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Our beautiful 1930s Art Deco building, located in the heart of Austin on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, is a perfect place to host dinners and receptions, weddings, galas and parties, programs and performances, and meetings and corporate events.

Venue rental includes museum admission for all guests, and our dramatic Great Hall ensures a memorable event and lasting memories. We look forward to learning more about your event and how we can be part of it!

Event Gallery

Event Spaces

Great Hall setup for a formal dinner

Great Hall

  • 1930s Art Deco architecture
  • 40-foot ceilings with original glass block windows
  • Adjustable LED lighting system
  • Seated capacity of 120 guests
  • Standing capacity of 240 guests
Tent in plaza lit up for outdoor reception

Natural Resources Plaza

  • 150-by-25-foot permanent tent over stone patio
  • Ample power and Wi-Fi access
  • Bistro lights
  • Seated capacity of 240 guests
  • Standing capacity of 500 guests
Coule reading A New World exhibit

Full Museum Access

  • Guest access to all exhibits
  • Use of catering kitchen
  • Use of flex space for event prep and green room
  • Wedding reception in the Great Hall
  • Museum desk with flowers
  • Couple gets married in the Great Hall
  • Lit tent for entertaining
  • Outdoor seating at the wedding of Meghan and Sam
  • Great Hall setup for a formal dinner
  • Shot of the bar from Meghan + Sam's wedding
  • Patio Food Setup
  • Lawn setup for event outside museum
  • UT CNS Hall of Honors Awards
Event Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions

For all event inquiries, please contact the museum’s event team at TMMEvents@austin.utexas.edu.

We are happy to place a hold on your event date for up to one week. To finalize your day, we require a nonrefundable deposit of 20% of the facility use fee along with the signed agreement. The remaining balance is due 90 days before your event.

Please contact the museum’s events team at TMMEvents@austin.utexas.edu for availability.

Tuesday through Sunday, events can begin after the museum closes to the public at 5 p.m. The museum is closed to the public on Mondays, so events can take place at any time during the day.

Setup can begin in the Great Hall as early as 4 p.m. for events held Tuesday through Sunday. Event clientele and vendors are asked to minimize noise until the museum closes at 5 p.m. Setup on the Natural Resources Patio can begin as early as 10 a.m.

Exhibit access for all guests is included in the rental fee. Food and drinks are allowed in the exhibit areas but cannot be placed on exhibit stands or cases.

Discounted rates are available for nonprofits and all University of Texas at Austin schools, colleges, departments and student organizations. A 10% discount is also available for museum members at the Centennial and Memorial Circle tiers of membership.

While we can provide a list of recommended vendors that we have had great experiences with in the past, the museum does not have a list of preferred or required vendors for events. All caterers must be properly certified and list the University as an additional insured in their Certificate of Insurance.

Yes! All alcohol must be served by a TABC licensed bartender, and they must carry a minimum $1 million insurance policy. No alcohol self-service is permitted.

Texas Science & Natural History Museum is open for private photography and videography sessions during off-hours, and on Mondays when the museum is closed to the public. The fee for a two-hour session is $75. Fees are waived for wedding clients. Please contact the museum’s event team at TMMEvents@austin.utexas.edu for availability and scheduling.

Per University of Texas System rules, Texas Science & Natural History Museum cannot be used by external organizations for commercial purposes, including for advertisements, stock video or merchandise promotion.

Paid parking is available at the San Jacinto Parking Garage adjacent to Texas Science & Natural History Museum. If you would like to reserve parking for your guests, the museum is able to provide parking passes for your event for a per-spot fee. Because the UT campus is a busy place with many activities and events, parking options may be limited on certain days.