Museum Overnights
Overnights at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire are the perfect indoor camping trip for scout troops, schools, and other recreational groups. Overnights will be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the year. The program will include three art and science activities, an evening snack, a tasty Continental breakfast, and a scouting patch. The minimum number for an overnight visit is 60 people from one or more groups. Overnight guests arrive at 6-6:30 PM and depart at 9 AM the next morning. Shower facilities are not available.
Museum overnights are available now available for booking. A new evening visit program for Daisy Scouts who are not ready for a full overnight at the museum is also available. Details are found at the bottom of this page.
Many questions about our Overnight program are answered below. For even more detailed information, we suggest that you refer to our printable Overnight Handbook. This is a great reference for all adults attending an Overnight.
Registration Procedure: Girl Scouts who are part of the Swiftwater Council may book directly through their council office. You can also print our Overnight Registration form. This document can be submitted via email, or printed and sent back to us via fax or snail mail. You are welcome to call the museum office at (603) 742-2002 or email our education director at jbard@childrens-museum.org if you have questions that are not answered on our website.
Overnight Program Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
What is an overnight at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire? An overnight is a unique experience that allows organized groups such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts the chance to participate in hands-on activities and spend the night camping in the museum’s exhibit halls.
Who can participate? Overnights are designed for children in grades 1 – 6 and their adult chaperones. Organized groups such as Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts can register for an overnight for their troop or den. Other youth organizations can participate if they meet the guidelines for age, minimum numbers for capacity and can povide an insurance certificate.
When are overnights held? Overnights are held on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the school year.
How many people can attend an overnight? A minimum of 60 participants are needed to run an overnight event. The maximum number of people that can attend is 90. These figures include both adults and children. If your Girl Scout or Boy Scout group has fewer than 60 members, efforts will be made to combine your troop or den with others to meet the minimum number requirements.
How much does an overnight cost and what does it include? The fee to attend an overnight is $30 child and $20 per adult. This fee includes an evening snack, a wide array of breakfast items, all activity materials, access to all museum exhibits, a museum overnight patch for each child, and a free pass for each participant to return on a future date.
What kind of foods do you serve for snack and breakfast? Snack consists of mix-your-own snack mix using cereal, pretzels, raisins, chocolate chips and crackers, as well as juice, water and a coffee/tea station for adults. Breakfast items include muffins, mini-bagels, cream cheese, yogurt, fresh fruit, granola bars, juice, milk and coffee/tea for adults. We make all efforts to stay away from serving food products containing peanuts and tree nuts. For those with food allergies, we suggest you read all food packaging and bring your own snacks/breakfast if needed.
What are the hours of an overnight? ach overnight program officially starts at 7 pm. Groups can arrive as early as 6:15 pm if they plan to bring in bag meals or pizza to eat in the museum classroom prior to the start time. (This must be arranged in advance). All groups should plan to arrive by 6:45 pm. Departure is by 9 am the following morning.
What should campers bring? Each camper should bring a sleeping bag, pillow and basic toiletries, as well as a signed Overnight Release Form. Adults are welcome to bring a camping pad or small inflatable mattress. We suggest that campers dress in layers of comfortable clothes and shoes that they can wear to sleep. Packing a change of clothes inside your sleeping bag is one way to save space. The museum does not have shower facilities. Flashlights are not necessary as bathrooms and common areas remain lit and nightlights are placed throughout the museum.
Where do I park? There is a parking lot on the left off Henry Law Avenue, to the right of the museum building.
Do we earn a scout badge? Hands-on experiences with the arts, science and world culture do not correlate directly with one specific badge. Please refer to badge guidelines to see how these activities could be used toward earning badges. The museum does have Children’s Museum Overnight Badges which are included with the cost of participation.
Where do we sleep? Each group is assigned an exhibit space to sleep when they arrive for the overnight. Floor surfaces consist of carpet, wood and rubber tile. When the lights go out at 11 pm, all campers must be in their sleeping areas. Museum staff will let you know where they will be positioned if you need them during the overnight hours.
Will the museum store be open during our stay? Yes. Museum staff will let you know when the shop will be open. There are many educational and fun exhibit-related items for sale. The majority of shop items cost between $1 - $10.
What if children or chaperones cancel after we have paid? The museum does not issue any refunds after a final count and payment have been made. You may find substitute chaperones to replace those who cancel.
NEW! Daisies Night Out at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire
Experience all the fun and excitement of our popular Overnight program without actually sleeping over! This evening program, just for Daisy Scouts, combines three hands-on, exhibit-based workshops with plenty of time for museum exploration and the chance to meet other Daisies from around the state! Held from 5:00 - 8:00 pm, participants will also enjoy a pizza dinner and a free pass to return to the museum another day!
Cost: $19 per Daisy, $10 per adult chaperone
Min/Max Participants: 60/120 (including adults)
Please call for available dates