Houston Museum of Natural Science

We had our ceremony in the Burke Baker Planetarium and the reception in the Morian Hall of Paleontology and it was absolutely stunning! From the very first meeting to our exit, Joe Cyrus was nothing but helpful and made sure we had everything we needed (and wanted) to make sure our dream wedding was possible! I highly highly recommend this venue if you love science and want a unique place to get hitched. Everyone we talked to at the reception raved about how awesome it was to be at a private event at the museum! Don't hesitate to book this place!

HMNS was the perfect venue for our wedding! My husband and I wanted something unique and, with both of us working in the science fields, HMNS just felt right. We rented the Grand Entry Hall for the ceremony and the Paleontology Hall for the cocktail hour and reception. There were a lot of moving pieces (since absolutely everything needs to be provided by outside vendors), but Joe Cyrus (the Special Events Director) worked one-on-one with our wedding planner to ensure that our wedding day went flawlessly. Joe was so nice, accommodating, and very easy to work with! This was the venue of our dreams and our guests are still raving about how amazing it was!

Loved working with Joe through this entire process. He was always so quick to respond and very receptive to our needs and even threw in a few perks for us just because he was that thoughtful. We booked the planetarium for the ceremony and the protectionist, William, was also a blast to work with. He helped me pick out the perfect custom color for the LED lights that line the railings and had a blast with my space nerd husband picking out which galaxies to display on the dome. We were lucky enough to have the giant Earth globe on display in the Glassell Hall where we booked our reception. It was 100% the best venue choice for us.

HMNS was the best venue I could have ever gone with! They have 5 options for catering to choose from since it IS a museum and people need to be trained for it, but each option is fabulous! It was unique and everyone at my wedding had a blast!!

We used the Sugar Land location and it was perfect. Everyone has told us that they loved our unconventional venue and that it was perfect for us as a couple that loves science. Adrienne was great as well. She was very accommodating to most of our requests. We also loved that we had plenty of space for our entire wedding (ceremony upstairs, cocktail hour and reception downstairs, and outdoor garden for games). Our guests were very excited to be able to go look at the exhibits throughout the reception.

The Good - The venue is absolutely gorgeous! It is great for a small wedding with no more than 25 or so guests. The price is reasonable for what you get, great photo opportunities and an unforgettable experience that people will remember well. Consider carefully what time of year you plan your wedding, as the venue is not cooled for the sake of the butterflies. The butterflies are active more at certain times of the day than others. The Bad - We were rushed quite a bit to get in just after the HMNS closed and get the ceremony done before it got dark. Our wedding was in March, so it gets dark early. We were told that if we didn't get done before the lights went out then too bad. We rushed the ceremony, and magically, the lights stayed on. If we had been told this, we could've been prepared and not had to rush the service. DO NOT try to bring any outside food or drink, including adult beverages. Although clearly stated, weddings are cause for celebration and not well received at this venue - not even a little bit. It was explained that this was for insurance liability purposes but just be advised. The Ugly - The main problem with the whole experience was with the site coordinator or event manager, Ashley Zalta. The problems started when we went to take photos and coordinated a time for 2 photographers, the wedding party and taking off from work only to get there and be told that the museum is closed for an event. NO COMMUNICATION. Next, we paid extra for insurance to ensure that we or a guest would not be liable for any damages "you know how wedding guests can get rowdy" we were told and "imagine if you broke one of the windows, how expensive that would be to replace"... Later I guess she forgot all then when she told us that insurance isn't required, just recommended - 'totally optional'. My brother (VIP) was running late due to circumstances beyond anyone's control as we were told by her that we would just have to start without him. She was particularly rude to the bridal party and our wedding coordinator as well. I feel as though if there were a ledge, she pushed us over it. Overall, we got through it and it was beautiful and our guests barely noticed any issues. Just use caution when planning and speak with the HMNS Management, in particular, to ensure that your needs will be met and you should receive the service you deserve on your special day. We loved the venue and it deserves more stars. We did not appreciate the event coordinator and would rate that aspect of the venue with a single star (or less).

