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member birthday parties

Celebrate your child's birthday at the Exploratorium
Take advantage of a premium Members-only benefit and have your child’s birthday celebration among the hundreds of hands-on exhibits at the Exploratorium.
General Info
Our exciting birthday parties are exclusively offered to children and grandchildren of Exploratorium Members at Family Level or above.

Parties are available on Saturdays and Sundays, September through May, and begin at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Book your party

We recommend booking your party at least 60 days in advance; we fill up fast. Our Lead Coordinator will contact you about a month before your party to help you choose the best activity for your child.

Up to 10 children:   $250
Up to 20 children:   $325

Including the birthday family, up to eight adults are welcome to join the party as chaperones. If you would like to invite more adults, tickets must be purchased in advance by calling (415) 561-0308. Additional adult tickets are $10 each. Maximum room occupancy is 38 people.

To book your party, please call the Reservations line at (415) 561-0308, or e-mail us at birthdayparty@exploratorium.edu

Please Note: the Tactile Dome is not part of the birthday party program. If you are interested in reserving the Tactile Dome for a party, please call for reservations at (415) 561-0362. We suggest the 1:45 p.m. Tactile Dome slot for Members interested in having both an Exploratorium birthday party and a Tactile Dome group reservation.

 
Prior to the party
The party fee is due when you book your party. Cancellations must be made 3 weeks prior to your booking to receive a full refund. A 50% refund will be granted if you cancel the party 2–3 weeks prior to your party date. No refunds are given for parties cancelled one week in advance or less. We strongly recommend at least 4 chaperones to assist you during the party (1 per 4 children). Children can get very excited once they are at the Exploratorium!

 
 
Activities/Tour
Theme Parties

Celebrate your child’s special day with thirty minutes of exciting hands-on activities led by our enthusiastic Birthday Party Coordinators. Afterwards, enjoy your food and cake in our party room for another hour, for a total of 1½ hours in the room. Our Coordinators will help you serve and clean up, and will escort your group to an area of the museum related to your activity and show you some of our most exciting exhibits. Afterwards, you and your guests are free to stay and play anywhere in our museum for as long as you like! (Note: The museum closes at 5 p.m.)







Theme parties also include tablecloths, plates, forks, napkins, and cups in the two-color combination of your choice, and an Exploratorium T-shirt for the birthday girl or boy.


Basic Parties

Celebrate in our party room for up to 1½   hours with food and cake. A Birthday Party Coordinator will help you with setup, serving, and cleanup. Then, you’re free to stay and play anywhere in our museum for as long as you like!

This option is for up to twenty people (including adult chaperones), and costs $200. It’s the perfect party to add to a Tactile Dome group reservation. To reserve the Tactile Dome, call 561-0362. We recommend booking your party at least 60 days in advance; we fill up fast.

At the exploratorium
• You are welcome to arrive 30 minutes in advance of your party to decorate the party room. Decorations for your party may include banners, signs, streamers, and tablecloths. Unfortunately, helium balloons, glitter, confetti, and piñatas are NOT allowed. If you choose to decorate, please notify us at least 1 week before your party, and discuss with your coordinator.

• Chaperones must arrange to meet the children in the front lobby area of the museum prior to the party. The birthday party coordinator will meet you in the Admissions area by the museum lobby and show you to the classroom.

• Before or after the party, you and your guests are welcome to stay in the museum and interact with our exhibits.

• Since the party rooms are used as classrooms, we ask that they be left in the same condition you found them. We cannot store party supplies.

• Food may be delivered to the museum for your party, but all food deliveries must be accepted and paid for at the Front Desk by an adult from your group. The museum staff is not permitted to handle your money or accept food deliveries. Food and drink must stay in the party room. They are not allowed on the museum floor. Smoking and alcohol are not permitted anywhere in the museum. Refrigerators are not available for storage.
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