Know before you go

General Admission, Baby Bloomers, and special event tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. In the event of an emergency closing by the Museum, the ticket purchaser will have the option of an exchange or refund.

Birthday parties:
Requests to cancel or reschedule must be made at least two weeks in advance and will incur a $50 administrative fee. Refunds (minus the $50 fee) will be offered in response to requests made up to two weeks before the party date.

Refunds are not available for cancellations requested less than two weeks from the reserved event date.

For outdoor birthday parties only: In the event of inclement weather, defined as lightning and/or heavy rain, parties will be rescheduled with zero administrative fee, or a credit in the value of the party can be given to the account to be used at a later time. Inclement weather decisions will be assessed by Thinkery management up to and including the morning of the event.

Private parties & venue rentals:
Private events and conference room rentals at Thinkery include a $75 non-refundable registration fee. Refund requests, minus this $75 fee, will be honored
for cancellations made at least 14 days before your event date.

No refunds will be extended for cancellations requested within 14 days of your
event date. Instead, the total cost of your event will immediately convert to a tax-deductible donation to the museum.

You may also choose to postpone your event with at least 14 days of notice
and apply your credits to a new date once without penalty or incurring additional
expenses. Second or subsequent postponement requests will incur a $50
administrative fee for each change.

The event you book is uniquely yours and is not transferable to other hosts or
guests

Thinkery Camps:
Camp fees include a $75 non-refundable fee. Refunds (minus the $75 non-refundable fee) are given for cancellations made at least two weeks prior to your camp start date. 

No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than two weeks in advance of the start date of your camp. If your child is unable to attend, the cost of your camp will be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the museum. 

If you are registered for camp and need to change weeks or sessions, there will be a $50 administrative fee once the change is approved. This request must be made at least two weeks prior to the date of the camp. 

If the camp you are registered for is canceled due to low enrollment or health and safety-mandated closure, you will be refunded your full tuition payment. 

Field Trips:
If you need to cancel your visit, please contact us as soon as possible at schoolprograms@thinkeryaustin.org or 512-469-2333.  All sales are final, with no refunds for canceled visits or reservation fees.  Refunds will only be given in the form of Admit One passes to Thinkery.

Membership benefits are non-refundable, non-transferable, and are to be used by the Member’s household and guests only.

As a nonprofit organization, Thinkery relies on membership and admission support to continue providing innovative exhibits, outstanding programs, and fun learning opportunities for Texas families. This policy is intended to prevent any misuse of memberships, which results in loss of revenue for our community programs.

We stand by our products, and if you are not satisfied with the product you receive, we offer a 10-day money-back guarantee. Please call us at 512-904-0209, in advance to obtain an RMA number (Return Merchandise Authorization) within 10 days of the purchase date. All refunds will be provided as a credit to the credit card used at the time of the purchase within five (5) business days upon receipt of the returned merchandise. We will not offer refunds after 10 days of receipt of goods. All items must be returned in the condition received. For any further questions, comments, or concerns, contact us at 512-904-0209.

Thinkery invites guests to engage in positive experiences that spark imagination and stimulate curiosity. To support positive visits, the Museum expects the following from all guests.

Play together!
Playing is learning and children learn best alongside caring, responsive adults. Maximize your experience by observing, facilitating, and collaborating with your child. Pro tip: Take a break from that cell phone and play!

Be a role model for children.
Learning is a joyful, fun, and lifelong endeavor. Be curious and show your kids how it’s done! Remember that you are setting an example for your children and others through your actions and words in the Museum.

Respect others.
We are a community space where people connect, conversations spark, and ideas grow. As you explore and play, be courteous to those around you. Please do not touch or verbally reprimand any child not in your group. If you need assistance, please ask a staff member.

Assume good intentions.
Please understand that children’s play with interactive exhibits is often joyful and exuberant. This may mean that another child’s play may unintentionally interfere with your child’s play. Touching, colliding, and reaching for the same object may innocently occur between children.

Use positive language and actions.
Model problem-solving skills, critical thinking, curiosity, and empathy. Profanity, harassment, threatening language and physical interactions, abuse of any kind, or other inappropriate public behavior are strictly prohibited.

