10+ Museums That Will Let You Spend the Night for a One-of-a-Kind Sleepover

Museum Sleepovers Night at the Museum Slumber Party

If you've ever dreamed of dozing off next to some dinosaurs or getting some shut-eye in an art museum, you're in luck! Today, many museums offer overnight events that allow adventurous and inquisitive guests to sleep in the midst of their treasured collections. Here, we take a look at 11 awesome institutions that host amazing museum sleepovers.

Whether you love natural history and zoology or are more of an art and archaeology kind of person, this compilation of unique after-parties has something for everyone. With an eclectic mix of educational programs, late-night activities, and surreal sleeping accommodations, this list is sure to help you discover your ideal soiree.

Learn about some of the coolest museum sleepovers below!

The American Museum of Natural History

New York, New York

Museum Sleepovers American Museum of Natural History New York Night at the Museum

Photo credit: The American Museum of Natural History

For an authentic Night at the Museum experience, look no further than the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Here, adventurer-loving guests are invited to explore the building's halls and exhibits with flashlights before eventually setting up camp under the museum's iconic blue whale. You can plan your all-ages slumber party here.

 

The California Academy of Sciences

San Francisco, California

Museum Sleepovers Academy of Sciences San Francisco Sleep at a Museum Night at the Museum

Photo credit: The California Academy of Sciences

Adorably called “Penguins + Pajamas,” the sleepovers at the California Academy of Sciences have something to offer for everyone, from animal lovers to aspiring astronauts. Guests sleep in the aquarium, where they may even come face-to-face with Claude, the albino alligator!

 

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

San Diego, California

Museum Sleepovers San Diego Zoo Sleep at a Museum

Photo credit: The San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo‘s beloved Roar and Snore Safari enables guests to sleep under the stars and close to the animals. The cute and cuddly camp-out is perfect for families and adults, and even offers an array of tents!

 

The Field Museum

Chicago, Illinois

Museum Sleepovers Chicago Field Museum Night at the Museum

Photo credit: The Chicago Field Museum

Dozin' with the Dinos, the Field Museum‘s overnight event, is a fun way for little ones to get excited about the esteemed institutions's science-based collections and “see the museum in a new way!” This event is open to families and groups with children ages 6-12.

 

The British Museum

London, England

Museum Sleepovers British Museum London Night at the Museum

Photo credit: The British Museum

The British Museum—one of the most visited museums in the world—allows overnight guests to “enjoy a monumental night’s sleep.” Geared toward youths, this event is open only to those with a Young Friends membership.

 

The National Archives

Washington D.C.

Museum Sleepovers National Archives Washington DC Sleep at a Museum

Photo credit: The National Archives Washington DC

If you prefer documents to dinosaurs, you're sure to enjoy snoozing next to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives. After ample activities and a movie night, guests of all ages settle down in the building's beautiful rotunda.

 

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Cooperstown, New York

Museum Sleepovers National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Cooperstown New York Night at the Museum

Photo credit: The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum‘s Extra Innings Overnights are a fun way for families to bond over baseball. In addition to hands-on activities and exhibition access, guests are treated to a baseball movie! This event is open to families with children ages 7-12.

 

The Natural History Museum

London, England

Museum Sleepovers Natural History Museum London Sleep at a Museum

Photo credit: Susannah Ireland

London's famed Natural History Museum offers 2 versions of its wildly popular Dino Snores nights: one for kids (ages 7-11) and one for grown-ups. While both are fun and exceptionally educational, the latter, of course, is a bit more boozy!

 

Rubin Museum of Art

New York, New York

Museum Sleepovers Rubin Museum of Art New York Night at the Museum

Photo credit: Rubin Museum of Art

One of the more mellow museum sleepovers, Dream-Over at the Rubin Museum of Art invites guests to “dream under the compassionate and wakeful gaze of a hundred buddhas.” This calming overnight stay is the perfect zen retreat for art lovers!

 

The International Spy Museum

Washington, DC

Museum Sleepovers International Spy Museum Washington DC Sleep at a Museum

Photo credit: The International Spy Museum

Targeted toward tiny secret agents, KidSpy Overnight: Operation Secret Slumber at the International Spy Museum entertains children (ages 9-13) and their families with “a night of top-secret KidSpy training.” Guests don disguises and crack codes before falling asleep in the hi-tech exhibition galleries.

 

Chabot Space & Science Center

Oakland, California

Museum Sleepovers Chabot Space and Science Center Oakland Night at the Museum

Photo credit: Natausha Greenblott

The Chabot Space Center‘s Adventure Evenings and Odyssey Overnights invite aspiring astronauts of all ages to embark on an exciting journey! Guests get to explore the exhibits, see a show in the planetarium, and even look through the museum's telescope during a private viewing!

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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