Live Music & String Quartets at the National Building Museum, Washington, DC
United Strings provides string quartets, pop ensembles, DJ services, and full audiovisual production for events at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. As the official entertainment for the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Dinner, held in the museum's landmark Great Hall, our ensembles perform for corporate galas, receptions, fundraisers, conferences, and private celebrations beneath the building's eight 75-foot Corinthian columns. Whether you are planning an intimate seated dinner or a reception for two thousand guests, we tailor the music and production to the room and the occasion.
A Proven Stage for Washington's Most Prestigious Events
On January 19, 2025, United Strings performed at the Presidential Inauguration Dinner in the National Building Museum's Great Hall — two full string quartets supported by complete AV production, for a black-tie audience of the nation's leading business, technology, and cultural figures. The evening was captured on Forbes' Breaking News channel and reached more than 1.6 million viewers, scored live by the United Strings Quartet performing Mozart's String Quartet in D minor, K. 173. It is the kind of high-profile engagement that defines what our team delivers at Washington's most demanding venues.
String Quartets, Pop Ensembles, DJ & AV Production for National Building Museum Events
Our National Building Museum entertainment services span classical and contemporary string quartets — from Mozart, Haydn, and Vivaldi to instrumental pop and Bridgerton-era arrangements — as well as amplified pop ensembles, live-cello DJ hybrid sets, and end-to-end audiovisual production. Because we provide the music and the sound, staging, and lighting as a single package, corporate planners work with one point of contact rather than coordinating multiple vendors. From cocktail hour through the after-party, United Strings keeps the energy of the evening unbroken.
These images capture United Strings performing in the National Building Museum's Great Hall, including the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Dinner. The soaring colonnade, the 28-foot central fountain, and the candlelit gala setting show why the museum has been the stage for Washington's most elegant events since 1885. Our string quartets and pop ensembles are built to match the grandeur of a room on this scale.
Booking live music at The Capitol View at 400
Photos from United Strings Events at the National Building Museum
The National Building Museum occupies the historic Pension Building at 401 F Street NW, a National Historic Landmark completed in 1887 and designed by Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs. Its Great Hall measures 316 by 116 feet and rises 159 feet to a coffered ceiling, framed by eight colossal Corinthian columns — among the tallest interior columns in the world. The space seats roughly 1,600 for dinner and accommodates receptions of up to 2,000 guests, and it has hosted nineteen presidential inaugural balls since 1885. Located in Judiciary Square, four blocks from the National Mall and served by the Judiciary Square Metro station, it remains one of Washington, DC's premier venues for galas, weddings, and corporate events.
About the Great Hall at the National Building Museum
Watch United Strings perform live in the Great Hall, from the full quartet and its aerial view to live instrumental arrangements such as Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean," alongside behind-the-scenes footage and the AV production that supported the evening. These clips show the range our ensembles bring to corporate receptions and galas at the National Building Museum — classical repertoire, contemporary pop, and a full stage-and-sound setup delivered by one team.
United Strings Performance Highlights at the National Building Museum
United Strings is available to perform at corporate galas, receptions, fundraisers, conferences, weddings, and private celebrations at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The museum permits outside entertainment, so you can book us directly and we coordinate with its Special Events Department on your run of show. Contact United Strings to check availability and request a tailored proposal for string quartet, pop ensemble, DJ, and AV services at the National Building Museum.
Book United Strings for Your National Building Museum Event
Booking Entertainment at The National Building Museum
Can we book United Strings if we've already
reserved the National Building Museum?
How far in advance should we book entertainment
for a National Building Museum event?
Does a string quartet need amplification in the Great Hall?
Yes. The museum permits outside entertainment, so you can book us directly no matter who is catering or coordinating your event. We build off your run of show with the museum's Special Events Department and load in on their schedule.
As early as you can. Prime DC event dates in spring and fall book months ahead, and the Great Hall is a sought-after room — securing your date first and confirming entertainment soon after is ideal. We can sometimes accommodate shorter timelines, so reach out and we'll tell you honestly what's open.
For a large gala in a 159-foot-tall hall, yes — we bring a right-sized sound system so every table hears cleanly. For smaller, more intimate seating a quartet can play acoustically. We assess your guest count and layout and recommend the right setup.
You performed at the 2025 Presidential Inauguration Dinner
here — what did that involve?
Can you provide the AV and production, not just the music?
Two full string quartets with complete AV support, for a black-tie audience of the nation's leading business, technology, and cultural figures. The program wove the classical canon — Mozart, Haydn — together with instrumental pop and Bridgerton-era arrangements.
Yes. We deliver sound, staging, and lighting as one package — the same end-to-end production we ran at the inauguration dinner — so you have a single point of contact rather than stitching vendors together.
Can you cover the full event, from reception to after-party?
Yes. A common shape is a string quartet for the reception and dinner, then Cyrus Reel and DJ Bazza for the dance floor — electric cello played live over a DJ set. One contract, one load-in, one point of contact for the venue.
Do you perform for weddings and private events
at the museum, or only corporate galas?
What kind of music do you play?
Both. Many of our National Building Museum engagements are corporate galas and receptions, but we also perform for weddings, fundraisers, and private celebrations — scaling the ensemble and production to the occasion.
Whatever the room calls for — Mozart, Haydn, and the classical canon; instrumental pop and Top 40; Bridgerton-era arrangements; and DJ and electronic sets. We tailor the program to your brand and your guests.
What does booking cost, and what about renting the museum itself?
Our music and production are quoted per event based on ensemble size, hours, and AV needs — request a proposal and we'll send tailored pricing. The museum's own rental fees are separate and quoted through its Special Events Department; confirm current rates at nbm.org/host-an-event.