Use of Links

Within our website, we may provide links to other servers which may contain information of interest to our readers. We take no responsibility for, and exercise no control over, the organizations, views, or accuracy of the information contained on other servers. Creating a text link from your website to our site does not require permission.

Use of Text and Images

If you would like to publish information that you find on our website, please send your request to marketing@thinkeryaustin.org. Where text or images are posted on our site with the permission of the original copyright holder, a copyright statement appears at the bottom of the page.

Accessibility

This website is designed to be accessible to visitors with disabilities and to comply with federal guidelines concerning accessibility. We welcome your comments. If you have suggestions on how to make the site more accessible, please contact us at marketing@thinkeryaustin.org.

Reading or Downloading We collect and store only the following information about you: the name of the domain from which you access the internet, the date and time you access our site, and the Internet address of the website from which you linked to our site. This is all information obtained from Google Analytics. We use the information we collect to measure the number of visitors to the different sections of our site and to help us make our site more useful to visitors.

Contact Information and Donations

If you complete the online profile update form and share your personally identifying information, this information will be used only to provide you with more targeted content. We may use your contact information to send further information about our organization or to contact you when necessary. You may always opt-out of receiving future mailings—see the “Opt Out” section below. In supporting Thinkery—whether through donations or membership—we will ask that you provide personal information to us, including name, address, email, and phone number. This information will be used to correspond with you regarding your support. We will never sell your personal information. We will occasionally share Member information, specifically names and addresses (we will never share your giving history, phone number or email address) with like-minded nonprofit organizations in Central Texas. To request that your name and address not be shared, please send an email request to membership@thinkeryaustin.org.

Sending us an Email

You also may decide to send us personally identifying information, for example, in an electronic mail message containing a question or comment, or by filling out a Web form that provides us this information. We use personally identifying information from email primarily to respond to your requests. We may forward your email to other employees who are better able to answer your questions. We may also use your email to contact you in the future about our programs that may be of interest. We will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit our site unless you choose to provide such information to us. Providing such information is strictly voluntary. Except as might be required by law, we do not share any information we receive with any outside parties. If you sign up for one of our email lists, we will only send you the types of information you have requested. We won’t share your name or email address with any outside parties.

Opt-Out or Change Your Contact Information

You may choose to receive only specific communications (such as our newsletter) or none at all. You may also update your contact information previously provided to us through another online form. You cannot remove yourself from our database, but you can prevent unwanted communication.  To request that your name and address not be shared, please send an email request to membership@thinkeryaustin.org.

Photo Policy

Photography and filming are conducted by Thinkery for marketing and educational purposes. Entering the museum and/or purchase of an admission or program ticket constitutes your consent for Thinkery and our programming partners to use any photos, images or film it deems appropriate without payment, inspection or review. All rights to the photographs and video belong to the museum. If you want a photograph or video removed of yourself or dependents on any of our web channels, please contact us at marketing@thinkeryaustin.org. Feel free to take photos and post about your visit. We love seeing and sharing (with permission) visitor photos on our social media channels—when posting your photos, add the hashtag #ThinkeryATX so we can see them, too! When photographing more than just your group, please be considerate and respectful of other visitors’ privacy. Questions?

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this website, you can contact us at marketing@thinkeryaustin.org.

What are your hours?

Thinkery’s most up-to-date hours information can be found here.

Where can I park?

Parking is available at the McBee Street District Garage, with entrances off McBee Street and Robert Browning Street. Thinkery provides up to three hours of free parking in the McBee Street District Garage during General Admission hours. A QR code for the discount will be available at the museum. We cannot validate parking in the McBee Street District Garage for special events or programs occurring outside of General Admission operating hours.

Pay-by-phone, credit- and coin-operated metered street parking is also available around Mueller Lake Park. Please note, parking in the lot next to Mueller Lake Park or in the AMLI at Mueller parking garage will result in towing.

Do you offer free or discounted admission?

Yes, you can find more information on our free and discounted admission programs here.

How long does it take to go through the museum?

Most visitors spend between 1.5-2 hours exploring the museum. You are welcome to explore the museum at your own pace, but it’s a good idea to plan for at least 90 minutes for your visit.

Where can we keep our stroller and belongings while we play?