Had a teeny tiny wedding (only 5 guest) in the Cockrell Butterfly Center and it turned out better than we could have imagined! They had just put up lights for the holiday season and we we were so lucky that they did and that they were able to leave them on for us because our ceremony was at 5:30PM and it would have been very dark otherwise! It is humid and warm in the rainforest environment but we were also fortunate that it wasn't a very hot day out and with the sun setting it wasn't bad at all in our chosen location (we had the ceremony at the top of the stairs leading down to the waterfall). If you want to have a small wedding, I highly recommend the Cockrell Butterfly Center at HMNS - there are plenty of different place for the ceremony so that you don't feel out of place with few people around.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science was our dream venue for our wedding and I'm beyond happy with our decision! Ashley was a pleasure to work with. She helps you from start to finish, is super organized, works with your outside vendors, and even thinks of wedding planning details that you may have forgotten. You're amazing, Ashley! We held our ceremony in the planetarium and our reception in the paleontology hall. Everything turned out perfectly beautiful! I still can't believe how amazing it all was.

We had our reception at the HMNS Sugar Land Branch. It was fantastic! We could not have asked for a better venue. With the venue rental, we got the entire two stories of permanent exhibits to ourselves to explore and use. Cocktail hour with the dinosaurs, dinner with geodes, etc. All of our friends and family loved it! Adrienne was extremely helpful with every question we had. The museum really emphasized making sure they and all the vendors were on the same page, which was appreciated.

This was the most beautiful venue for a wedding. Everything about it was incredibly amazing. The venue is gorgeous and so much fun for everyone attending. It also made for the most AMAZING pictures. They are all so very organized and adept at facilitating the process. Ashley really knows her stuff. Every single one of my guests told me it was the most amazing wedding they had ever been to. Dropping things off before hand is kind of tricky and the coordinators leave before the end of the event so make sure you have all your ducks in row and thoroughly plan everything out. If you do that and assign a point person that isn't you for questions, this will make the perfect location for the wedding of your dreams with THE BEST photo ops you could ask for (even in the pouring rain). PLUS it is REALLY kid friendly and all the approved vendors are great.

Our wedding at the HMNS was truly a dream come true! We couldn't have imagined a more unique setting for our special day. The paleontology hall was the perfect spot for our reception and offered our guests plenty of space for a cocktail hour, buffet style dinner and a huge dance floor! Our guests had so much fun and it turned out better than we could have ever imagined. The pictures that we got back from our day were really special to look back on in this setting.

My husband and I held our wedding reception in the Morian Hall of Paleontology at the end of last year, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about our entire experience. My brother, Justin, used to work in marketing for the museum and passed in 2012. I knew I wanted him to be a large part of our day, and I could not imagine having our reception anywhere other than one of his favorite places. Ashley Zalta showed me the space I had been interested in, The Grand Hall, and discussed the pros and cons of the space. Because it seemed as if we would have to bring in a lot of lighting and decor (and I was not a bride who wanted to go into all of that), she showed me the paleontology hall instead. I really appreciated the time she went into describing the pros and cons of both spaces. From then on, I had a wonderful experience working with her. The museum does require those using their halls to acquire a special events insurance policy. This was very easy to do, so do not become discouraged when you hear this information. On our wedding night, we were greeted by many employees of the museum when my husband and I entered the reception space. They were so genuine, and I have the best pictures of them smiling so hugely for us. Nearly 10 months after our wedding, my husband and I still have everyone talking to us about what an amazing experience our wedding was. I know that the space was unique, but I do believe that the museum's employees were also great at welcoming our guests. I promise you will not regret a wedding at HMNS.

We had our ceremony in the Butterfly Center. It was GORGEOUS. We had about 25 guests in attendance, and they stood in a semi-circle around us. We hired a musician to play during the ceremony, and the sound was so unbelievable as it echoed around the space. I can't recommend this venue enough if you want a slightly off-beat, intimate, small wedding. HOWEVER, our coordinator was awful. If you have your wedding there, ask for anybody other than Ashley Zalta. She was patronizing through the entire planning process, made snide comments, and was incapable of answering emails. Our rental fee went at least in part towards her salary, you think she would have at tried to be helpful and respond to email after email full of questions. It seemed like the entire planning process consisted of her telling us in a patronizing tone that "Oh, well that wont work." We ended up ignoring her and doing what we wanted, and everything was perfect. Guests commented the whole night about how lovely the ceremony turned out. Again, I can't rave enough about how perfect the space was for our wedding. Just stay away from Ashley Zalta.

