FAQ

Groups of fewer than 10 students may still book a field trip; however, they will be charged for 10 students plus any chaperones if they wish to receive the field trip rate. Our representatives are available to help determine the most cost-efficient method for your group to visit the Museum.For an established field trip, the person who booked the trip should call (713) 639-4659 at any time prior to the day of arrival to add or subtract people from the reservation. Groups that fall below 10 students will be charged for 10 students plus any chaperones in order to receive the field trip rate.

We require one chaperone for every ten students (groups should not exceed 10 students). Chaperones must remain with their students at all times. Chaperones must be at least 21 years of age and must wear their chaperone sticker. All teachers and chaperones included in the official count will pay the field trip rate; those not included in the chaperone count will need to purchase their own tickets at the full rate, if available, upon arrival.

Before the trip, reservation numbers can be updated by calling (713) 639-4659. On the day of the trip, the final count of students, parents, teachers, and chaperones must be written on the Required Teacher Admission Sheet found on page 2 of the Field Trip Preparation Planner.

Adding or removing venues from a reservation requires a four-day notice, if available. After tickets have been printed, the reservation may not be changed.

Lunches may be brought in and stored inside the Sugar Land Museum until your designated lunch time. For easy storage and retrieval, it is best to put lunches in a labeled ice chest, plastic tote, or box for transit.

The Museum offers customized TEKS-based curriculum, available at hmns.org/curriculum to accompany your field trip. These free units are designed to make the field trip experience educationally sound and fun and include a TEKS-aligned knowledge hunt and extension activities for grades K-8. High school curriculum is available, with a two-week notice, upon request. For questions, email educationquestions@hmns.org.

Absolutely! Visit Special Attractions for more information about what is currently on display.

Yes! Docents are available to lead tours throughout the Museum. They are great for larger school groups and can accommodate up to 10 people (including chaperones) per docent. Tours are approximately 30-45 minutes long. A two-week notice is required. Cost: $15.00 per docent. Docents are available between 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Explore science, nature, and history in our Science Labs which feature specimens, artifacts, and laboratory equipment. Each lab lasts one hour and accommodates up to 25 students. If your group is interested in scheduling a Lab, please visit hmns.org/sciencelab or contact educationquestions@hmns.org. HMNS at Sugar Land also offers classes to enhance the field trip experience on topics such as Fossils, Fossil Fuels, Landforms, Rock Cycles, and Natural Extravaganzas, for an additional fee. Please inquire when booking for availability and pricing.

To drop off students, buses will enter the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land property from the entrance on New Territory Blvd. Buses may park at the south end of the front parking lot.

It may also be possible to book one of our Outreach programs for your group during your visit to the Museum. These include Chevron Earth Science on Wheels, ConocoPhillips Science on Stage, El Paso Corporation Wildlife on Wheels, Docents to Go, Bugs on Wheels, and the Discovery Dome. The costs vary per program and per request. Please book your presentation at least one month in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts.

Field trips may be paid for in advance by calling 713-639-4659, by mailing a check, or on the day of the trip. If you choose to pay on the day of the trip, the Museum will accept school district checks, credit cards, or cash (large bills only). A purchase order (PO) will not be accepted. Field trips must be paid for in one transaction. All students and chaperones on the reservation should give their payment to one person who will present the money at the box office. Please mail checks to: The Houston Museum of Natural Science ATTN: School Services 5555 Hermann Park Dr. Houston, TX 77030-1718

We estimate there are 1,500 to 2,000 individual butterflies in the exhibit at any given time.

You can generally expect to see 60 or so species of butterflies from tropical regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

There are a lot of factors that can affect butterfly activity including weather and time of day. These changes in activity levels can make it seem like there are more or less butterflies even though it is always roughly the same!

Yes, though it should be noted that the temperature and humidity are set to mimic a tropical rainforest. Expect the temperature to be between 75F and 80F with a humidity of 70-80%.

Yes, of course! Personal photography and videography is encouraged. Please contact ldavidson@hmns.org for any inquiries concerning photography/videography intended for professional use.

We do not sell butterflies for special event releases outdoors. If interested in purchasing butterflies for a wedding or memorial, please visit the International Butterfly Breeders Association to find a vendor in your area.

