Booking and attending our events

Tickets

Although most of our events are free, many require a ticket to attend. This is so that we can manage numbers to ensure everyone has the best possible experience at our events.

If an event is ticketed, you will need to book a ticket via the event’s page on our website. It will take you to the Eventbrite page to complete your booking.

If you have previously registered to order event tickets, you can log in to your account on the Eventbrite website.

In-person events

Booking a ticket for a free event does not guarantee you a place. You should aim to arrive 15 minutes before the event is scheduled to start to claim your place.

As we offer a free and popular public programme, we have to significantly overbook to allow for no-shows and to avoid having any empty seats, which could otherwise be enjoyed by those who would like to attend.

Online events 

The platform(s) you can join an event on will be clearly marked on each specific event page. We will provide all the information you need before the event.

All event times are GMT/BST.  

Our online events should only be booked by visitors over the age of 14. If you are aged between 14 and 16, please make your parents or carers aware of your booking and the safeguarding advice.

Event information will state whether your camera or microphone will be needed as part of the event.

Waiting lists

We run a waiting list for most free, ticketed events.

For in-person events:

• The waiting list opens 30 minutes before the event starts.
• You’ll be given a numbered ticket to take away, so you can choose to go to the café and galleries if they are open before the event.
• Around ten minutes before the event starts, any booked spaces that have not been claimed are allocated to waiting-list ticket holders according to the numbers on their tickets.

For online events:

• Waiting-list tickets will be made available on the same Eventbrite page as the regular tickets.  
• If you book a waiting-list ticket you may be contacted by email if a space has become available for you for the online event. You will have a fixed amount of time to accept this ticket, otherwise it will be withdrawn and offered to another waiting-list ticket holder. 

During online events

Any Wellcome Collection event may be recorded (including livestreaming to any of our own platforms or to the event partner’s website) and shared publicly for the purpose of widening access to our content.  

We will clearly state if an event is going to be recorded, and if you have any questions about the recording please contact a member of staff or moderator prior to the event or via the event chat.

We always try to clearly describe the content and tone of an event in advance and will mention anything that could be upsetting for some people. We will also remind the audience of this at the beginning of an event.   

You are free to participate, observe, leave or rejoin an event at any point and whenever you feel comfortable.   

You are welcome to participate in Wellcome Collection’s events but are requested to be respectful to other participants and speakers/performers, and not to use inappropriate, defamatory, abusive, obscene, racist, discriminatory, or otherwise inflammatory remarks. We will monitor the event chat and we reserve the right to refuse entry or to eject participants.  

Please see our safeguarding policy for further information about our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Unticketed events

Many of our events are unticketed.

Some of these require you to arrive at the beginning of the event to participate.

For other events, such as our late-night events, where activities happen all over the building, or our guided tours, you can just turn up, and there is usually room for everyone.

The format will be clearly marked on each specific event or tour page.

Paid events

We charge for participation in some of our events and these open for booking as soon as we publicise them. This is usually when our What’s On guide comes out.

Where we offer concessionary rates, these apply for people over 60, students, people on Jobseeker’s Allowance and disabled people. A disabled person’s companion is entitled to a free ticket.

Tickets cannot be refunded unless the event is cancelled. Please check your tickets. Mistakes cannot always be rectified.

Accessibility

Wellcome Collection’s ongoing commitment is to make our events as accessible and inclusive as possible, removing and reducing barriers to our programme. 

An event’s access provisions will be clearly marked on each specific event page. Our staff are aware of the diversity of visitors’ access requirements and are here to support you. Get in touch if you have any specific queries about accessibility.

For further information, please see our accessibility page.

Your personal information

Any personal information that you provide to Wellcome Collection in the course of any transaction with us (except credit card details, which shall be kept confidential) will be processed in accordance with Wellcome’s privacy statement.

Wellcome Collection uses Eventbrite to process tickets. During the booking process, you must accept the Eventbrite terms of service and have read their privacy policy. In doing so, you agree that Eventbrite will share your information with Wellcome Collection (the event organiser).

Wellcome Collection will protect your information in accordance with data-protection law and will only contact you in relation to the event you have booked (such as reminder emails and a feedback survey). If you opted into receiving our What’s On email, we will also contact you with information about Wellcome Collection and forthcoming events.

After the event, you may be contacted and invited to take part in a survey to find out what you thought about it. Your details will not be passed on to any third parties and will only be used for the purposes of this survey.

For further information about how we handle personal data, please see Wellcome's privacy statement.