room Rental Fee Schedule
Directions, Maps, and Union Parking

UW-Madison Spaces

Campus classrooms and special spaces
Outdoor Spaces

Memorial Union: The Heart of Campus
Since opening its doors in 1928, the Memorial Union has become one of the most popular and well-recognized spots in Madison. The classic Italian-Renaissance style building sits on the banks of Lake Mendota and boasts a picturesque lakeside terrace with 600 colorful sunburst chairs – now a university icon. Among its many treasures, the building houses a 1300 seat theater, restaurants and delis, a games room, a craft shop, a travel center, and a German-style tavern. In addition, Memorial Union offers over 20 dedicated meeting rooms and event spaces, including elegant reception and banquet areas in Great Hall and Tripp Commons. Memorial Union Map

Union South: A Different Angle
Union South opened in the 1970's to meet the demands of a growing campus. Its sharp angles and soaring atrium give the space a modern flavor which is complemented by a variety of specialized resources including guest rooms, a bowling alley, Club 770 student night club and a food court. Union South is conveniently located near Camp Randall stadium and serves as the home for the traditional football Saturday Badger Bash tailgates. The building houses more than a dozen meeting rooms of all sizes for your event needs, including the larger Varsity Room, Dag Hammarskjold Hall, and Einstein's Food Court.
Union South Map

Space Assignment
Wisconsin Union meeting and event facilities are considered to be general assignment space. Therefore, Central Reservations does not confirm specific room names in Wisconsin Union facilities at the time an event reservation is made. Event organizers and participants should check specific room locations the day of the event on "Today In The Union" signs. Exceptions apply to large functions such as wedding receptions and banquets, which are usually scheduled with designated room locations.

"Today In The Union" (TITU) is the daily listing of assigned room locations for events in the Union and classroom facilities. TITUs are posted at each Union entrance, near the main floor information desks and on the Web at www.union.wisc.edu/TITU. Online TITUs are posted by 5 pm the day before the event. Use of Wisconsin Union facilities and other university space is primarily restricted to activities that fulfill the University's mission of teaching, research, and public service. Central Reservations is responsible for assigning space for non-instructional use only. Non-instructional use refers to any activities that do not offer college credit for attending.

Event Set Up Options
In most Wisconsin Union meeting rooms, tables and chairs can be arranged in a variety of different formats to complement the size of your event and the activities scheduled. Diagrams for the most typical set up arrangements are available below. In addition to these standard formats, our staff is happy to accommodate alternative set up requests when possible.

Room Capacities
The links below contain room capacity information for Memorial Union and Union South. Capacities for each room vary widely depending on the set up selected. In some rooms, certain set ups are physically impossible due to the shape of the room. These cases are represented by blank boxes in the charts provided. Please note that a few rooms, such as the Union Theatre, are restricted to a single set up option.

Room Rental and Fee Schedule
In most cases, for eligible users, there are no room rental fees for events held in Union buildings for eligible users when the event is free and open to the University Community. A small room rental fee will be charged for events such as fundraisers, events that charge admission, and under other special circumstances. In these instances, the following fee schedules will apply.

As a benefit of membership, Union members are additionally eligible to host occasional personal social events without a room rental charge.

A special daily use fee will be assessed to all conference use of Great Hall, Tripp Commons, Main Lounge (MU or US), Dag Hammerskjold (Room 109), Einsteins or Varsity Room (Room 240).

The user fee is $2.50 per day per registered conference participant. The fee is waived for Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) events and large Registered Student Organization sponsored conferences that are only open to the UW-Madison Campus community.
The daily use fee will be waived for each day a catered meal is scheduled in the Wisconsin Union or arrangements made to provide meal service to all conference participants in Union food units.
The daily use fee is valid for conferences reserved eighteen months in advance or less. Conferences reserved eighteen months or more in advance and large multi-day summer conferences are required to follow the large conference guidelines and contract.
A conference is generally defined as an event of 50 or more people meeting at the Wisconsin Union for a minimum of five hours. The program generally has a formal agenda or registration, and will include either a plenary or breakout sessions during a single day, or use a single room over a series of days, generally consecutive. The same criteria apply to groups having plenary meetings in Wisconsin Union facilities as part of conferences that take place in other non-Union facilities in the area.

Directions, Maps, and Union Parking
Directions to Campus - http://www.visit.wisc.edu/index.html?get=directions
Memorial Union/Union South parking - http://www.vip.wisc.edu/gettingAround.php

UW-Madison Campus Classrooms
In addition to general assignment space available in Wisconsin Union buildings, campus classroom and special spaces are also available in designated campus facilities for groups with a university affiliation. Classrooms, including both smaller rooms and larger lecture halls, can be scheduled through Central Reservations. Other spaces, including entertainment venues, athletic facilities and technical facilities, need to be scheduled through the specific school, college or department that administers the space. Central Reservations is happy to provide contact information and guidance for customers who wish to reserve special space.

Views of select campus facilities are available on the following sites:

Classrooms - http://www2.fpm.wisc.edu/smo/classroom.htm
Classrooms - http://www.engr.wisc.edu/services/ems/classrooms/Classrooms.html
Stock Pavilion - http://www.ansci.wisc.edu/Facilities/stockp.htm
Grainger Hall - http://www.wisc.edu/graingerconf/conf/general.html

Please contact Central Reservations at (608) 262-2511 for additional information on reserving special assignment space on campus

Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor space is available for events for Registered Student Organizations. The following outdoor spaces are available:

UW Library Mall
Outdoor spaces between Wisconsin Union facilities and public sidewalks
Lower third of Bascom Hill

Photos by Jeff Miller/UW Madison University Communications

Wisconsin Union Central Reservations
2nd Floor, Memorial Union | (608) 262-2511 | centralreso@union.wisc.edu

Wisconsin Union - Experiences for a Lifetime

Meetings and Conference Services

Wisconsin Union Facilities