For various reasons, we do not accept locally found butterflies to be released in the exhibit. If you are looking for resources on monarchs, please visit our support page.

You may either email reservations@hmns.org or fill out this interest form to begin the booking process. It is recommended that you book your party 4–6 weeks in advance. Parties are booked on a first-come basis, and full payment is preferred at the time of booking, but a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the party fee is due in order to confirm your party. If you book your party within a month of the party date, spaces may be unavailable and while we will try to accommodate any additional services or amenities, we cannot guarantee availability. Changes to your party package can be made up to two weeks prior to the date of your party. Reservation Coordinators will be unable to make any changes after that time. All birthday parties must be fully paid two weeks prior to the date of the party. Failure to do so will result in the birthday party being cancelled. If it is possible to accommodate any additional services that are requested on the date of the party, or if damages are incurred by a party group, these will be invoiced no later than the following week and due within 14 days of invoice.

Birthday Parties can occur any day of the week. At Hermann Park, we have 9 – 11am, 12 – 2pm, and 3 – 5 p.m. time slots available. In Sugar Land, scheduling options include 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 – 4pm. The Museum is unable to offer parties on the following days: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Holiday weekends are especially busy for the Museum in general. If you book a party on these weekends, we suggest that you and your guests plan to arrive early to allow enough time to find parking.

Yes! To be eligible for the member discount you must be a current family level member or above, both at the time the reservation is made and at the time of the party. If you are not currently a member, we are happy to assist you with purchasing or renewing your membership at the time you make your reservation so you can receive the discount.

Due to high demand and limited availability, each sale will be considered final. Anything paid towards the birthday party is non-refundable. You may reschedule to another available day and time once at no additional charge. The party must be rescheduled within a year of the original date. Parties cannot be rescheduled within 10 days of the originally booked date. If you require more than one date change, any subsequent rescheduling will be subject to a $50 fee per change. Please contact the Birthday Party team at reservations@hmns.org for assistance to reschedule a booked party. Birthday Parties are held rain or shine but in the case of severe weather we will contact you for alternate arrangements.

Absolutely! If you would like host a joint party, an additional fee of $250 will apply for each added birthday child. The joint party fee does not apply to siblings. Please note all Guests of Honor when reserving the party, and be mindful of the maximum capacity of the party rooms.

Yes! The price of a party includes the price of admission to the permanent exhibit halls – a value of $300 to $750 depending on the size of your party.

Changes to your party package can be made up to two weeks prior to the date of your party. Reservation Coordinators will be unable to make any changes after that time

We will make every reasonable attempt to make accommodations for you and your guests. We want every birthday to be as successful as possible! We will talk to you about your concerns when we contact you, but some of the possible accommodations include lowering lights, having a sensory backpack on hand and museum visual vocabulary cards to help your kiddo prepare for your time with us. For more information on the Museum’s accessibility accommodations, click here.

Yes, you are welcome to bring in your own food or have it delivered, but there are some restrictions: no alcoholic beverages, no heating devices, and no full-scale catering. Please email us ahead of time with information regarding any deliveries you may be expecting. This will help us ensure your party goes smoothly!

The museum does not provide food services or allow third party vendors with the birthday party programming. Please feel free to bring in whatever food or decorations that you prefer yourself. Your party facilitator can help setup and take down whatever food or decorations that you have within the time frame provided in the birthday party. This policy is in place because the museum is quite large and party spaces can be at quite a distance to get from the car to the space. We want your party to go as smoothly as possible within the programming time frame we have to work with.

A single party room will contain 4 rectangular tables, 72” long and 30” wide, and 30 seats. A double party room will contain up to 8 rectangular tables, 72” long and 30” wide, and 75 seats. The tables will be covered in kraft paper so the party guests can decorate them with crayons between activities. Additional surfaces will be available to set up food, presents and cake. Rooms at HMNS Hermann Park may also contain an assortment of permanent, reusable, non-helium balloons. The Overlook will not include and does not allow balloons of any kind to ensure the safety of the paleontology exhibit, which is located just below the Overlook. Sugar Land rooms will be set up similarly, but unfortunately, the rooms do not have an assortment of permanent, reusable, non-helium balloons. Please note we do not allow outside vendors to decorate or provide services for our parties.

