Boston Convention and Exhibition Center – Overview

Built in 2004, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston, Massachusetts, is where cutting edge and convenience collide. The facility boasts a number of industry-leading innovations, including an 80-foot-tall outdoor marquee and a 2000-square-foot video wall, the most advanced network services of any convention center in the world, and an outdoor space with giant illuminated swings powered by the sun. It’s the convention center of tomorrow, here today.

In addition to unique features such as these, eventgoers will also enjoy aspects of the facility like the variety of available dining options and its close proximity to Logan International Airport and South Station, two of Boston’s busiest transportation hubs. With so much to offer, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center continues to set the standard for convention centers around the country.

Overview

2,100,000 square feet of total space: The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center encompasses over two million square feet of space in the city’s Seaport District. That’s as big as 16 football fields! It’s located near the South Boston waterfront, as well as Boston’s World Trade Center and Logan International Airport.
516,000 square feet of exhibit space: Of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center’s 2,100,000-square-foot span, 516,000 square feet is designated as contiguous, virtually column-free exhibit space. The exhibit space is comprised of three adjacent halls, which can be acoustically subdivided into 10 different configurations in order to best accommodate the event or events taking place. Abundant natural light and soaring ceiling heights reaching 40 feet provide the space with an open, airy feel not found in most other convention centers.
Three exhibit halls: The exhibit space at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is divided into three exhibit halls, all located next to one another. Exhibit Hall A offers 170,000 square feet of space, allowing it to accommodate over 15,400 attendees at any given time. It is located near multiple registration areas, as well as the facility’s ballroom and Boardroom Suite. At 184,000 square feet, Exhibit Hall B is the largest of the three exhibit halls. Centrally located and able to be divided into two separate 92,000-square-foot halls, it’s also one of the most flexible spaces in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Exhibit Hall C is the smallest of the three with 162,000 square feet of space. With a capacity of around 10,800, Exhibit Hall C is often used for banquets and other similar gatherings.
82 meeting rooms: There are a total of 82 meeting rooms at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Each one offers state-of-the-art features like free and fast wireless internet access and soundproof air walls. The rooms are also equipped with integrated audio and video services, which provide the ability to simultaneously broadcast to or from any other meeting room in the entire building.
40,020-square-foot ballroom: The ballroom at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is the most elegant and well-furnished space in the entire facility, as any good ballroom should be. It offers 40,020 square feet of column-free space paired with a 19,340-square-foot pre-function area boasting panoramic views of Boston Harbor and the city’s skyline. Like the rest of the convention center, the ballroom is exceptionally well-equipped, with top-of-the-line sound, lighting, and rigging capabilities.
Boardroom Suite: A truly first-class meeting space, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center’s Boardroom Suite boasts a number of impressive features ranging from an elegant reception anteroom to state of the art audiovisual, lighting, and network service solutions. Its central location allows for easy access to many other areas of the facility, including the exhibit halls, meeting rooms, and dining options.
Registration and function areas: Like something out of an event planner’s dream, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center offers over 300,000 square feet of registration and function areas. There are eight registration areas across two levels of the facility and multiple function areas throughout.

