Last Update: June 28, 2024
At some point, I realized we were making the rounds in terms of some of the popular party places in the area. My absolute favorite party is a good old-fashioned birthday party at home! However, depending on what else is going on in life at the moment, it can be easier to just book a place and avoid having to setup before and clean up afterward. Also, depending on the size of the party, sometimes it is just easier to book it.
In this post, I will share a rundown of some common party locations in the neighborhood. Of course, as an alternative to an official birthday party, these locations also make great birthday meetups with just the immediate family or a few friends.
This list previously included the Brown Volunteer Center, however, that is no longer available for birthday party rental.
Indoor Venues
If you have a kid with a Houston-hot weather birth month like I do, it is good to be aware of the indoor options for birthday parties in the area. We have done a few so far, and I will share some information about our experiences.
Children's Museum of Houston Birthday Parties
My daughter begged for a party here. Despite my hesitation about how crowded it can get during the summer weekends, I knew she would love it and she did. Here are some things to know:
GENERAL INFORMATION
The birthday party coordinators that we interacted with were very friendly and responsive via email and phone--always a plus. There are specific time slots that you can choose from, and they are obviously first-come, first-serve. This is a pretty popular party location, so it is good to book early. The parties are offered in 2-hour time blocks for the party rooms, but guest can stay longer (or arrive early).
Check the calendar for upcoming museum events that might lead to larger crowds at the museum, and try to avoid those dates/times. Also, it is pretty busy during the summer, in general. However, we hosted a summer party on Sunday at 4 pm, and the museum crowd wasn't too bad at all. Parties are available on both Saturdays and Sundays, depending on the age of the child and the option you are choosing.
The party rooms are already brightly decorated to match the Children's Museum, so there is really not a need to bring a lot of additional decor. Also, I encourage limiting the decor because you only have about 20 minutes to unload and setup before your party time, and I prefer to minimize stress. You will be offered a choice of tablecloths, and the staff will pre-place those for you before you arrive.
You can bring a cake, ice cream (we used the individual cups from H-E-B), and non-alcoholic beverages. All other food must be purchased from the museum's Fresh Cafe catering (at least that was true when we hosted about a year ago). They offer cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, chicken tenders, fruit trays, and a couple of other items.
Parking is discounted for your guests (as long as the garage doesn't fill up) and free for you (they have a reserved space for you). Whenever I have guests coming to this area who might not be aware of just how packed it can be in the summer or during certain holiday weekends, I always try to warn them about arriving early to park. Here is the information I included for our guests for this particular young-child party in case you want to use it:
Thank you in advance for braving the Museum District on a weekend! Please aim to arrive at least 15 minutes early to navigate weekend traffic, park, and walk. If you wish to park in the museum parking lot (located right next door), you will receive a discounted rate of [INSERT CURRENT RATE] as a birthday party guest. (Parking passes will be distributed by the staff at the end of the party.) This parking lot sometimes fills up on the weekend. Additional paid parking is available on Ewing Street and other surrounding streets. Hermann Park Lot C (1500 Hermann Dr.) at McGovern Centennial Gardens is free for 3 hours when spots are available.
You are encouraged to arrive as early as you wish to enjoy the museum before the party begins. Simply check in at the Information Booth & inform the staff members that you are attending a birthday party. Then, feel free to enjoy the museum on your own until [INSERT PARTY TIME], when the party room will open and our party tour will begin.
AGE-SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
Babies and young toddlers can play in the awesome Tot*Spot play space, along with the fenced, outdoor, 2nd-floor covered patio.
For young children, the party coordinator will work with you to: 1) Plan a "tour" of a few galleries and lead your group from gallery to gallery, stopping so the kids can play. Note that this tour is not exclusive so be aware that the space will also be open to the public during your tour. I put unicorn horn party hats on our guests which made it easy to spot them when it was time to round the party guests up and move on to the next location. OR 2) Allow guests to simply free play around the museum and be called to the party room using the museum's intercom when it is time for cake, etc.
If your guests are 8 years and up, definitely check out the SECRET Agent parties.
If you have tweens or teens, check out the new after-hours party options. These parties are hosted in the large main hall after the museum closes, and they look like so much fun!
The party rooms for young children are pretty small by comparison to some other venues. We had to limit the amount of families we invited, and even with that limit it was still a tight fit. Just keep that in mind and plan your guest list accordingly. We were pushing the max limit. The party package includes admission for 20 children and 20 adults, but you can add on up to 10 additional children (for a total of 30 children). They ask that the total headcount of children and adults be no more than 45 (and that would be a very tight fit in the party room anyway).
If your party is for infants and toddlers, try to book the Celebrations Discovery Room right next to Tot*Spot if it is not already booked. We hosted a party for our 5-year old (kids were all preschoolers ranging from 2-6 years old) in the One World Discovery Room, and we really liked this location for that age because it is adjacent to the Cultural Gallery that the museum changes periodically to feature a "visit" to a different country. It featured vibrant decor reflective of a Mexican town when we hosted, and the kids had a blast playing pretend in that area together.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science Birthday Parties
One of my super-resourceful friends hosted a party here, and it was so much fun that I knew it would be our next party stop when it was our time to host again. Here are some things to know:
I found the booking system to be pretty organized here. There was a staff member transition during our booking process, and it was still seamless. One thing I LOVE about this location is the extensive information they have online, complete with a "Birthday Information Packet," parking directions for guests, and loading/unloading directions for the birthday family.
