9 Museums Where You Can Spend the Night

If watching the Night at the Museum movies makes you and your kids wish you could spend a night geeking out with all your favorite historical figures, we’ve got the next best thing. These museums offer exceptional overnight programming for youngsters—and sometimes, their parents. Whether they’re into dinosaur bones, outer space, ancient Egypt, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), paranormal activity, submarines, or living history, it’s bound to be a memorable sleepover.

Get those sleeping bags ready. From Washington, D.C., to London, here are nine museums you can spend the night in.

1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History // Washington, D.C.
2. Maryland Science Center // Baltimore
3. Intrepid Museum // New York City
4. Field Museum // Chicago
5. USS Hornet Museum // Alameda, California
6. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry // Portland, Oregon
7. Plimoth Patuxet Museums // Plymouth, Massachusetts
8. Museum of Science and Industry // Tampa, Florida
9. Natural History Museum // London

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History // Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian Sleepovers invites children ages 8 to 14 and their adult companions to enjoy a dinosaur-themed slumber party, with after-hours access to the David H. Koch Hall of Fossils (though you’ll actually set up camp in the nearby Sant Ocean Hall). Themed crafts and activities—like The Game of Survival, where you can learn how to eat like a T. rex—are designed especially for dino-lovers.

From $150 per person; from $130 for members; from $120 per person for groups of 10 or more. Dates: June 20, 28; July 11, 19; August 1, 8, 2025.

Maryland Science Center // Baltimore

Baltimore’s esteemed Maryland Science Center offers two themed overnights in the fall and two in the spring for children ages five and up. A Star Wars-themed event happened in early May, while the next one in June is centered around all things Minecraft. Expect activity stations featuring hydraulic challenges, rocket launchers, slime, block-building, and other hands-on crafts, plus a planetarium show, breakfast, and an IMAX screening. There’s also a “Pajama Party” option for those who don’t wish to stay over.

From $71 to sleepover; from $39 for the Pajama Party option (free for kids 2 and under). Dates: June 6, 2025; check website for future dates.

Intrepid Museum // New York City

Throw young #AvGeeks an epic birthday sleepover party aboard an aircraft carrier—or teach them about aviation alongside their classmates and scouts—with an overnight at the Intrepid Museum. Designed with kids ages 5 to 17 in mind, programming includes guided tours by flashlight, unlimited simulator rides, meals (dinner, a snack, and breakfast), hands-on activities, and museum return passes—plus, you’ll get a nifty Intrepid patch to commemorate your night.

From $130 per person ($145 for birthday parties); from $99 per person for groups, scouts, or members. Dates: June 7, 14; August 2; October 4; November 8, 15, 22; December 6, 13, 2025.

Field Museum // Chicago

Dozin’ with the Dinos lets kids ages 6 through 12 and their adults explore Chicago’s beloved Field Museum after dark, with late-night scientist talks and themed challenges. Try your hand at identifying fossils and animal tracks as a paleontologist or wildlife detective. Set up camp—on the Main Level with general admission, or in the Griffin Halls of Evolving Planet, home of SUE the T. rex—and enjoy free snacks, breakfast, and next-day museum entry.

From $95–$200 per person ($90–180 for members) for families and groups up to 15 people, depending on the package. Dates: September 5, November 22, 2025.

USS Hornet Museum // Alameda, California

The USS Hornet’s History Mystery Overnight events give guests ages 16 and up the chance to eat and sleep in the same mess deck and quarters where the crew once resided, take a guided tour of the WWII aircraft carrier at midnight, and conduct paranormal investigations between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. Otherwise, Livaboard opportunities are are available throughout the year for kids ages 7 and up, without the haunted theme.

Intended for groups of 10 or fewer, with a $1000 minimum fee ($100 per person) or $75 for members; for groups between 10 and 20 the flat rate is $2000. Dates: June 13, 2025; contact to book private.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry // Portland, Oregon

Geared toward school groups of up to 50 students (grades 3 through 12) including their chaperones, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry’s sleepover program involves an overnight aboard the USS Blueback, a retired submarine used by the U.S. Navy from 1959 to 1990. Spend the night in the crew’s former bunks, get a behind-the-scenes look at the periscope and torpedo room, and learn how these fascinating feats of mechanical engineering actually dive and surface. Breakfast and a documentary viewing are offered in the morning before you head out.

From $3300 for groups of up to 30 (additional guests are $90 each and capacity cuts off at 50). Request your desired dates online at least a month ahead of time.

Plimoth Patuxet Museums // Plymouth, Massachusetts

About an hour south of Boston, the Plimoth Patuxet Museums offer a unique opportunity for scouts and school groups to do a 17th-century living history sleepover. Choose between programming that emphasizes the area’s Indigenous Wampanoag culture and history at the Historic Patuxet Homesite, everyday life in New England’s early Plimoth Colony at the 17th-century English Village, or a combination of the two. After some educational workshops and a themed dinner, camp out under the stars in tents and sleeping bags (breakfast is also included).

From $81 per person for groups of at least 20 or more for one museum, or for groups of at least 40 who want to incorporate both sites. Schedule your private group visit online.

Museum of Science and Industry // Tampa, Florida

While Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry offers public All Night Camp-ins specifically geared toward 3rd through 8th graders in scouts, it’s also possible to book a similar private educational overnighter for your group. Just choose a theme—Mission to Mars, Robot Rampage, Crazy Contraptions, Dino Detectives, or Get a Clue—and you’ll receive snacks, breakfast, and free entry the next day to enjoy the rest of the museum.

From $1300 for groups of 30 or fewer, or $48 per child and $36 per adult for groups over 30. Camp-Ins can be booked for Thursday, Friday, or Saturday evenings; check website for public scouts-only dates.

Natural History Museum // London

If you’re heading across the pond, London’s Natural History Museum hosts Dino Snores events—one geared toward kids ages 7 through 11, the other strictly for adults. Kiddos can camp out in one of the galleries, explore the museum with flashlights, chat with scientists, or upgrade to VIP (Very Important Paleontologist) status, with perks like camp beds and a hot breakfast. The grown-up version includes a three-course dinner, dinosaur-themed bingo, stand-up comedy, live animal demonstrations, science shows, and a movie marathon, plus cooked breakfast and yoga the next morning.

Dino Snores for Kids, from $114; from $103 for members. Dates: July 18, August 22, September 30, 2025. Dino Snores for Grown-Ups, from $297; from $268 for members. Dates: June 13, July 4, Aug. 1, 2025.

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