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Museum Overnights

Spend the Night in a Museum for an Exciting Look Behind the Scenes.

National Aquarium in Baltimore Dolphin Sleepover, 501 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD. Your fun-filled evening begins with a private trainer talk, where you will get the inside scoop on their dolphin family. Next, you will enjoy reserved seating at Our Ocean Planet: The Dolphin Show to see live dolphins in action. Throughout the evening, you will explore behind-the-scenes areas, learn exciting and interesting facts in the Dolphin Discovery Lab, and even dare to take a walk on the shark catwalk! Finally, fall asleep with the Aquarium’s aquatic animals in one of the Underwater Viewing Areas. After breakfast, join the trainers again for an exclusive enrichment session with the dolphins. Sleepovers are from 6pm to 9am. Some dates January 20, February 3 & 17. Space is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance by credit card. Admission prior to tour start time is not permitted. Participants in the Dolphin Sleepover must be at least 8 years old; no exceptions are made. A paid adult must accompany all children and a waiver agreement must be signed by a parent or guardian. For reservations and more information call 410-576-3833 or see www.aqua.org.

National Aquarium in Baltimore Sleepover with the Sharks,, 501 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD. Take part in hands-on activities in our Shark Discovery Lab and crafts station. With an expert guide, take a nocturnal prowl through the Aquarium’s behind-the-scenes areas, including a visit to the food-prep area to learn how we care for and feed the sharks and rays. Dare to walk the catwalk, where sharks swim silently just inches below you. Sleep in the underwater viewing area with the sharks sleeping close by. After breakfast, test your shark knowledge with an Aquarium version of Jeopardy. Sleepovers are from 6pm to 9am. Upcoming dates include January 13 & 27 and February 10 & 24. For reservations and more information call 410-576-3833 or see www.aqua.org

Smithsonian Sleepovers,. A night of adventure awaits you as you enter the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW in Washington, D.C. 20560. Just as the doors are closing, the lights dim, and the crowds shuffle out, the wonders of the museum’s Hall of Dinosaurs, Mammal Hall, and new Sant Ocean Hall are yours to explore. Follow Indiana Jane on a tour of the exhibits, search for clues on a scavenger hunt, create your own fossil & coral reef, and a visit to the 4-D Immersion Theater. Then roll out your sleeping bag and dream away in the darkened halls of one of the world’s most famous museums sleeping with the dinosaurs, whale, and the giant squid! For 8 to 12 years old. There must be at least one adult for every three children in any group that registers. No siblings younger than 8. No adults without children. Summer sleepover dates will be announced later. For more information call 202-633-3030 or see www.smithsoniansleepovers.org

Port Discovery Chilren’s Museum Overnight Adventures,, 35 Market Place, Baltimore, MD 21202 Imagine taking your scout or youth group on a journey through ancient Egypt; exploring a mystery house; and climbing a 3-story tree house; all within one night! Overnight Adventures combines the fun and excitement of exploring the great indoors of Port Discovery with hands-on, educational workshops! The program includes: Free play in the Museum's exhibits , Creative arts and science based projects, Evening snack and light breakfast, People Just Like You or Overnight Adventures patch, Discount parking at Harbor Park Garage. Overnight Adventures are available for: Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scouts, Cub and Boy Scouts, Youth Groups, Schools and Camps. The Overnight Adventures season runs from January through June.
2012 Overnight Dates are
Saturday, January 28: Daisy/Brownie - Light Up the Night
Saturday, February 4: Brownie/Junior - WildLife Adventures
Saturday, February 25: Brownie -aLight Up the Night
Saturday, March 3- Cub/Boy- SOLD OUT
Saturday, March 10: Cub/Boy - TENTATIVE** Ooey Gooey Science with Eric Energy
Saturday, March 24 - Daisy/Brownie - SOLD OUT
Saturday, April 14 – Junior -Ooey Gooey Science with Eric Energy
Saturday, April 21- Daisy/Brownie - SOLD OUT
Saturday, April 28 – Brownie - Ooey Gooey Science with Eric Energy
Friday, May 4 -Daisy/Brownie -Light Up the Night
Saturday, May 11 - SOLD OUT
Saturday, May 19 - Daisy/Brownie -WildLife Adventures
Saturday, June 2- Brownie - Light Up the Night
Saturday, June 9 – Junior -Extreme Jean Science Show
Dates are subject to change. Private overnights for Youth Groups, Schools and Camps are available for groups of 125 or more. Please call 410-864-2726 or email overnights@portdiscovery.org to inquire about available dates. (Private overnights must be booked at least 4 weeks in advance.) For more information see www.portdiscovery.org.

