FAQs Museum Sleepover: Dinos
This event is for children aged 6 – 12. We ask customers to adhere to the age guidance as the event and its activities are intended for this specific age group. Children under or over the age guidance will not be allowed entry.
What happens on the night?
A typical Museum Sleepover event looks like this:
17:30 - Doors open and registration
18:15 - Doors close: no entry after this time
18:15 - Guests divided into groups. Health and safety briefing.
18:30 - 23.00 - Activities and Snacks
21:30 Film Screening in our historic Reardon Smith Theatre
23.20 – Get ready for bed
00:00 - Bed time
7:00 - Wake up and pack-up
7:20 - 9:00 – Breakfast, Family Workout sessions, Galleries open.
9:15 – Event ends. Collect your belongings.
10:00 - The Museum opens to the public.
Please note that the Museum reserves the right to make adjustments to the schedule and content if necessary to ensure a safe and fun event.
And if that’s not all, VIPs will experience a bedtime story session, a unique behind the scenes visit, and a very special Dino meet & greet!
VIP tickets include all Dino Nights activities plus:
- An air bed in an exclusive, quiet camping area in our Natural History Gallery (Herbivore Hub) or our Evolution of Wales Gallery (Camp Carnivore), near the basking shark and forest animals.
- Access to your camping area as soon as you arrive. Settle in early and make yourselves at home – Herbivore Hub will be set up in advance for you.
- A bedtime story session under the stars in our big bang room.
- Come face to face with a baby dinosaur. Enjoy a special visit from Ranger Chris and one of his roarsome reptiles.
- Go behind the scenes! Visit the museum stores to see our insects and creepy crawlies!
Please bring your own sleeping bag and pillow. Air bed will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. Please notify us in advance if this is the case.
*Behind the scenes tours will take place at 09:00 and 09:30 on the Sunday morning. Your time slot will be allocated and cannot be changed.
All children and parents must bring a sleeping bag, pillow, toothpaste, and toothbrush.
We recommend wearing appropriate footwear and clothing to sleep in. Any hand luggage you bring with you will be stored in a nearby room. The Museum takes no responsibility for personal items. In the unlikely event of an evacuation, overnight clothes must be suitable to wear outdoors.
Appropriate footwear must be worn at all times in the Museum, apart from when you’re sleeping.
We provide thin sleeping mats, but you are welcome to bring your own. We allow inflatable mats or mattresses of the following dimensions: H22, L185, W76cm. Any larger airbeds will not be permitted, due to floor capacity reasons.
As a museum, we are working hard to improve our sustainability. Therefore, please bring your own water bottle. Bottled water will not be provided. There will be water dispensers for you to refill your bottles.
Some safety lighting will be left on overnight. We recommend you bring eye masks to help you sleep.
Please do not bring items that are of financial or sentimental value. The Museum takes no responsibility for loss of or damage to any items belonging to visitors.
We do not allow attendees to plug any electrical items into the Museum’s sockets during the event for health and safety reasons. Please get in touch if you require access to power or refrigeration for medical reasons.
We recommend that you eat a meal before arriving.
Snacks and a hot chocolate will be provided to all between 19:00 and 20:30 (visitors will be divided into teams for the activities and therefore, teams will receive their snack boxes at different times).
You are more than welcome to bring additional snacks for later in the evening. Please do not bring cooking equipment.
Our snacks can include:
A hot dog or veggie dog
Crisps
Fruit
Chocolate
In the morning, breakfast will be provided and will include:
Selection of cereal
A selection of pastries
Fruit Salad
Fruit Juice
Fresh tea and coffee
*Dietary requirements are collected during booking.
The event is not a nut-free environment. If you or any member of your group have any allergies you are concerned about, please confirm this by emailing events@museumwales.ac.uk
If you or a member of your group can’t eat the snacks or breakfast, please advise when booking and bring your own refreshments with you. Please note we cannot provide fridge or microwave/oven access for food items.
The number of adults required for each group are:
2 children | 1 adult required
2-4 children | 2 adults required
5-12 children | 3 adults required
13-20 children | 4 adults required
21-28 children | 5 adults required
29-36 children | 6 adults required
Adults will sleep in the same area as the children. Accompanying adults must be at least 18 years old and will be asked to show ID at registration.
Entry is through the Museum’s main entrance on Gorsedd Garden Road. Doors will open at 17:30 and close at 18:15. We cannot allow entry after 18:15.
Visit our plan your visit webpage for more information on how to get to us.
Parking is available at the Museum car park with entry from Museum Avenue. Please note capacity is limited and will therefore be operated on a first come first served basis, and parking fees are not included in the event ticket price.
If you think that you may not get here on time, please email us
Refunds/partial refunds will not be given if you are late.
All areas used for this event are accessible, however, due to the historic nature of the building, alternative routes may be needed to support special requirements. We would recommend you contact us before booking, to confirm that your requirements can be met.
Quiet Space: We have a designated quiet space for families that require quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of the event. A member of staff will be able to direct you to this area at any point during the sleepover.
Please let us know while booking if you require British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation during this event. An interpreter will be available for the duration of the night if needed, including overnight.
Guests will sleep in the Museum’s Main Hall. Sleeping areas can be chosen as you book your tickets. If you require special assistance related to where you sleep, please inform us upon booking.
VIP guests will sleep in the following areas: Natural History Gallery (Herbivore Hub) and Evolution of Wales Gallery (Camp Carnivore).
Event and security staff are on hand throughout the night to ensure everyone's safety and comfort. CCTV is in operation throughout the Museum.
Toilets are available for washing, teeth cleaning and changing however there are no showers available.
The consumption of alcohol is strictly forbidden at this event. Anyone suspected of consuming alcohol during the event will be asked to leave the event immediately. Our staff have the right to search bags and test liquids at any point during the event. Smoking on site is also forbidden at this event (including electronic devices) and we cannot allow visitors to enter/exit the building throughout the evening.
The are trained first-aiders on hand to assist.
The Museum exits are closed after the event has begun and it is not possible to leave during the event, except in an emergency. We do not advise leaving early, but should you need to leave during the event please let us know in advance. If you need to leave the event at any point in the unlikely event of an emergency, please speak to a member of staff.
If you have more questions about the event or wish to tell us about any special requirements in advance, please contact a member of the events team on: events@museumwales.ac.uk