Smithsonian Nighttime Adventures at
Natural History Museum are back!

Smithsonian Nighttime Adventures at the Natural History Museum are back!

By popular demand, we are also bringing back two Museum Sleepovers!

Join fellow adventurers at one of the world's most visited museum as the doors close, the lights dim, and the crowds shuffle out for the day. Wander through the Fossil Hall, where dinosaurs cast giant shadows. Learn about Earth's past, discover the ocean's aquatic wonders, blast off to the moon, visit pollinators, and walk softly past mysterious mammals. Participate in games and challenges, immerse yourself in hand-on crafts and even learn how to eat like a T-rex while playing The Game of Survival.

Upcoming Dates

Get your tickets today for a very big adventure!*

Smithsonian Nighttime Adventures

Smithsonian Sleepovers

Designed for hardy adventurers who come prepared with a sleeping bag.*

July 14, 7:00 p.m. to July 15, 9:00 a.m. - Sold Out!
August 4, 7:00 p.m. to August 5, 9:00 a.m. - Sold Out!

*These events are designed for children ages 8-14 and their adults (21 or older). There must be at least one adult per every five children in every group that registers. No adults can register without children.

Overheard @ Night!

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Subscribe to the Smithsonian Nighttime Adventures email list for updates and special offers on upcoming events.

Registration

This event is intended for children ages 8 – 14 and their adults (21 or older). There must be at least one adult for every five kids in any group that registers. No adults can register without children.

Each Smithsonian Nighttime Adventure and Sleepover can accommodate up to 200 people.
Ticket sales will end at 12 p.m. on the day of the event.
Tickets must be purchased in advance. There are no door sales.
Group sales are available for 10 or more people. Call 202-633-3030 (Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) to book your group.

Ticket Prices

		Non-Member	Member	Group
Nighttime Adventures		$85.00	$70.00	$50.00
Sleepovers		$135.00	$125.00	$95.00

Join or renew your membership

Getting to the Museum

Street Address

The museum is located at the intersection of 10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW in Washington, D.C. 20560

Museum Entrance

Attendees must enter and exit through the entrance at 10th St. NW & Constitution Ave. NW.

Transportation

Metro

The closest Metro stations to the museum are the Federal Triangle Metro station, located on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines; the Archives/Navy Memorial station on the Green and Yellow lines; and the Metro Center station on the Red line.

Closest Metro stations

Driving & Parking

There are no Smithsonian Institution public parking facilities on the National Mall.

Nearby parking facilities

On-street meter parking options are available. Carefully check the days and hours of enforcement for on-street meter parking options posted on the parking meters and curbside signs. There are designated parking spaces for people with disabilities around the National Mall.

Smithsonian Accessibility Map

Rules of Conduct

To make everyone’s evening enjoyable, we ask that guests follow these rules:

Guests are strongly encouraged to eat dinner before arriving for the program.
All participants must attend orientation, which starts at 7:00 p.m. in the café.
No food or drink is allowed outside of the café.
Running and yelling are not permitted in the museum.
Chaperones must stay with their children throughout the entire event. Chaperones are responsible for the behavior of their group.
Children are not permitted to play on stairways, escalators, or elevators, and are expected to be courteous.
Neither chaperones nor children may visit areas of the museum that are off-limits.
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
Alcohol is not allowed on the premises. Violators will be asked to leave.
Cell phones should be put on vibrate or silent mode.
Respect your fellow attendees.

Sleepovers - What to Bring

Bring the following to your sleepover:

Sleeping bag, camp pad, or battery operated and hand pump air mattress. Cots will not be provided.
Pillow
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Name tags to label your belongings
Washcloth and small towel
Comfortable clothing for the night. We recommend sweatshirts and warm clothing.
Walking shoes. You will be walking throughout the museum.
Reusable water bottle. There are water refill stations located throughout the museum.
Earplugs and a night mask. The lights are not completely turned off.
Make sure your phones are charged or bring a portable charger. There are limited accessible outlets to recharge cell phones.

What not to bring for the Sleepover:

Please leave your handheld game systems, music players, and all other electronic devices at home.
Roller shoes are not permitted in the museum.
Tents or plug-in mattress inflators are not permitted.
No alcohol, firearms, or weapons of any kind are permitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nighttime Adventures FAQs

1. How many chaperones are required to participate with a group?

Each group must have one adult supervisor for every five child participants.

2. Are the exhibits and programs wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all activities are handicapped-accessible. The museum’s Constitution Avenue entrance is handicapped-accessible.

3. Are younger and older siblings allowed to participate?

Yes, siblings are welcome to participate.

4. What if someone in our group cancels?

There are no refunds. You are welcome to bring another participant.

5. When do I receive confirmation for the Smithsonian Nighttime Adventure?

You will receive an email confirmation immediately after you register. Please print it out and bring it to check-in.

6. Where do we park?

Public hourly street parking is available around the National Mall. The museum is also close to the Smithsonian and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter metro stations.

