Scouts
Parking
Parking for Summer Scouts
Summer is always a busy time at the Houston Museum of Natural Science! Please allow yourself some extra time when bringing your child to, and collecting your child from, our Summer Scouts Classes. As always, Summer Scouts patrons are able to park in any spot in the museum garage. You may exit the HMNS garage with a Summer Scouts parking coupon which needs to be presented to the attendant upon exiting the garage. These coupons are available for pick up in your child’s classroom. Scout drop-off begins at 9:50 AM, and Summer Scouts classes begin at 10:00 AM. Scout pick-up begins at 3:00 PM with a 25- minute grace period to address parking. Any scout not picked up by 3:30 PM will be escorted to After Class on the Lower Level of the museum. Rest assured, we will keep your scout safe until you arrive!
Self-Release for Scouts
Self-Release is only available to Scouts BSA and Cadettes and Senior Girl Scouts. It is not an option for our younger Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Webelos.
For Self-Release on the first day of the camp week, parents MUST walk their scout to class and fill in self-release information for that week. Parents can choose options that work for them:
Sign-In
- To Before Class* between 8:00 and 9:15 a.m. *Before Class is a PAID SERVICE.
- Sign into Class beginning at 9:45 a.m.
Sign-Out
- Sign out from class. Scouts will be escorted to the Scouts pick-up location on Hermann Park Drive. They must be picked up at this location. This option is available between 3-3:45 p.m.
- Sign out of After Class* at ______ (Time). Release will be 5 minutes prior to the designated pick-up time. I will pick-up my child at ______ location. *After Class is a PAID SERVICE
Please note that for signing your scout directly out of class, they will be escorted to a designated pick up location on Hermann Park Drive, and that is where you will be able to pick them up. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate alternative pick up locations during that window. Any campers not picked up at 3:45 p.m. will be escorted to After Class and must be picked up from the classroom inside.
After Class Self-Release
Extended Day self-checkout for SCOUTS BSA or CADETTE GIRL SCOUTS: due to poor phone reception on the lower level of the museum, parents please let your scout know when you arrive at the museum and your scout can be released. Please have a designated location for picking up your scout that you have discussed with them beforehand.
Alternate Parking
- Additional Free parking options include:
- Free 3-hour parking lot directly off the Circle, by the statue of Sam Houston (Lot B)
- Free 3-hour parking lot in the McGovern Centennial Gardens (Lot C)
- Free 3-hour parking lot near Miller Outdoor Theatre (Lot D)
- Free-daily parking near the Zoo (Lots E, F, G, and H)
- Additional Paid Parking Options (At your own cost):
- Metered parking on the streets around the Museum District.
- Museum Medical Tower
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Children’s Museum Houston
- Holocaust Museum Houston
Area Parking Map
[Please see pages 42-43 of the 2023 Summer Programming Catalog PDF for map]
- A – HMNS Garage
- Free parking with provided hangtag
- B – Sam Houston Statue Circle Parking Lot
- Free 3-hour parking available
- C – McGovern Centennial Gardens Parking Lot
- Free 3-hour parking available
- D – Mille Outdoor Theatre-Concert Drive
- Free 3-hour parking available
- E, F, G, H – Houston Zoo Parking Lots
- Free 3-hour parking available
