Parties and Rentals

Birthday Parties


Birthday parties at Discovery Museum have returned, hurray!

Birthday parties can be scheduled now for dates beginning Saturday, October 12, 2024!

After a several-year hiatus, you can once again host your child's birthday party (or, any celebration!) at Discovery Museum—and now in our newly renovated and expanded Community Building!  If your birthday child loves to explore and play—both indoors and outdoors—a party at Discovery Museum is the perfect way to mark the occasion and celebrate with family and friends. Party guests can gather together in our Community Building, and play in Discovery Museum and our giant Treehouse and Discovery Woods nature playscape. Our entire campus is accessible and inclusive.

Boston Parents Paper 2024 Family Favorite

There is a reason why Discovery Museum has received a Boston Parents Paper "Best Birthday Party Venue" Family Favorites award every year since 2018, even in years where we were not offering parties—the memories from parties held here are just that wonderful! Make your next celebration an unforgettable event!

Party Basics


Parties can accommodate up to 45 people, with a maximum of 26 children. Parties include:

  • Exclusive use of our newly renovated and expanded Community Building for 45 minutes of private party time
  • 1 hour of play, exploration, and learning for your party guests in the Museum and Discovery Woods
  • Afternoon scheduling options for both weekends and weekdays (see Rentals section below for evening events)
  • Party Assistant (Museum staff) to help with setup, cleanup, and basic tasks
  • Sustainable Party option: included in your fee are reusable plates, cups, and utensils; and compostable napkins and "draw on me" placemats with crayons
  • Option to purchase sustainable party favors through the Museum (Please note that party favors are not yet available to order but will be in the coming weeks.)
  • 20% discount  for members on weekend parties!
  • Fully accessible and inclusive experience indoors and out, and, every party runs on solar power from our array!

Party Pricing and Schedule

 

  • Discovery Museum members get a 20% discount on weekend parties.  Become a member today!
  • Parties can be scheduled up to 6 months in advance

Weekend Parties - $760 for members, $950 for non-members

  • 12:30 and 2:30pm timeslots, each with 15 minutes for the party host to set up prior (12:15 and 2:15)
  • Each party begins with 45 minutes of private use of the Community Building, followed by 1 hour to play and explore in the Museum and Discovery Woods.

Weekday Parties - $570 for both members and non-members

  • 3:00pm timeslot
  • Party begins with 1 hour to play and explore in the Museum and Discovery Woods
  • Host can begin party setup in the Community Building at 3:45pm
  • Party ends with 45 minutes of private use of the Community Building

Party FAQs

Booking or More Information

Please view the detailed FAQs above for details about hosting your party here. For more information or to schedule your party, please contact rsultan [at] discoveryacton.org (Robin Sultan) at 978-264-4200 ext. 152, or fill out our Party Request form.

Ready to book your party?

Facility Rentals


Celebrate a birthday, anniversary, baby shower, wedding, or other special occasion with an after-hours rental of the Discovery Museum! Rent one room, one floor, the whole Museum building, or our entire campus including Discovery Woods and our 550sf accessible Discovery Treehouse for a very special and memorable event. 

Accommodations and pricing are flexible, making the Museum a convenient option for many types and sizes of events including parties, family gatherings, adult-only events, company meetings and celebrations, school family nights, and more.

Evening Rentals at a Glance

  • Rent the entire Discovery Museum campus, or choose selected portions
  • Our Museum building offers 13,000 sq. ft. on three floors, fully accessible and ADA-compliant
  • Accommodations range from up to 30 to 300+ people
  • Add Discovery Woods and the Discovery Treehouse to your rental for an additional fee
  • Fun, hands-on exhibits for children and adults can be the main attraction, or an interesting backdrop to your event
  • Minimum rental is 2 hours; additional hours available
  • Easily accessible from major highways
  • Free parking for 130 cars
  • We are happy to provide a list of approved caterers
  • Alcohol may be served with an insurance rider or by using an insured bartender

Prices

Our space options are very flexible—you can rent just the Museum's first floor or the full building, and choose to add on Discovery Woods & Treehouse to either! Every event is unique and prices are determined by the spaces you use, the number of guests, and where food is served. Here are the basics:

  • 1st floor only: $900 members  & non-profits  /  $1,100 non-members  (2 hours, capacity 80 persons)
  • Full building (minus da Vinci gallery): $1,980 members & non-profits / $2,200 non-members (2 hours, capacity 300 persons)
  • Additional time beyond 2 hours: $135 members & non-profits / $150 non-members (per 30-minute increment)
  • Add-on Discovery Woods & Treehouse: $135 members & non-profits / $150 non-members (per 30-minute increment)
  • Please ask for pricing for other Add-ons such as food, catering or alcohol, access to the Discovery Store, etc.

Is your group a registered 501c3 non-profit? You pay the member prices for building rentals! 

Museum Staff

Museum staff must be present for the entire event including set-up, the event itself, and clean-up. Staff will assist with orienting guests to the spaces and will engage guests in playing with the exhibits. If you need assistance carrying supplies to and from vehicles, arranging furniture, or serving food, please plan to bring that help with you.

Clean Up

After your event, we ask that you remove all decorations, leftover food, and personal items, and replace furniture if you have moved any. The Museum provides containers for trash, recycling, and compost so please be ready to sort your waste into these three streams during and at the close of your event. There will be signage to guide you and Museum staff available to answer any questions. Please consider using recyclable or compostable tableware if possible. and Museum staff will manage those containers at the end of your event. Museum staff also will clean the tables and floors and empty the waste bins after the event.

Deposits & Cancellation Policy

A deposit equal to 50% of the event cost is due at the time of booking. The deposit is refundable (minus a $100 fee) until 30 days prior to the event. The deposit is forfeited if the event is cancelled during the 30 days prior to the event. Events can be postponed and the deposit will be applied to the new date.

Booking or More Information

For more information or to schedule your rental, please contact rsultan [at] discoveryacton.org (Robin Sultan) at 978-264-4200 ext. 152, or fill out our Rental Booking Request form.

Ready to book your rental?