Birthday Booking Info, Policies, and Planning Details

• How many people can your party rooms accommodate?
• Can you make exceptions to the party capacities?
• Are infants and toddlers counted in the headcount for the party?
• Is the birthday family counted in the overall number of children and adults in the party rooms?
• What happens if we arrive with more guests than the room can accommodate?

Upgrades & Activities:

• Is there a cut-off date to purchase an upgrade for the parties?
• What if your upgrade isn’t available? Can I hire my own?
• Can I extend my party time past the 2 hours?
• What are the birthday party activities? What upgrades are available? 

Booking & Policies

How do I book a Party?

• You may 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.

When do parties take place?

• Birthday Parties can occur any day of the week. At Hermann Park, we have 9 – 11 a.m., 12 – 2 p.m., and 3 – 5 p.m. time slots available. In Sugar Land, scheduling options include 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 – 4 p.m. 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.

Do members get a discount?

• 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.

What is your rescheduling/cancellation policy?

• 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 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.

Can the party be for two children at the same time?

• 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.

Does the party include the cost of admission for my guests?

• 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.

Can changes be made to my party reservation?

• 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.

Accessibility & Accommodations

A guest at my party has sensory issues. Are you able to make accommodations?

• 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.

Party Planning Details

How many people can your party rooms accommodate?

• 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.

Can you make exceptions to the party capacities?

• 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!

Are infants and toddlers counted in the headcount for the party?

• 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.

Is the birthday family counted in the overall number of children and adults in the party rooms?

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

What happens if we arrive with more guests than the room can accommodate?

• 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.

Upgrades & Activities

Is there a cut-off date to purchase an upgrade for the parties?

• 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.

What if your upgrade isn’t available? Can I hire my own?

• 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.
• However, if you are interested in an addition to your party that we do not offer, we may allow the outside service on a case by case basis.  Please email reservations@hmns.org to request permission to hire an outside vendor. As such, we do not allow outside vendors for services we offer.

Can I extend my party time past the 2 hours?

• The recommended party time is 2 hours to maximize the guest experience with party activities and museum exploration.  This allows ample time to enjoy the party food and festivities as well as the museum. 
• 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.

What are the birthday party activities? What upgrades are available? 

• Birthday party activities are age and theme appropriate. To see what is offered by theme and age at HMNS Hermann Park, click here. At HMNS Sugar Land, we offer any age Science Explorer or Dinosaur theme. 
• To find more information about our Party Upgrades, please visit our Birthdays page and scroll to the section on Upgrades.