To give you an idea of what your party room might look like, visit here for images of HMNS in Hermann Park and here for images of HMNS in Sugar Land. Our booking coordinators are also happy to answer any questions you may have regarding your booked space. Site visits, up to one hour, are available for a $200 fee. Because our party rooms are reserved 7 days per week for private events and educational programs, we require advanced notice and a reservation to conduct a site visit.

You are guaranteed 1 HMNS Birthday Party Facilitator who will be your liaison between the Museum and your party. If you are expecting more than 15 children at your party, consider adding an additional facilitator to your party. An extra birthday facilitator takes stress off the party family, and helps focus energy on learning and celebrating. Large and Deluxe parties include an additional facilitator.

Yes, but please remember you just have the 30 minutes before your party to set-up. There are a few rules regarding decorations: No outside vendors are allowed for decorations or providing services to the party programming. No balloons of any kind are allowed on the Overlook. Balloons are only allowed in our regular party rooms. Party decorations cannot be hung or taped to walls. Helium balloons are prohibited. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Confetti/glitter are prohibited. Traditional piñatas are not permitted. Pinatas with a pull string are allowed. Smash Cakes are not permitted Sternos, chafers, crock pots, or any other equipment that may require fire or power is not permitted These rules are in place for the safety of you, your guests, the museum and its collections. Please note that prohibited items will be confiscated if they are brought inside the building.

Loose helium balloons can cause serious problems for Museum displays. They are also hazards when entering the environment. Loose, balloons can pose a threat to many animals. Birds, turtles and other animals commonly mistake balloons for food, which can harm or even kill them. In addition, many animals can become entangled in balloon strings, which can strangle them or hurt their limbs. Earth’s helium resources are becoming depleted, but they are critical in countless applications such as MRIs, sea exploration and hospital ventilators. As such, we have chosen to eliminate helium balloons from our birthday parties. Don’t worry though! Instead of single use helium balloons, we have opted to decorate with environmentally-friendly, reusable balloons.

Party guests should enter through the Museum’s main entrance or through the Museum Store to the Grand Hall. They should then head to the party via the Permanent Exhibit Hall Entrance. If they are unsure where to go, Birthday Party staff will have signage for guests to follow to their party location. Museum staff will also be able to direct them! For your guests’ convenience, all we require is that they tell us the birthday child’s name or the name of the parent who made the reservation. Parking can be difficult in the Museum District on weekends. We recommend that you tell your guests to arrive early to ensure their timeliness to your birthday party.

You will be allowed access to the space 30 minutes before your party time to set up any items you may bring. If you arrive prior to this window, you will not have access to your birthday party space.

Yes! We take care of the clean-up for you! The museum will provide a cart to assist with transporting your items out of the party room and then the museum staff will take care of cleaning up the room after your room time ends.

Our facilitators cannot accept tips. If you would like to recognize outstanding service, please consider telling other families about your event, donating to HMNS or renewing/purchasing a membership!

Because other parties may be booked after your allotted time, we are unable extend your reserved time if you are late. Birthday Party staff will do their best to adjust your schedule accordingly.

To make sure we have ample supplies for your party, party upgrades must be purchased at least 2 weeks before your event, but are subject to availability. We recommend allowing at least 3 weeks notice to better your chance of upgrades being available. Changes to your party package can be made up to two weeks prior to the date of your party. Reservation Coordinators will be unable to make any changes after that time.

We have contracted with a variety of vendors to ensure your birthday experience is an easy, efficient one-stop shop for parents. These vendors are familiar with Museum protocols and safety procedures and are trained to provide an entertaining and easy addition to your party experience. As such, we do not allow outside vendors for services we offer. 

We unfortunately can no longer extend our parties over the 2 hour period. If you have any questions or concerns over the time frame of your party, please let your booking coordinator know to help you better strategize your party.

View our Birthday Party Upgrades for package information.

Birthday party activities are age and theme appropriate. To see what is offered by theme and age at HMNS Hermann Park, click here. To see what is offered by theme and age at HMNS Sugar Land, click here.

We can accommodate up to 30 people in a regular party room and up to 75 people in a large party room. For deluxe parties, a small deluxe party can accommodate 50 people and a large deluxe party can accommodate 75 people. If you have more than 75 people, we can discuss a couple of other options for you.

