Birthday Parties (Ages 5+)

Duration 105-minute booking (75-minute program and 30 minutes in decorated party space)
Rate $275.00 including tax for ten (10) children and two (2) adults included

*  Please see below for more details. 

Hosting your birthday party at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum is an excellent way to celebrate a special day in a safe, fun, learning environment in the company of Big Blue, our largest specimen on display at the museum. Birthday parties are suitable for everyone ages 5 and up.

When you book a birthday party at the Beaty, the birthday person and their friends will dive into one of our fascinating programs and explore, discover, and even get hands-on with real museum specimens.

  • General admission and an age-appropriate program of your choice for up to 12 participants, including the birthday person.
    • Children’s Parties: 12 participants, includes up to 10 children (ages 0-18) and 2 adults (18+). At least 2 adults are required to stay with your group and assist with supervision, for a total of 12 participants. The birthday child and their siblings, as well as the invited guests, are included in this number. Note that our programs are most appropriate for ages 5+, while younger siblings are welcome to attend, we encourage all participants to be age 5+ for the best experience.
    • Adult Parties: 12 participants, includes the birthday person and 11 guests (adults 18+, or a combination of children and adults) for a total of 12 participants (maximum 10 children). The birthday adult, as well as the invited guests, are included in this number.
  • Beaty Biodiversity Museum t-shirt for the birthday person
  • Museum staff-led program and support (75 minutes).
    • Choose an age-appropriate tour or program from our program list (link to in-person programs page). Self-led visits are also available. Please note: Earth Experience and Custom Tours & Workshops are NOT available for birthday party bookings
  • Decorated party space (30 minutes after your tour or program)

  • Cost is $275.00 including tax
    • For Children Parties, this includes:
      • Ten (10) children including the Birthday child
      • Two (2) adults
      • Additional adult guests may join your group for $12.00/person (maximum 4 additional adults)
    • For Adult Parties, this includes
      • 12 participants (children and adults) including the Birthday person
      • Additional guests may join your group at a rate of $9.00/child and for $12.00/adult (maximum 4 additional guests, maximum 10 children)
    • The maximum number of participants for each party is up to 16 participants, including the Birthday person.
    • 10% discount for current members. The member must be organizing the party to receive the discount.
    • A $60.00 deposit to secure the booking is required. The deposit will be applied to the total bill at the end of the party, however, it may be forfeited for late departures or excessive cleaning. Standard cancellation policies apply.
    • The $60.00 deposit per booking is required within ten (10) business days of receiving the Contract and Invoice. This can be paid by cheque, credit, cash or debit in person at the Museum, online with credit or debit, and via Workday for internal UBC departments.

  • To make birthday hosting easy, the museum offers optional pre-purchased gift bags from our gift shop. At a special discounted price of $7.99 + tax, each gift bag includes items like a postcard, button, stickers, and themed toys.
  • You may also choose to add on additional t-shirts to your gift bags at a reduced price. Additional child t-shirt for $20.00 + tax or additional adult shirts for  $25.00 + tax. Correct sizes can be chosen from available t-shirts at the museum.

  • Birthday parties are offered on Saturday and Sunday starting at 12:30 pm.

  • As birthday parties include a staff-led program and space rental, UBC faculty, staff and students are required to pay full price. Current museum members receive 10% off.
  • Your party time begins as stated on your event contract. Please ask all participants attending the party to arrive on time, as any time spent waiting for late arrivals may take away from your program time.
  • Parents dropping off children are asked to check in at the Admissions Desk and wait with their child until the party organizer is present.
  • The Museum Interpreter will meet you at the Admission Desk at your designated start time.
  • Children may be picked up at the end of the event from the Admission Desk. Children who are late being picked up are the responsibility of the party organizer, not the museum.

  • If you bring a cake, please bring a fun topper or electric candle rather than candles. Candles and other open flames are a fire hazard and are not permitted in the museum by UBC fire safety regulations.
  • Due to the sensitive nature of our specimens, additional birthday decorations such as candles, balloons, streamers, signs, confetti, sparklers, piñatas, etc. should be left at home. The space will be decorated, so there is no need to bring any extra decorations.
  • Food and drink can only be stored and consumed in the birthday party space. All food and drink items must be left in the party space before entering the museum.
  • Please bring food serving materials with you (i.e. plates, knives, forks, cups, napkins, table cloths) as these items are not provided.
  • Museum staff will clean up the room after the party. Please be considerate and help staff by ensuring garbage, compost and recycling are placed in the appropriate bin, as well as supporting the clean-up of large messes (i.e., spills).
  • There are no kitchen facilities at the museum nor do we have a refrigerator. Please plan accordingly.
  • No outside entertainment/entertainers are permitted in the museum or birthday party room due to space limitations.
  • A single-stall, accessible restroom and water fountain are located in the birthday party space.

  • The museum is equipped with level concrete flooring and ramps. There are no lips or steps to get to all program areas.
  • Some spaces in the museum are dark and/or narrow but can fit a wheelchair easily. Read more about accessibility in the museum here.

  • Groups must leave the Birthday Party space at the end of their booking in order for museum staff to clean up the space and re-open the space to the public.
  • We will charge a late departure fee of $150 for groups that remain in the space once the booking is over.
  • Late fees may be paid on the day or an invoice will be sent to the party organizer

  • The museum expects to complete basic cleaning such as spot-wiping tables, chairs, floor, and throwing items into recycling/compost/garbage. There is no additional charge for this
  • A cleaning fee of $150 will be charged if cleaning goes beyond this. This may include:
    • A large quantity of cake and/or garbage left behind in the café that overfills our capacity for rubbish
    • Any mess that requires us to call custodial staff (besides a child getting sick or another accident)
    • Staining to floor/walls/other items caused by food/juice
    • Breakage of tables/chairs/other museum materials
    • Damage to or theft of birthday decorations or furniture
    • Appearance of confetti, balloons, or other decorative items that are prohibited. They will be confiscated, but if they are snuck in, you will be charged a cleaning fee

To book your party, please fill out the booking form and we will get back to you. Click here to open the online form!

Beaty Biodiversity Museum Admission Desk
Tel: 604-827-4955
Fax: 604-822-0686
Email: bookings@beatymuseum.ubc.ca