For Hilti’s 2026 Kickoff Meeting at the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore Sound Entertainment provided the DJ, a photo booth, battery-powered uplighting and the crew to install it all. About 700 guests filled a working science museum on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for a four-hour evening. Here is how we put it together.
At a glance
- Client: Hilti
- Event: 2026 Kickoff Meeting
- Venue: Maryland Science Center, 601 Light Street, Baltimore, MD
- Date: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 6:30 to 10:30 PM
- Guests: About 700
- What BSE provided: DJ Jeff Lang, a staffed photo booth, battery-powered uplighting and install labor
In this post
The brief
Hilti makes tools and systems for the construction industry. A kickoff meeting sets the tone for the year, so the evening had to feel like a reward for the team, not another session on the agenda.
The venue made that easier and harder at the same time. The Maryland Science Center sits on the Inner Harbor and rents everything from single spaces to the full building, with three levels of exhibits. Its signature event room, the Harbor Lobby, is a three-story atrium that looks out over the water. That is a great backdrop. It is also a museum full of exhibits, glass and open floor, which shapes where gear can go and how much cable you want on the ground.
What we built
We kept the package tight: music, a photo booth, light and the people to set it up.
DJ. BSE co-owner Jeff Lang ran the music for the night. A corporate crowd of 700 is not a wedding crowd. People arrive in waves, catch up with coworkers they have not seen since last year, and only some of them want to dance. The music had to work as background for conversation early and build from there.
Photo booth. Our attendant Nick Lindenstruth ran the booth all night. At a company event, the booth does real work: it pulls teams together for group shots and gives people a reason to cross the room. Booth format and print design: a photo booth printing Hilti-branded red strips (“2026 MO East Kickoff Meeting”) against a silver backdrop, with props
Battery-powered uplighting. This was the piece that suited the building best. Wireless uplights need no power run to each fixture, so there are no cords across the floor and no hunting for outlets around exhibits. We could place light where the room needed it and change color without rewiring anything.
Install labor. Our crew handled load-in, placement and strike, so the client’s team did not have to think about any of it.
The moment that landed
Kickoff meetings are business first, so the party has to earn its floor. By the last hour, it had: the atrium was packed, the phones were out and the hands were up, a few steps from the dinosaurs.
Why it worked
The takeaway for planners: in a museum, go wireless on lighting and spend the savings on time, not gear.
Venues like the Science Center are built for exhibits first and parties second. Every cable you run is something to tape down, route around a display and pull up at the end of the night. Battery uplights remove most of that. Install is faster, the room looks finished sooner, and strike is quicker when the venue needs the floor back.
The second lesson is about restraint. A building with dinosaurs, a planetarium and a harbor view already gives guests plenty to look at. You do not need to fill it with production. Good music, a booth that gets people together, and light that makes the architecture glow will carry 700 people through a four-hour night.
FAQ
Can you host a corporate event at the Maryland Science Center?
Yes. The Science Center rents individual spaces, including the Harbor Lobby, the Planetarium, the IMAX theater, the Harbor Terrace and exhibit spaces like Dinosaur Mysteries, as well as the full building. Booking goes through the venue’s events team.
How many guests does the Maryland Science Center hold?
It depends on the space. The venue’s rental guide lists the Harbor Lobby at 180 seated or 400 standing, and a full-building buyout at up to 1,500 guests. Confirm current numbers with the venue for your layout.
Why use battery-powered uplighting at a museum venue?
Wireless uplights skip the power runs to every fixture. That means fewer cables near exhibits, more freedom on placement, and faster setup and strike. They also let you change colors across the night without touching the rig.
Do I have to use the Science Center’s caterers?
The venue requires a caterer from its preferred list, but you choose which one. Entertainment, lighting and photo booths are booked separately, so bring your production partner in early to plan load-in with the venue.
Planning a company kickoff, holiday party or awards night in Baltimore, DC or Virginia? BSE brings the DJ, photo booth, lighting and crew under one roof, backed by more than 200 five-star Google reviews. Call 443-405-2378 or reach out below.