Fire code restrictions prevent the museum from making exceptions. For parties with more than 30 guests, we require renting a second room. A second room rental will more than double the included guests, from 30 to 75, and include a second facilitator to help manage your experience. For parties larger than 75 guests, we can speak to you about your options. Contact us at reservations@hmns.org to see what option is right for you!

All attendees will be included in the head count. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver at all times. For children’s safety, we do not allow birthday guest parents to drop off and leave their children during birthday parties.

Yes. The number of guests included in the reservation is based on the maximum occupancy of the party room.

Space available, your party will be moved to a room large enough to accommodate all of your guests and you will be invoiced for the additional fee. If space is not available, up to 30 guests may remain in the booked space. Every child must have at least one caregiver. Additional guests will be free to tour the permanent exhibit halls, and you will be invoiced for their admission.

About a week before your party, you will receive instruction on how to access staff to help you bring supplies into the Museum on the day of your party.

At the Hermann Park location, park in the Museum’s garage, if space is available. Party families will receive two free parking vouchers for the Museum garage. For Sugar Land birthday parties, complimentary parking is available in the lot directly in front of the main entrance to the Museum.

For birthday parties at Hermann Park, guests are welcome to use the Museum’s parking garage or other area parking. Guests will receive the discounted rate of $15 per vehicle if they park in the HMNS Museum Parking Garage. Party facilitators will instruct guests as to how they can receive this parking rate at the end of your party. For Sugar Land birthday parties, complimentary parking is available in the lot directly in front of the main entrance to the Museum.

There are several free lots as well as other parking garages surrounding the Museum. Please refer to the Parking Map for more information on parking in the area. Please note: we can only offer a discount at our parking garage.

No. The Sugar Land location has free lot parking outside the facility.

Scout classes are taught by HMNS staff and volunteers, scouters and school teachers who bring their professional knowledge of the Badge, Adventure or Journey to enhance the scout’s experience. All teachers have gone through a background check and have taken Youth Protection Training with BSA and/or the museum’s Youth Education Department. Scout BSA classes are taught by Merit Badge counselors who are registered with Sam Houston Area Council.

HMNS offers scout classes for the Boy Scouts and Girl Scout programs following the requirements set for each Badge, Adventure or Journey HMNS offers. These classes can be purchased for your scout, den or a troop. Any child not in scouting can sign up for scout classes as long as you meet the following age requirements for that level:

Girl Scouts
Daisies: Grades K-1
Brownies: Grades 2-3
Juniors: Grades 4-5
Cadettes: Grades 6-8
Seniors: Grades 9-10

Boy Scouts:
Tiger: Grade 1
Wolf: Grade 2
Bear: Grade 3
Webelos: Grades 4-5
Scouts BSA: Grades 6-12

Scouts BSA classes are 4 hour long classes from 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 pm. Webelos, Cub Scout classes and Girl Scout classes are 2 hours long. They are usually from 10 – 12 p.m. or 1 – 3 pm. Girl Scout Journey classes run between 4 – 5 hours.

For school year classes, only Scout BSA or Girl Scout journeys will need to bring a sack lunch or snacks. Summer classes will require all scouts to bring a sack lunch with them or order from the museum’s restaurants. Scouts will not be allowed to go upstairs to purchase a lunch from the museum’s restaurants for any scout class.

Classes can be purchased through the museum’s online box office From the menu on the right-hand side, select the category of scout class you’re looking to purchase.

With a purchase of a scout class, one parent or chaperone is admitted with their scout into the museum and can visit the permanent exhibit halls before or after their class. HMNS asks for parents of scouts in 2nd grade and younger to stay with their scout in the classroom for school year classes. Younger siblings and extra parents will need to purchase a general admission ticket for the museum. Depending on the number of scouts and parents, extra parents and siblings may be asked to tour the museum during class time. For summer scout classes, parents are not allowed to stay in the room. Each class will have a teacher and teaching assistants to work with the scouts.

If HMNS needs to cancel a class because minimum enrollment requirements have not been met, parents will be contacted either to switch the scout to another class or to process a refund. We do not issue refunds if the scout cancels or misses a class. Scouts can reschedule their class for another date if HMNS receives a 10 business days’ notice and the minimum enrollment for the class is not affected by the change. If a scout is sick and cannot make it to their scheduled class, please email scouts@hmns.org as soon as possible. The Scout Program Manager will contact you with available options. Summer scout programs refund policy can be found in the HMNS Summer Programs catalog found here.

