Ceremonial halls seating
The University of Southampton is very lucky to be able to use two venues for graduation which are both situated on its main Highfield campus. These are the Turner Sims Concert Hall and the Nuffield Theatre. NB Only the Turner Sims Concert Hall is used as a ceremony venue for the winter ceremonies as the Nuffield is in use for the pantomime season.
Both venues hold 135 graduands with 2 guests each, and a platform party of 11 Senior Officers and 24 Academics giving a maximum capacity of 450 persons for health & safety (although the Nuffield can hold a further 10 people standing on either side of the balcony).
In the early days of graduation this University used the Southampton Guildhall. As numbers of graduands wishing to attend grew, it was no longer feasible to use this location. The cost of hiring this venue began to escalate and parking in a city centre was a logistical nightmare. Guests and graduands really appreciate the small, more intimate venues, which also means that they do not have to sit through hours of ceremonies (as they do in the Albert Hall, for instance) just for a brief glimpse of their relative or friend receiving their Award.
Each venue has its own character and the Guest to Graduand seating layout is different in both. Please click on the link below to see the Graduation Venue layouts:
Turner Sims Concert Hall
For video footage of a Graduation Ceremony in the Turner Sims Concert Hall please click here and follow the link to the Graduand and Guest Website.
Nuffield Theatre
For video footage of a Graduation Ceremony in the Nuffield Theatre please click here and follow the link to the Graduand and Guest Website.
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