National Zoo Snore & Roar,. Come to the National Zoo for the wildest slumber party around. You may have spent the night in a tent before. But have you ever been woken up by the roar of powerful lions? Or heard the early morning call of playful gibbons? If not, come spend the night at the National Zoo during a Snore & Roar. It’s the best way to see the Zoo’s animals after hours and enjoy the park all to yourself. Snore & Roar overnights take place between June and September. Your incredible overnight adventure includes: A two-hour exploration of an animal house or exhibit area, led by a Zoo keeper, A late-night flashlight hike through the Zoo, Lodging in a four-person tent, provided by FONZ, under a blanket of stars on Lion/Tiger Hill. (You will not be asked to share your tent with a stranger.) Continental breakfast and a family-friendly morning activity. Participants must be six years and older to attend Snore & Roar. A paying adult must accompany anyone under 18, and a minimum of one adult must chaperone every three children (under 18). This is for FONZ Members Only (So join! It’s a lot of fun!) To sign up, you must hold a current FONZ Household membership or higher. Participants in family overnights may bring two additional children as guests. A maximum of six participants may sign up per registration. Please check back in early March for the 2012 Snore & Roar schedule. Priority reservations for members at the Contributing Level begin on March 27, 2012. Reservations for members at the Household Level begin on April 3, 2012.
Scout Snooze,. Want to give your scout troop an unforgettable campout? Look no further! Your Boy or Girl Scout Troop can enjoy a Snore & Roar designed just for them with activities and tours to help learn about conservation and wildlife while spending a wild night at the Zoo. When it comes to a camping with exotic animals, nothing beats the National Zoo. Your troop’s overnight will include wildlife-related activities and a flashlight tour of the nocturnal residents at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Scout Snooze campers sleep in four-person tents provided on Lion/Tiger Hill. In the morning, an animal keeper leads them on a two-hour tour of an exhibit area. An evening snack and continental breakfast are provided. Scout leaders may assign tent arrangements. Scout Snooze sleepovers are available only to FONZ members. To sign up, one adult per scout group must have a FONZ household membership (or higher). Please check back in early March for the 2012 Scout Snooze schedule. Priority reservations for members at the Contributing Level begin on March 27, 2012. Reservations for members at the Household Level begin on April 3, 2012 The National Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008. For more information with a schedule of the different overnights and more details see www.nationalzoo.si.edu

Historic Ships in Baltimore Overnight Adventures,. Overnight programs provide an immersive hands-on historic experience with a twenty-first century applicability that encourages team-work, problem solving, and learning. Historic Ships in Baltimore's Overnight Adventures offers groups a unique opportunity to walk in the footsteps of sailors and learn about life aboard a mid-19th century Navy warship, a World War II era Navy Submarine, or a Coast Guard Cutter that witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI. Just as importantly, they have fun! Conveniently located in Baltimore's historic and picturesque Inner Harbor and a stone's throw from the National Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, Harbor Place, and the Civil War Museum. Program availability is 7 days a week, year-round. Cost includes two meals (evening & morning), bed (hammock or bunk), all activities, and trained educators. Programs begin at approximately 5 pm and conclude at 9am. Cost is $50 per participant; a deposit of 20% of the program's total cost is required to confirm date, 20-participant minimum per event. Maximum number of participants: USS Constellation (60), USS Torsk (30), USCGC Taney (80) Minimum age: 1st grade, Maximum age: none, Patches and caps available in the ship's store or may be pre-ordered through the retail department at 410-539-1797 ext. 457.
For more information, or to make reservations, call 410-396-3453 or email sberry@historicships.org. For more information about Baltimore’s Historic Ships, see www.historicships.org
USS Constellation Overnight Adventure , Overnight programs provide individual organizations and groups (20-60 each) an immersive, nineteenth-century, hands-on experience that encourages team-work, problem solving, and learning. The USS Constellation Overnight Adventure offers groups a unique opportunity to walk in the footsteps of sailors and learn about life aboard a mid-19th century, U.S. Navy warship. Participants become Landsmen, USS Constellation’s newest crew members. Overnight recruits “learn the ropes” and quickly develop both a working nautical vocabulary and a familiarity with the basics of life aboard a man-of-war including Civil War-era dining, hands-on activities, and the navy hammock.
USS Torsk Overnight Adventure, ,
Overnight programs offer individual organizations and groups (20-32 each) a unique, hands-on experience aboard a WWII fleet submarine. Overnighters learn about things that are absolutely unique to submarines including periscopes, torpedoes, buoyancy and how submarines manage to exist below the surface.
USCGC Taney Overnight Adventure,
Overnight programs offer individual organizations and groups (20-80 each) an immersive, hands-on experience aboard a WWII veteran that saw action in the Atlantic and Pacific. Activities encourage teamwork, communications skills, and quick thinking. Overnighters learn first hand about signaling at sea, steam engines and propulsion, shipboard damage control, and navigation. Damage Control! The ship’s taking on water in an aft compartment and your team must pit its problem-solving and quick thinking against a rapidly worsening situation. Using timbers, wedges, and ideas that may be found only “outside the box,” sign up for this fast-paced, first-hand look at crisis management at sea.

Lighthouse Overnight Adventures, Fridays & Saturdays, April through June 23 and September and October, Hooper Strait Lighthouse, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, 213 N. Talbot Street, St. Michaels, MD 21663. Program begins at 6 pm and ends at 7:30 am the next morning. Program Fee: $650 (up to 15 people) Cost includes program activities, two days admission to the Museum, and a souvenir patch. Take a hands-on tour of the 1879 Hooper Strait Lighthouse, try on the chores (and clothes) of a traditional lighthouse keeper, discover facts and clues about living in a lighthouse through games and puzzles, and sweat the oath of lighthouse allegiance and become an official Hooper Strait Light Keeper. For children ages 8-12. Maximum 12 children/3 adults. One chaperone for every four children is required. They are currently taking reservations for April – June 2012. To make a reservation or for more information call Kate Livie at 410-745-4947 or email klivie@cbmm.org. For more information see www.cbmm.org.