HMNS scout program does not require scouts to wear their uniforms to class. Uniforms are required for Scouts BSA, during field trips to court houses, fire stations and other outside organizations during summer scout classes.

HMNS provides a certificate with requirements met during the class. Scouts will need their troop or pack to purchase the badge, belt loop or pins earned in the class. HMNS does provide a special dinosaur patch and rocker strip for the HMNS Daisy and Brownie Trails and Careers in Science classes.

We are happy to accommodate scouts with disabilities and special needs. Please notify the Scout Program Manager of your child’s disabilities and special needs PRIOR to your scout’s class. We’ll work with our Accessibility Programs Manager to provide the resources and accommodations your scout needs to participate in the program.

If you have a scout who may need assistance to complete activities, a parent or caregiver should expect to stay in the room to assist. The individual that accompanies the scout must pass a background check and have done Youth Protection Training. Please contact the Scout Program Manager at 713-639-4631 to discuss any special needs to help your scout be successful at the museum.

If your scout is a Scout BSA and needs modified workbooks, please give the Scout Program Manager one to two weeks’ notice. Not all the merit badge workbooks have been modified. Email scouts@hmns.org for more information.

HMNS recommends that each Scout BSA get permission from their Scoutmaster before starting work on Eagle and Non-eagle merit badges. If a Scout takes a class without the Scoutmaster’s approval, they may not be given credit for the work. HMNS will not issue a refund in such circumstances.

Prerequisites are requirements that cannot be completed in the class. These should be completed before the class, but can be done after the class. A list of prerequisite requirements by Merit Badge and their downloadable worksheets can be found on the Scouts BSA Prerequisite Workbooks page. Outside work is work that is assigned by the Merit Badge counselor for two-day and five day classes. This is work that cannot be done in the classroom or work that the scout needs to finish for a requirement. At the end of class, any incomplete work (partials) will need to be completed by the Scout afterwards and verified by the Scout Program Manager and HMNS staff merit badge counselors. 

Please send a scan PDF of your missing requirements to scouts@hmns.org. After the work has been verified to show that the scout has met the requirements, a Merit Badge card will be sent. 

Please note that this procedure is in compliance with the requirements dictated by the Boy Scouts of America and Sam Houston Area Council. We are unable to issue Merit Badge cards without verifying that all requirements have been met.

For Scouts BSA classes, HMNS issues pre-printed Merit Badge Cards detailing the requirements completed by the Scout during class and verified by the Merit Badge counselor. For Eagle-required Merit Badges, a Merit Badge Card signed by the Scoutmaster is required for the Scout to take the class. If the Scout does not have a Merit Badge Card signed by their Scoutmaster for an Eagle-required Merit Badge, the Scout may not be permitted by their troop to receive credit for the class. HMNS will not issue a refund in this instance. Scouts are responsible for submitting the completed Merit Badge Card to their troop after completion of the class. For Virtual Scouts BSA classes, scouts will need to send a pdf of their completed work to scouts@hmns.org. The workbook will be checked by a HMNS staff merit badge counselor for meeting the requirements as required by Boy Scouts of America and Sam Houston Area Council. A HMNS merit badge counselor will then send a scanned merit badge card by email.

For Scouts BSA, daily class attendance is required to complete the Merit Badges. A Scout cannot make up a class by attending another session without registering for the full week. If a Scout misses a class, they will need to meet with their Merit Badge counselor to find out what they missed and if there is a possibility to make up the work, depending on the activities missed. The Merit Badge counselors may assign homework for the Scout to complete. If a Scout does not make up the missed work, they will get a partial on their Blue Card. For Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Webelos, teachers will try to catch the scout up on missed Adventures, Badges or Journeys. This may require the scout to do work at home.

