Party Day Logistics

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Arrival:

• How early can I arrive to set-up?
• How do I bring my supplies to the museum?
• Where do guests go when they arrive?
• Are party facilitators responsible for cleaning up after the party? Should I tip my facilitator?
• What if I am running late?

Parking:

• Where should I park?
• Where do my guests park?
• The Museum Parking Garage is full, where should our guests park? (Hermann Park)
• Does Sugar Land have a parking garage?

Party Room & Décor:

• How will the party room be set up?
• Can I tour the party space before I book it? When do you normally do site visits?
• How many people will help me with my party?
• Can I bring my own decorations?
• Why are helium balloons not allowed at the Museum?

Food Policies:

• Can we bring our own food in?
• Does the museum provide catering services?

Arrival

How early can I arrive to set-up?

• 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.

How do I bring my supplies to the museum?

• 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.

Where do guests go when they arrive?

• 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.

Are party facilitators responsible for cleaning up after the party? Should I tip my facilitator?

• 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!

What if I am running late?

• 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.

Parking

Please refer to the Party Parking Options document for more information on parking in the area. 

Where should I park?

• 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.

Where do my guests park?

• 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.

The Museum Parking Garage is full, where should our guests park? (Hermann Park)

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

Does Sugar Land have a parking garage?

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

Party Room & Décor

How will the party room be set up?

• 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 craft 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. 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.

Can I tour the party space before I book it? When do you normally do site visits?

• See if our classrooms are a perfect fit for your needs! Click here for 3D tours of the party rooms.  

How many people will help me with my party?

• 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. 

Can I bring my own decorations?

• 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. 
  • Balloon arches are not recommend
  • 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.

Why are helium balloons not allowed at the Museum?

• Loose helium balloons can cause serious problems for Museum displays. They are also hazardous 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.

Food Policies

Can we bring our own food in?

• 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!

Does the museum provide catering services?

• 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.