We opted to have our wedding at the Houston Museum of Natural Science - we wanted something different and couldn't stand the thought of having the standard ballroom be where we remembered the most important day of our lives. Although I was a litte hesitant at first (I let my husband make the final venue choice!) I am BEYOND happy that we had our reception at HMNS. Thanks to Ashley, City Kitchen, and our wedding planner, our reception was absolutely beautiful, magical, and unlike any other. All of our guests walked around for at least an hour with their jaws on the ground. The staff coordinated every detail perfectly and I could not have been happier.

Beautiful venue and very friendly staff!

It was magical to have my wedding at the museum. It was so beautiful, and all of my guests loved it. I got nothing but praises for picking the museum.

I work with Ashley and she was wonderful. Originally I had booked the first floor of the older wing, however when the big dino move happened the rocks they were on remained. She was unable to tell when they would be removed so she moved me into the new and amazing Paleo Wing at no extra cost. The one draw back to this wing I will mention is the no red wine rule, you can not order red wine at the bars and walk away with it you can only have it served table-side hiking up your bar cost. Another draw back is your guests will get in trouble for placing drinks on the exhibits (understandable) that are all at cocktail table height. The staff seamlessly escorted all of our guests from our cocktail hour in the Gems Hall to the new wing. Another event was taking place but the staff was sure to keep us separated.

My husband (then fiance) and I decided to have our ceremony and reception here for our August 2012 wedding. Laura Bailey, the coordinator was so helpful in answering the multitude of questions we had during our planning. We used the lobby of the Cockrell Butterfly Center for the ceremony and the Welch Chemistry/Weiss Energy Halls for the reception. The venue doesn't need a lot of decor-it's already provided for you! The only requirement the museum has is that you must use one of their caterers for your event. You can bring in your own baker, DJ, florist, wedding coordinator, photographer, videographer, and other outside vendors. On our wedding day there was security and free parking in the garage (also free for rehearsal). Also, you get free tickets to bring guests to visit the museum (not the special exhibits though). Tell them you're having an event at the HMNS or ask for Laura and get a VIP sticker so you'll be able to see all the exhibits! The museum was worth every penny and it wasn't as much as we thought it would end up costing. Your guests will love it and will have a lasting impression of your event. I know ours did-they're still talking about our wedding!

cocktail hour was in the butterfly lobby. the guests were able to visit the exhibit and loved it. the reception was in paleo. it was incredible to have our first dance among the dinosaurs.

The museum was a wonderful place to hold both my ceremony and reception. The wedding consultant was very helpful, the astronomers in the planetarium were the best, and my guests had a great time.

great service. leslie goode handled all of my worries for me and wouldnt let me do a thing on the day of. they helped more than necessary and i had the most smooth wedding possible. we also used abuso/acute(janna robinson) catering with the museum and everything was perfect!!!

I had wanted a small wedding, in a unique venue and the Butterfly Garden at HMNS was just perfect. Leslie was nice and a blessing to work with. We only held our ceremony there, as we had decided to use a different venue for our reception, but our guests were just awestruck by everything. My guests had an amazing time hanging out and weren't bored while we got ready and the bridesmaids and I had a blast taking pictures around the dinosaur bones we were walking around. The staff was fantastic and very friendly. Leslie, especially, did a fantastic job of helping to keep everything running smoothly. I couldn't have done it without her and thanks to her and her excellent staff, the wedding of my dreams came true. Only downside, we ran out of time to take all the pictures we wanted, but then I could have spent the rest of the evening in that place and never gotten all the pictures I wanted!

Nancy at the museum was wonderful!! She made everything from planning to running the event a great experience. We were married in the Butterfly Lobby and then after the ceremony all our guests could go into the actual butterfly exhibit to wonder around. The exhibit and the museum itself made for great wedding photos. I would very much recommend the Museum for a wedding.

We had a magical ceremony at the HMNS in the Cullen Gem Hall. When we were touring the museum we fell in love with this exhibit! The lighting, the music that was playing inspired us to take our wedding in the same direction! Nancy Bowen was so wonderful to work with and was there the day of the wedding to help us.

The museum was perfect. They were always available for questions and meetings. They were always polite and helpful, and catered to anything that I wanted. They made the day perfect and after a year people are still talking about the wedding at the museum.

It was held in the Cullen Hall of Gems which provided a unique exhibit for the guests to tour when they were waiting for the bride and groom to arrive.

Gave guests something other to do than just dancing. Got lots of compliments on the unique venue.