For Sign In and Out, Scouts who are in Scout BSA, Cadette Girl Scouts, or Senior Girl Scouts may be given permission by a guardian to sign themselves in and out of class. At the main museum, Scouts will be released at 3:00 and escorted up to the entrance, near the Butterfly Center on Hermann Park Drive. Parents will pick up their child from this location only and will not be able to park in this loading area. All scouts who have not been picked up by 3:45, will be escorted back to extended day and parent will have to come in and sign them out of class. A parent must be present on the first day of class in the classroom to give permission for their scout to check themselves in and out. Extended Day self-checkout for Scouts BSA or Cadette Girl Scouts: due to poor phone reception on the lower level of the museum, parents will need to call the scout office at 713-639-4631, before their child can be released. Please have a designated location for picking up your scout that you have discussed with them beforehand.

HMNS at Hermann Park is open 9:00-5:00, Monday through Thursday and 9:00-6:00 Friday through Sunday. Hours are extended during holidays and summer. Please check here for any changes or early closures.

HMNS at Hermann Park has extended hours for all holidays, except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. HMNS is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

General admission into the Permanent Exhibits is $25 for adults, or $16 for children between the ages of 3-11 and seniors over the age of 62.

Special exhibits may vary. For the most updated prices, please check here.

There is no single ticket that covers the entire museum. The Permanent exhibit ticket covers more than a dozen exhibits in our collection, which you can find detailed here. The purchase of a special exhibit ticket (King Tut’s Tomb Discovery Experience or Sharks! The Meg, The Monsters, & The Myths) will also grant access into the Permanent Exhibit Halls.

HMNS operates two locations: HMNS at Hermann Park and HMNS at Sugar Land.

They are at each entrance to the Museum that is open to the public as well as each emergency exit.

Of course, HMNS’s bathrooms are fully handicap accessible

HMNS at Hermann Park has manual wheelchairs available to borrow on a first-come first-served basis. Wheelchairs may be checked out at the Museum Services desk in exchange for a photo ID.

Unfortunately, HMNS does not have any motorized wheelchairs or scooters available.

Service animals that are trained to perform a specific task due to a disability are welcome at all HMNS locations. 

At our Hermann Park location, in addition to the family bathrooms, we have a designated nursing room. It is located on the 2nd floor, near the bathrooms on the Paleo Overlook.

Yes, we have several wonderful venues to choose from. You can view the available venues on our Event Spaces page, or contact us to discuss the location which will best suit your wedding needs.

Our Cockrell Butterfly Center, Butterfly Center Lobby, Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals, Burke Baker Planetarium, Hall of Paleontology and Sun Dial are all wonderful venues for wedding ceremonies.

The Museum can accommodate up to 5,000 guests for a cocktail reception. Please please contact us to discuss the spaces that would work best for you and your guest count.

The first step is to relax – planning a wedding at the Museum is an easy process! Here at the Museum, we have everything down to a science – including wedding planning. The second step is to decide which Museum venue would be the best fit for your wedding. Please please contact us to discuss which location would be the best fit for your wedding needs. The third step is to consider catering – the biggest component in planning a wedding at the Museum. The Museum has several exclusive caterers that are contracted to provide food for any wedding. For more information, please visit our Catering page. The final step is to contact us to secure your desired date. With any wedding, once you have your venue, everything else falls into place.

No, you must use one of the Museum’s catering companies.

Yes. City Kitchen Catering holds the Museum’s liquor license, so all alcoholic beverages must be provided by them. Please contact them directly for more information. City Kitchen Catering is a full service catering company, so you may use them for both your food and beverage needs. If you decide to use them for just your alcoholic beverage needs, you may also select any of our other caterers for food.

Red wine is allowed in all of the halls where food and drinks can be served. Please note that no food or drinks can be served on the 3rd floor or in the newly renovated William Stamps Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife.

Let the caterer know your anticipated date, guest count, and budget. Budget is one of the most important pieces of information, as it assists the caterer in providing you a more accurate proposal. Also, have an idea of whether you want a seated dinner, a buffet, food stations or a cocktail reception. Please visit our Catering page for definitions of each wedding type and catering contact information. The more details you can provide, the better.

Return your signed contract and deposit to secure a date.

For evening weddings, the rental fee includes security, an onsite wedding manager, house staff and building manager. The fee does not include food, beverage and equipment such as tables, chairs, linens, etc. All of those things are an additional cost and would be handled by one of our four caterers. Please contact the caterers directly for that information.

All wedding ceremonies and receptions take place when the Museum is closed to the public. During the summer months, the earliest weddings can typically begin is at 7 p.m. During the rest of the year, the earliest weddings can begin is 6 p.m.