We encourage guests to leave your strollers in your vehicle if possible. There is an unattended stroller parking outside of the museum. Lockers are available for rent at this time for $1.

Can I drop off my child at the museum?

A guardian must accompany a child throughout the museum. Guardians must be 18 years of age or older. Parents/Caregivers are responsible for supervising their children at all times. You are your child’s best advocate for staying safe.

Do you have a Lost and Found?

For the time being, only valuables (wallet, keys, phone, etc.) will be held for claim. All other items will be disposed of if not claimed within 24 hours.

Is food available? Can we bring food?

Food is not allowed inside the Museum except for water and formula.

Do I have to wear shoes?

Yes. Shoes must be worn at all times.

Can I bring balloons?

Balloons are permitted inside the building.

Is smoking allowed?

The Museum is a non-smoking facility, including e-cigarettes, and chewing tobacco.

What is your adult to child ratio?

We require a 1:5 adult-to-children ratio on our exhibit floor. Children must be supervised at all times. No security can take the place of adult supervision.

What if I have a meeting at Thinkery – Meredith Learning Lab?

Business visitors must check in with a Guest Services staff member at Admissions.

Are weapons or firearms allowed at Thinkery?

Thinkery is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our visitors. As posted at Thinkery’s entrance—and in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas—for the safety of our children, no weapons (including concealed or open carry) are allowed. With the exception of law enforcement, anyone possessing a weapon will be asked to remove it from our premises immediately. 

Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun.

Pursuant to Section 30.07, Penal Code (trespass by license holder with an openly carried handgun), a person licensed under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (handgun licensing law), may not enter this property with an openly carried handgun.

Do you have accessible parking?

Limited accessible metered street parking is available near Thinkery and at the McBee Street District Garage, with entrances off McBee Street and Robert Browning Street. Thinkery can provide up to three hours of free parking in the McBee Street District Garage during normal business operating hours. Bring us your parking ticket, and we’ll validate it for you.

Is Thinkery wheelchair accessible? Do you have wheelchairs available?

Thinkery is fully wheelchair accessible. Elevator access is available on both floors. A limited number of wheelchairs may be borrowed at the Admissions desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are requested to leave a photo ID at Admissions while using museum wheelchairs.

Do you have sound-reducing earmuffs?

A limited number of sound-reducing earmuffs may be borrowed at the Admissions desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests are requested to leave a photo ID at Admissions while using museum earmuffs.

May I bring my service animal?

Thinkery welcomes service animals – other animals or pets are not allowed except as part of museum programs. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.

When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, Thinkery staff will ask two questions: (1) is the animal a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the animal been trained to perform.

The animal must be housebroken, non-threatening, and under the handler’s control. If the animal becomes aggressive or threatens the health and safety of others, Thinkery staff will require the removal of the animal from the museum.  According to ADA, dogs or therapy animals whose function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals, even with a doctor’s note, and will not be allowed in the museum.

If a child (or adult) in my group is sick, can we still visit the museum?

For the health and safety of all our guests, we ask that any child or adult with an elevated temperature or an illness that may be contagious (such as pink eye, a cold, or the flu) not visit Thinkery until they are fully recovered.

A good rule of thumb: if you’re too sick to go to school (or work), you should plan to visit Thinkery another time.

What are your cleaning procedures? How do you prevent the spread of germs?

We are committed to keeping the museum clean and safe for guests. 

• A professional cleaning team is on-site during Thinkery operating hours to sanitize and clean the restrooms and common areas. Deep cleaning takes place when the museum is closed. The museum is cleaned and disinfected with a special electrostatic cleaning performed once a week.
• The air in the building is always circulated with fresh air to maintain clean, healthy air.
• Hand sanitizer stations are located on each floor, throughout galleries, and near all restrooms.
• It is developmentally appropriate that babies and toddlers put things in their mouths. Thinkery provides bins for these props and objects to be placed for disinfecting before being cycled back out for play. Dirty props and loose parts are constantly replaced with clean ones throughout the day.
• Visitors are welcome to notify Thinkery staff if an area or object needs attention

Click here for detailed information on our health, safety, and sanitation protocols, along with tips for keeping kids (and adults) healthy while at Thinkery.