Grk1011 [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Hynes Convention Center – Overview

Hynes Convention Center may be the smaller of the two convention centers in Boston, but it still has an immensity to offer its guests. Events of all kinds are held at the facility. The variety of event spaces can accommodate occasions as large as major conferences to small 10 person meetings. Because the massive amount of space offered at Hynes Convention Center, it’s not uncommon for there to be multiple events happening simultaneously. The first time you walk into the building, you might be a little overwhelmed. But with this overview of the complex, you’ll feel prepared for whatever the convention center throws at you.

Overview

176,480 sq. ft. exhibit hall – Most large-scale events are held in the exhibit hall. This area offers the most room in the entire convention center with an impressive 176,480 square feet of usable space. The hall can be divided into as many as four lesser exhibit spaces and span two of the three floors of the building. This contributes to the flexibility of the Hynes Convention Center and makes it possible for smaller events to rent out space in an otherwise to large of a room. Throughout the entirety of the exhibit halls, free Wi-Fi is offered.
24,544 sq. ft. grand ballroom – If you’re coming for a party, it’s probably happening at the grand ballroom. Sporting high vaulted ceiling and designed to bring in plenty of natural light, the ballroom is the classiest of the rooms at Hynes Convention Center. Similarly to the exhibit hall, the grand ballroom can be chunked up into separate, smaller sections – up to three. When the ballroom is at its largest, it encompasses 24,544 square feet and is capable of fitting as many as 3,190 guests. At times when the room is separated into three, the range of people it can hold varies from 906 to 1,408. Both wired and wireless internet is available, along with A/V equipment.
38 meeting rooms – Meeting rooms can be found on all three levels of the Hynes Convention Center. The 38 flexible meeting rooms comprise 91,000 square feet of space. Every room is outfitted with wired and wireless internet capabilities, as well as high quality A/V technology. The facility proudly offers free W-Fi in every meeting room. Events of all sizes can rent rooms. The flexibility of the meeting spaces allows them to be arranged in multiple dimensions and ceiling heights. Rooms can also be adjoined for even more space.
25,760 sq. auditorium – Large presentations are easily doable at this venue. The Hynes Veterans Memorial Auditorium houses 4,000 seats. The built-in balcony provides 1,200 seats that are there for every event. If needed, the auditorium can be expanded up to over 6,000 seats when combined with Exhibit Hall C. Whenever the convention center hosts a banquet, concert, sporting event, or a similar occasion, the auditorium is the ideal area to have it.
160,000 sq. of pre-function space – Pre-function space is a valuable feature that a lot of conventions centers neglect to include. All four exhibit halls, the auditorium, and ballroom boast pre-function space that allow for overflow or simply just a respite from the event itself. Some of these areas overlook the scenic Boston Bay. Wired and wireless internet access is provided throughout the pre-function spaces. Video monitors and signage are displayed in many of these areas to help attendees get to exactly where they need to go.
Executive boardroom – When a meeting room won’t cut it, the executive boardroom is the perfect place to hold your meeting. The 1,449 square foot space is the only executive boardroom in the entire building. It features state-of-the-art A/V technology, lighting, and other service solutions. For comfort, visitors can enjoy the working fireplace, reception area, and attached kitchen. If you look out the window, you can appreciate a spectacular view of the Boston Bay.
On-site IT department – While ideally, you won’t have to enlist the services of the IT department, it’s nice to know that you can. Hynes Convention Center employs its own IT staff which is available for attendees. You can reach a knowledgeable staff member 24/7; they’re just a call away.
3 minutes from everything – One of the biggest things Hynes Convention Center advertises is that no matter where you are in the building, you’re only about a three minute walk from any other part of the convention center. The complex has more than enough space to host several events simultaneously, but its intimate size means you can get where you need to go with ease.
Abundance of signage – Many convention centers fall short when providing their guests with adequate signage and directions. Not at Hynes Convention Center. It’s hard to get lost at this venue. Signage is displayed at every crucial high traffic area. Employees are also happy to answer any questions you might have.
Attached to The Prudential Center & Copley Place Shopping Galleries – The majority of convention centers are close to some pretty awesome attractions and restaurants. But not many are directly attached to them. Hynes Convention Center is just one of the many buildings that make up the Hynes Complex. The Prudential Center and Copley Place Shopping Galleries are two of the larger shopping centers in Boston. Between the two, you have hundreds of stores and restaurants to explore.

Tips

Shop around for the best hotel rate – Don’t be quick to book your room at Sheraton Boston Hotel. Sure, it’s attached to the convention center, but within a three to four block radius there are so many other hotels: Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Boston Marriott Copley Place, Back Bay Hilton Hotel, The Colonnade Hotel, Copley Square Hotel, Marriott Courtyard, Lenox Hotel, and Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. All of these hotels boast extremely close locations to Hynes Convention Center. Finding the hotel that fits your preferences the best and/or has the cheapest rates should be higher priorities than the minor convenience Sheraton Boston Hotel’s location offers.
Don’t bank on the food options at Hynes Convention Center – The convention center itself doesn’t have many permanent concession areas. When the facility is hosting a lot of people, more food sections are set up, but because of the crowds, getting food isn’t always so simple. A common complaint of attendees was that they felt the food situation was not equipped to handle the large number of people. While this seems like a big problem, it’s easily resolved. Visitors can head over to either The Prudential Center or Copley Place Shopping Galleries and grab something to eat. There are also plenty of other restaurants within walking distance.
Over 4,400 parking spots nearby – Within about three blocks from the Hynes Complex there are over 4,400 parking spots. Here are the closest parking garages to Hynes Convention Center: Back Bay Hilton Parking Garage, Boston Common Garage, Boston Marriott Hotel Copley Place, Colonnade Hotel Parking Garage, Copley Place Mall Parking Garage, Hynes Auditorium Parking Garage, Prudential Center Parking Garage, Sheraton Boston Hotel Parking Garage, and Westin Copley Place Parking Garage.
Download a parking app to make finding parking easier – The plethora of parking garages near the convention center is really helpful. To enhance this convenience even more, try downloading one of these parking apps: ParkBoston, ParkWise, SPOT Parking, Veer, and SpotHero. Amongst these apps, you can pay for parking straight from your phone, find open spaces in nearby parking garages, research the price of what parking garages will be when you’re there, and reserve a spot (if the parking garage participates in SpotHero’s program).
Use public transportation as much as you can – Between the bus and T-Line light rail, there are four stops around the Hynes Complex. Three bus stops – Hynes Convention Center Station, Prudential Station, and Copley Station; and the T-Line – Back Bay Station. These four stations drop you off somewhere on the Hynes Complex grounds. Eight taxi stands can also be found in the nearby area.