No. The Special Events department customizes each wedding according to your wedding needs.

Yes. The Museum does not have a bridal suite, but we do have a conference room and classrooms that are often used as dressing areas.

No, the Museum does not provide decorations. One of the benefits about having your wedding at the Museum is that very little décor is needed, as the exhibits serve as décor. You are more than welcome to bring in free-standing décor for your wedding. Please contact us regarding specific décor policies.

Two hours prior to your scheduled wedding

For weddings and receptions, the Museum offers complimentary self-parking in the Museum’s parking garage. If you would like valet parking, this service would be an additional cost and can be arranged through any of our catering companies. Please contact the caterers directly for information on costs.

Yes. Rehearsals can be scheduled Monday-Friday after Museum business hours.

We often have weddings and events occurring simultaneously on any given evening and take all the necessary steps to keep each wedding private—including separate entrances, security and support staff. However, we do offer full Museum usage based on needs and availability. Please contact us to discuss that option.

Your guests only have access to the spaces that you rent.

Yes, there are many great locations throughout the Museum where a band or D.J. can set up.

Yes, Museum members receive a 10% discount off of the facility rental fee.

Please contact us to schedule an appointment for a site visit. Site visits are available with the Museum Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 pm.

Some typical events include: dinners, cocktail receptions, meetings, weddings, galas, award ceremonies, presentations, client appreciation events, bar and bat mitzvahs, etc.

The Museum can accommodate up to 10,000 guests for a cocktail reception.

During the summer months, the earliest events can typically begin is at 7:00 p.m. and the rest of the year at 6:00 p.m. Classrooms and meeting spaces are available for rentals during the day.

The first step is to relax – planning an event at the Museum is an easy process! Here at the Museum, we have everything down to a science – including event planning. The second step is to decide which Museum venue would be the best fit for your event. Please contact the Special Events department to discuss which location would be the best fit for your event needs. The third step is to consider catering – the biggest component in planning an event at the Museum. The Museum has several exclusive caterers that are contracted to provide food for any event. For more information, please visit our Catering page. The final step is to contact the Special Events department to secure your date. Typically with any event, once you have your venue everything else falls into place.

No, you must use one of the Museum’s exclusive catering companies.

Yes, each of the museum’s exclusive caterers will provide your alcohol service as well.

Red wine is allowed in all of the halls where food and drinks can be served. Please note that no food or drinks can be served on the 3rd floor or in the newly renovated William Stamps Farish Hall of Texas Wildlife.

Let the caterer know your anticipated date, guest count, and budget. Budget is one of the most important pieces of information, as it assists the caterer in providing you a more accurate proposal. Also, have an idea of whether you want a seated dinner, a buffet, food stations or a cocktail reception. Please access the Catering Information page for definitions of each event type and catering contact information. The more details you can provide, the better.

Return your signed contract and deposit to secure a date.

For evening events, the rental fee includes security, an onsite event manager, house staff and building manager. The fee does not include food, beverage and equipment such as tables, chairs, linens, etc. All of those things are an additional cost and would be handled by one of our four caterers. Please contact the caterers directly for that information.

To make your event extra special, view a special exhibit, add a tour guide, participate in a corporate teambuilding Expedition Center Mission or view a film in our Planetarium or Giant Screen Theatre.

The Special Events department customizes the event according to your event needs.

Parking in the Museum’s garage is complimentary for all special events rentals. If you would like valet parking, this service is available for an additional cost and can be arranged through any of our catering companies. Please contact them directly for information on costs.

Please keep in mind that we often have events occurring simultaneously on any given evening and take all the necessary steps to keep each event private – including separate entrances, security and support staff. However, we do offer full Museum usage based on needs and availability. Please contact us to discuss that option.

For evening events, your guests have access to the spaces that are rented. For daytime events, your guests have complimentary access to any of the Museum’s permanent exhibit halls.

The Museum has a limited amount of A/V equipment that can be provided. Please contact us to discuss your needs.

Yes, there are many great locations throughout the Museum where a band or D.J. can set up.

The Museum offers a 20% discount off the rental of exhibit halls, conference rooms and classrooms for non-profits. For information on corporate sponsorship discounts, please contact the Museum’s development department.

Site visits are available with the Museum Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 pm. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.