In terms of museum spaces, this is one of the best options for larger parties. HMNS can accommodate up to 75 guests comfortably in their education spaces located on the bottom floor of the museum. There are also mezzanine options for certain ages/group sizes. We had the double-classroom option for up to 75 guests and it was comfortable despite our large guests list. You can see the spaces on the HMNS website. Even though they do look a little bit like a conference room, they come with permanent balloons on the ceiling and feel very festive once all of the guests are present. I don't recommend too many decorations because you don't have a lot of setup time. The tables typically come covered with paper, so you can bring crayons for the kids to draw on it if you want. I brought along some stickers, too. They kids had a great time!
Be sure you book for the correct location! HMNS also has a location in Sugar Land with a large party space. I haven't visited so I won't provide comments about that one other than to say the parking is easy there and the museum is very hands-on.
You choose from several different party options with a variety of themes for a broad range of age groups, all the way up to teens. To be honest, I wouldn't mind having a birthday party there for myself (and they do offer some after-hours party options for older kids and adults). For my daughter's 4th birthday, we selected the astronomy theme because she was completely obsessed with Saturn (her "favorite gas giant"). We also attended our sweet friend's dinosaur-themed party for preschoolers. (This one is popular for that age group because we personally know of two additional classmates who had dino parties there.) Both were lots of fun, and I wish I could attend all of the themes!
Each theme includes a tour or show and some other activity like a story, craft, or and/or experiment. You can also add upgrades, but the basic packages are great. (We didn't add on any additional activities for the party room because the kids just enjoyed drawing on the tablecloths and playing with the non-helium latex balloons. Note that helium balloons are NOT allowed here.)
You can bring all of your own food here, which is a blessing (cheaper and tastier) and a challenge (you have to coordinate it). We got Star Pizza delivered from their Montrose location, and the driver arrived right on time and the HMNS staff member coordinated with the driver for unloading while we enjoyed the planetarium show. By the time we got back, all of our food was setup, and I was so grateful.
Unloading was easy. We followed the directions HMNS provided, and they had an obvious sign leading us to the loading dock. We were met with staff members who helped us to unload our car and who took the things to the party room while we parked the car (garage parking is provided for the birthday family). Cleanup was a snap because the HMNS staff members helped us pack up and did all of the cleanup.
Similar to the Children's Museum of Houston, guests are welcome to arrive as early as they like or stay late (until closing time) to enjoy the included general museum admission at no charge on the party day.
There is more that I could say about this location, but they have done such a great job of providing details online that I will just again say refer to the website.
Disclaimer: I have neither hosted nor attended a birthday party at this location...yet. This is one of my personal aspirational party locations because it feels like a great balance of fun and calm. We are not having a birthday party this year, but whenever we have another one I will certainly be campaigning for this location.
Because we haven't hosted here, I don't have much to say beyond what is provided on the Health Museum's website. Here are a few highlights, though, according to the website and my general experience at the museum as a visitor:
There is generally plenty of space inside of this museum and in their gated parking lot, so convenience is definitely a plus here! Logistically, this is one of the easiest options for guests in the Museum District. It is also located across the street from the McGovern Centennial Gardens and not too far from the Miller Outdoor Theatre hill in case kids wanted to play outside afterward.
You choose from several options, but all basic parties include admission for guests, a movie in the theater, a party attendant, space for 2-hours, and a gift for the birthday child. Up to 35 children can be accommodated with the regular party package, and up to 30 can be accommodated for the DeBakey Cell Lab Birthday Package (this one is for ages 7 and up). According to the website, balloon bouqets are also included, but confirm this with the museum to be sure.
In addition to the basic packages, there are several optional add-ons.
Many exhibits are interactive and encourage pedaling, jumping, problem-solving, etc. from the kids.
Hybrid Venues
With these options, you will likely spend some significant time outside but there is also an indoor, climate-controlled space included. Sometimes they can be the best of both worlds.
I have had the pleasure of attending a sweet friend's party here a few years ago. For children who love animals, it is an option that really requires no additional entertainment and there are photo ops galore. The air-conditioned party pavilion (really more like a little house) is located near the Children's Zoo, making it possible to keep everyone somewhat contained to one general area if that is what you want.
This makes them conveniently located near the carousel, two small playgrounds, the petting zoo, an exhibit that includes a cave and climb-through viewing tunnels, and an exhibit with a boat play area that my daughter loves. and the petting zoo. It is easy to see how your guests could stay primarily in this area, but many will also want to explore on their own either before or after the party festivities (and they are able to arrive early or stay late, similar to other venues). The party capacity is 50, according to the website.
