In general, groups arrive when we open to the public at 10:00am and depart anywhere from 12:00pm-2:00pm. Arrival and departure are set up and communicated by the visiting party with our reservations team. Our museum is a self-led experience, so groups can explore the museum at their own pace. Groups may sit down for any live science demonstration as capacity allows. Groups are encouraged to participate in any pop-up activity happening on the floor.

Arrival times for groups are typically scheduled between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. Please refer to your individual schedule for your assigned arrival time.

Upon arrival, please remain on your bus until greeted by a member of our team. If your group arrives more than 15 minutes early, we may not be able to accommodate an early check-in.

Groups arriving more than 30 minutes late may not be able to participate in all planned activities. Failure to notify us of a late arrival may result in an inability to provide a refund for paid experiences.

There is no limit to how long a group can stay at the museum. Departure time usually depends on having to get back to school/camp at a certain time. General admission is good for the entire date of visit during our public hours Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm.

This deposit reserves the space in our museum for your group. We do have limits on the capacity for groups, and with high demand for group visits, we are only able to hold dates for groups with deposits. If the date of the visit were to be filled up, groups with a deposit would prevent the visit from being bumped or cancelled. Groups without a deposit or payment would be subject to having the visit bumped or cancelled if the date of the visit reaches museum capacity.

We no longer have a café. We do have a Farmers Fridge, a fresh food vending machine. We also have a vending machine that serves baked goods as well as a variety of snacks available for purchase in the Science Store. You are welcome to bring in your own bagged lunches or even get delivery. If you get a delivery, please let our reservations team know and we can give you instructions for receiving it.

Yes, when we build your itinerary, we will schedule a time and space for your group to use as a lunch space. Please let the reservations team know if you will not need to use a lunch space, as it is limited. Most days, lunch spaces are used by multiple groups, so please be timely and do your best to pick up any debris.

We do provide lunch bins to put any bagged lunches/book bags/non-valuable items. This bin will be brought and left at your lunch space and labeled with the name of your group organization/school. You are welcome to carry your belongings with you if you choose. We also have lockers that cost 50 cents to use to lock any valuable items during your visit. We encourage groups with students to leave all backpacks and other unnecessary items on their bus or in their vehicle. Coat racks are available in colder months.

Yes. All adults and children are included in the headcount. Children under the age of 3 are free but do require a reservation. Typical groups receive one complimentary adult general admission for every 10 guests. Bus drivers get free general admission into the museum.

There are no refunds or credits issued for unused tickets. Staff schedules are structured based on expected attendance, and we do not cancel staff hours once they have been scheduled.

The Michigan Science Center is ADA Compliant. We have ramps and an elevator to access the entire museum. Upon request, we can provide sensory bags or noise-cancelling headphones for any guests that would benefit from using them during the visit. If additional accommodation is needed, please let us know when booking your visit so we can share the full breadth of our options based on your specific needs.

There is street parking surrounding the museum located on Farnsworth, Brush, or Warren Avenue. All groups will be provided with a map of areas that are usually best for parking. Buses and cars must abide by all street parking regulations. The “ParkDetroit” app can be used to pay for the meter on any mobile device.

Yes! Our Science Store is a great place to find souvenirs to remember your visit. We carry a variety of products perfect for extending your visit at home or in the classroom. Please plan if you wish to visit the store. We ask that you limit those shopping to one or two chaperone groups at a time, and only permit those intending to make a purchase to enter the store. Children under the age of 18 must always be accompanied by an adult. Chaperones must be present in the store and are responsible for the behavior of their group.