Tips

Download the myBCEC app prior to visiting the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Although it’s a tad antiquated, this Android app is great for helping visitors, especially first-timers, navigate the sprawling convention center. You can also use the myBCEC app to find your way around Boston and even access information like public transportation alerts and flight departure times. If you have an iOS device or just prefer getting around the old-fashioned way, physical maps of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center can also be found inside the facility.
Purchase tickets for events taking place at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in advance. Ticket lines have been known to get notoriously long whenever a big event comes to town. Like upwards of 45 minutes long. So, if you’d rather spend an hour or more of your time doing something other than waiting in line, it’s in your best interest to pre-purchase a ticket before you arrive.
Comfortable shoes are a must when attending an event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. At over two million square feet, expect to be doing plenty of walking during your time at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. You’ll probably be standing around a lot too, as many visitors have noted that the facility is somewhat lacking in the seating department. To keep your feet from aching by the day’s end, be sure to wear shoes that fit well and provide plenty of support. It goes without saying that a visit to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center definitely isn’t the time to break in that new pair of pumps.
Bring warm clothing too. As with most convention centers, the air conditioning at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center tends to do a bit too good of a job at keeping everyone cool. The temperature can fluctuate depending on how crowded the facility is however, so it’s best to wear something warm that can easily be taken off and put on as needed. You’ll be glad you brought something warm to wear if you plan to park your own car there too, since it’s a pretty lengthy walk between the on-site parking lot and the convention center.
Unless you’ve got a car handy, expect to use public transportation to get around Boston. The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center isn’t exactly what you would call “centrally located.” While it is near places like the Boston Harborwalk and the Institute of Contemporary Art, quickly getting to and from other popular tourist spots, including Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Fenway Park, will require you to take some sort of public transportation. Unless you don’t mind mile-long walks, that is.
If you drove yourself, opt for self-parking at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Visitors can self-park in the South Parking Lot at a rate of $18 a day. This will save you a considerable amount of money compared to valet parking, which costs $30. The only downside to parking your own car at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is walking there and back from the parking lot, which is not as close as the term “on-site” would lead you to believe. Again, don’t forget those comfortable shoes.
Additional parking is available at Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park or one of the many private lots nearby. Parking is limited at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and is only available on a first come, first served basis. So, if you happen to show up late, don’t be surprised if the parking lots at the convention center have already reached capacity. If that’s the case, try parking at one of the many other lots located within walking distance of the facility. A good place to start your search is the garage at Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park, formerly known as the Boston Marine Industrial Park, which is located half a mile from the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Get breakfast before entering the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. When it comes to getting breakfast at the convention center, your only option is Outtakes Quick Cuisine, a chain of grab-and-go markets located in the North Lobby and elsewhere throughout the building. Instead of limiting yourself to packaged sandwiches, pastries, assorted snacks, and the like, consider picking up breakfast somewhere else while on your way to the convention center. Some nearby breakfast spots include a Starbucks located inside the adjacent Westin Boston Waterfront hotel and Flour Bakery + Cafe, which is less than a 10-minute walk away.
Take advantage of the free Wi-Fi available throughout the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Unlike some other convention centers, visitors don’t have to pay to access the facility’s Wi-Fi. That way everyone can stay connected without having to worry about being nickel-and-dimed over their Wi-Fi usage. However, some visitors have noted that the Wi-Fi can get spotty at times. If that’s the case, head over to the Westin hotel next door. They also offer free Wi-Fi, which can be accessed from the lobby.
Left something behind? Check the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center’s online lost and found. Rest assured that forgetting something within the sprawling expanse of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority has set up an online lost and found where you can browse a list of belongings left behind at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, as well as the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center and The Lawn On D. There’s also a form you can fill out in case your lost possession doesn’t appear to be on the list.

Trivia

The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center has the shortest airport to convention center time in the U.S. The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is located so close to Logan International Airport you can practically see it from the terminal. On a good day, they’re only an eight-minute drive from each other, which has earned Boston Convention and Exhibition Center some serious bragging rights. Visitors can take the MBTA’s Silver Line to get from Logan Airport to the World Trade Center station across the street from the convention center for free. A ride back to Logan Airport on the Silver Line costs just $2.75, making it the preferred mode of transportation for thrifty travelers visiting the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
In 1997, the parcel of land where the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center would eventually be built was almost turned into a new stadium for the New England Patriots. Before there was the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, there was almost the Boston Sports Megaplex. The Megaplex was a proposed stadium and convention center complex that would’ve replaced Fenway Park and Foxboro Stadium, the now-defunct former home of the New England Patriots. Proponents of the complex included Patriots owner Robert Kraft and the Massachusetts Port Authority. Despite their backing, plans for the Megaplex were scrapped, due in part to the local community’s concerns about traffic.
In May 2016, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center was certified as LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council. Energy, water, and waste conservation have become the focus of the convention center’s operating strategy as of late. For example, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center sent 526,000 of food waste to local farms for composting in 2015 and along with the Hynes Convention Center, recycles over 1,000 tons of material each year. Efforts like these paid off in 2016 when the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center became certified LEED Silver. LEED, which stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” is a certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council that evaluates a building’s environmental footprint in terms of resource consumption, waste management practices, and overall operational efficiency.
The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center’s Lawn On D was named the “Insanely Innovative Meeting Space” of PCMA Convene’s Best in Show 2018. The Lawn On D is a two and a half-acre outdoor event space that occupies what was once an undeveloped lot adjacent to the convention center. Designed with innovation in mind, The Lawn On D caught the attention and admiration of the Professional Convention Management Association, which led them to feature the space in their magazine’s Best in Show list for 2018. So, what makes The Lawn On D worthy of being called an “Insanely Innovative Meeting Space?” According to prominent event planner Selvis Morales “It helps organizers use a standard convention center in an unconventional way by offering outdoor breaks with neon swings, tents, and turf to give attendees a good mental break from back-to-back indoor sessions.”