Since I wasn't the party host, I don't have much to add on the planning side. However, there is extensive information on the zoo's website. Since this is a zoo, there are more rules and regulations than you might see at some other venues to keep everyone (both humans and other animals) safe.
In addition to "official" birthday parties, the zoo makes an excellent informal birthday meetup because they allow you to bring your own food and drinks in coolers. There are also several picnic areas located in the Children's Zoo on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The biggest challenge for this venue is parking. While there is ample parking on most non-holiday weekends, people tend to underestimate how long it will take them to find a space, unload the kids, get through the entrance, and walk to the party area. If you are hosting an official party here, strongly emphasize the need for extra time to your guests and encourage them to arrive at least 30 minutes early (but I honestly would be more comfortable with them arriving even earlier than that and just enjoying the zoo or Hermann Park before the party begins). If they arrive too late on a weekend, there is a real possibilty that they will miss the party completely.
I have attended two parties at the "secret playground" in Houston's Museum District, and I have also spontaneously observed a few. Here are a few things to know:
There are several classrooms, a multipurpose room, and a gym all available for rent at the community center. Call the center (713-284-1997 or (832) 395-7626) for current rates and available dates. As with many community centers in the area, there is not much current information online (at least at the time of my writing there isn't).
The multipurpose room is my personal favorite for parties because it includes a small kitchen and LOTS of room to play. It also has doors that open directly out to the fenced playground, so kids can play inside and outside. There are lots of windows so that parents can easily watch from the air-conditioning as older children play outside on the playground.
You can also host a party completely outside. Bring along a table to setup any food, and please (for the sake of the playground and neighbors) be sure to clean up afterward. Anything that can be harmful to nature such as confetti should be avoided since it's difficult to cleanup and can be harmful to the animals that frequent the area.
There is a decent sized grassy area within the fenced playground that would work for some party games like freeze tag or kicking a ball around.
I haven't hosted a party here, so I cannot say much from the planning side. However, kids always enjoy these parties--classic, simple, and fun!
Outdoor Venues
If you are lucky enough to have a child with a birthday during a mild-weather month or if you are gutsy enough to roll the dice, here are a few venues that are pretty exclusively outdoors.
As an instant-fixture, The Commons makes an unforgettable venue for a classic children's playground party--super-sized! Party pavilions are available for rental, so no one has to wake up early and hope for a first-come, first-serve spot. The birthday party pavilion rental includes use of 3 grills, electrical outlets, and picnic tables with benches.
For very large parties, this historic pavilion holds up to 100 people.
Your guests will be able to enjoy easy access to:
Ample grassy space for running while parents watch from lounge chairs
The Space Adventure Playground
The Gorilla Forest Playground and nearby swings
Splash Cove (sand, water, and splash pads)
The Carousel (extra charge)
The wetlands areas
These spaces are open to the public so you will be sharing space, but that can just add to the fun. Also, the pavilions are available for both weekday and weekend rentals. If you have flexibility to do a weekday, that will cut down on crowds. Regardless, the kids will likely have an unforgettable time!
This natural play area is also available in Hermann Park not too far from the Brown Volunteer Center and the main railroad station. This would be a great venue for a small party for young children. There are swings, a small sand play area, stepping stones, and a small climber. They can run around, collect sticks, see the ducks and birds that are always hanging out there, and just be kids.
There are nearby picnic tables available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There is also lots of shade in this particular section of Hermann Park. It is pretty close the the smaller fountain at the reflection pond where young kids enjoy splashing around and looking at turtles.
Also, since this location is near the railroad, it is easy to add a train ride to your plan. There is a cool tunnel with art inside that my daughter loves to see on the ride. You also pass the lake and other public art pieces along the way.
If you are open to an early start time, you can even book a private train ride before the train opens to the public. According to the website at the time of this writing, "The Hermann Park Train is available for private rental between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. daily. Private boat rental is also available. For more info, please call Visitor Services at 713-526-2183."
Alternatively, you can just buy individual tickets and ride during the public opening times. You can purchase them online or at the gift shop/main train station. With a small group, it would be manageable to hop on and hop off at the stops that the train makes during the public time slots. Guests could play at The Commons and then hop back on again.
Finally, be sure to avoid bringing anything that could harm the wildlife here (avoid confetti, clean up any popped balloons quickly, etc.).
One the south end of Hermann Park across the bayou is another picnic pavilion that can hold up to 75 people. I have attended a picnic here. There is ample grassy area and nearby trails and a playground. A restroom is also nearby and will be opened for rentals. If you want a simple, covered space for food and grassy area suitable for lawn games or a bouncy house for kids to run and play, this is a good option. The parking is super easy here, but note that this is NOT near The Commons. Because of thise, you won't have to worry much about sharing the space. The event will feel pretty private. Here is the link to rent: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/houstonparks/reservation/landing/search/detail/929
Here is a page with a photo of the pavilion: https://www.hermannpark.org/place/3/
Whew, I could say more, but I think that is enough for now! Have you hosted or attended a party in the Museum District? Feel free to share your tips below!
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