7. Can we arrive earlier than 6:30 p.m.?

No. The museum closes at 5:30 p.m. and Security will not allow the public to remain in the building after that time. The earliest you will be allowed entrance into the museum is 6:30 p.m. Special Note for July 7, July 21, July 28, and August 11 nighttime adventures, check-in period will be 6 - 7 p.m. Check the specific event page for the latest information.

8. Will food be served?

Guests are strongly encouraged to eat dinner before arriving for the program. You will be provided with an individually wrapped evening snack which may include cookies, fruit, animal crackers, juice, and water, for example. Under no circumstances can the food provided be taken outside the designated eating areas.

9. Can we bring our own food and beverages?

No outside food or beverage will be allowed, except if a guest has severe food allergies or specific dietary needs. He/she may bring a nonperishable snack in a heavy-duty plastic container (not a plastic baggie) labeled with the guest’s name. We can’t take responsibility if it is lost or stolen. Any food not meeting these criteria or that is found in an exhibition hall will be confiscated.

10. What if someone gets sick during the event?

Please notify Security. Appropriate action will be taken.

11. Can we leave early?

Yes, participants may leave early if needed. However, all participants from the group must leave unless another adult from the party remains with the children. No children may be left without an adult chaperone.

12. Security and emergencies

The Smithsonian Office of Protection Services has staff members inside the building 24 hours a day. However, we highly recommend leaving your valuables at home or keeping them on your person at all times. The Smithsonian does not take responsibility for lost or stolen items.

Sleepovers FAQs

1. How many people can attend a Smithsonian Sleepover?

Each of our Sleepovers can accommodate up to 200 people.

2. How many chaperones are required to participate with a group?

Each group must have one adult supervisor for every five child participants.

3. How old must a chaperone be?

A chaperone must be at least 21 years old.

4. Are the exhibits and programs handicapped accessible?

Yes, all activities are handicapped-accessible. The museum's Constitution Avenue entrance is handicapped-accessible.

5. Are younger and older siblings allowed to participate?

Younger and older siblings are not permitted to participate unless they are between the ages of 8 and 14 years old and have also been registered for the sleepover.

6. Can I bring a birthday cake or cupcakes to celebrate my child's birthday at a Smithsonian Sleepover?

Unfortunately not, as we are not equipped to handle this activity.

7. When do I receive confirmation for the sleepover?

You will receive an email confirmation immediately after you register. Please bring it to Check-In along with any outstanding release forms for your group.

8. Can we increase the number of participants in our group?

Space is very limited. If you want to increase your group size or make changes to your reservation, please call 202-633-3030 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday-Friday. If spaces are available, payment is due immediately and accepted over the phone.

9. What if someone in our group cancels?

There are no refunds.

10. What time is the Sleepover?

Check-in for the sleepover begins at 7 p.m. and goes from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. the following day.

11 Where do we load-in and out

Use the entrance to the Natural History Museum at Constitution Ave and 10th St NW. If driving, you will have to pull up and unload curbside (on the street side of the barriers), then proceed to park your car.

12. Where do we park?

View nearby parking facilities

We recommend you call those companies to confirm if they will accommodate overnight parking and the fees associated.

13. How do we check in?

Check-in is from 7 to 7:30 p.m. in the Sant Ocean Hall near the Explorer Theater. Everyone who attends a sleepover needs to check in at "will call" to receive a wristband to wear throughout the event and submit their party's release forms if necessary. Families who have pre-registered will be listed on our roster and will need to give the name under which the reservation was made. After receiving your wristbands, you will be shown to the Explorer Theater to store your overnight gear.

All participants must attend Orientation, which will start at 7:30 p.m.

14. What happens if we have to leave early?

If a participant needs to leave between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., please contact a staff person during the sleepover. If an adult must leave and no other adult from the group is present, the entire party may be asked to leave.

15. Do I have to be with my kids all the time?

Children must be in the company of an adult throughout the sleepover. After bedtime, chaperones are responsible for keeping their group in the sleeping area.

16. What types of food will be served?

Overnight guests are strongly encouraged to eat dinner before arriving for the program. An evening snack may include cookies, fruit, animal crackers, juice, and water. Breakfast will include fresh fruit, bagels and cream cheese, milk, muffins, pastries, coffee, tea and juice. Not every item listed will be available at every sleepover—this is merely an example. Under no circumstances can the food provided be taken outside the designated eating areas.

17. Can we bring our own food and beverages?

No outside food or beverage will be allowed, except if a guest has severe food allergies or specific dietary needs. He/she may bring a nonperishable snack and breakfast in a heavy-duty plastic container (not a plastic baggie) labeled with the their name. We cannot take responsibility if it is lost or stolen. Any food not meeting these criteria or that is found in an exhibition hall will be confiscated. Any guests needing to bring in food should notify registration when ordering tickets and also the overnight staff upon arrival. Any special medical needs also should be noted then.

18. What if someone gets sick during the event?