Private Events and Parties
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Do not use the "Book Now" button for private events, scroll down and use the form at the bottom of this page.
Cancellation policy
No refunds for no-shows or less than 24hr notice cancelations, full refund if canceled more than 3 days before event, 50% refund if canceled within 1-3 days of event. Rates
Birthday parties and field trips occurring at the insectarium are available outside of our business hours for $200 for one hour ($100 for each additional hour). Book online and pay deposit below. If you wish to book a private event during normal business hours (check our calendar), the fee increases to $250 per hour during the week and $300 per hour on weekends, and must be booked via email: [email protected]. |
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Private Tour
A one-hour private, guided tour of the insectarium. Ask the experts, hold some bugs, play with the microscope, toys, games, books, and more! Tarantula handling is available for an extra $10 (but never guaranteed and a refund will be offered if not available).
$25 per person - minimum 2 people (or $50), maximum 7 people. For more than 7 people, see party rentals below. Note that our booking program doesn't allow multiple tickets, so if more than 2 people are attending, the remainder will be due on the day of the private tour. Please let us know in the appointment notes how many people are attending.
$25 per person - minimum 2 people (or $50), maximum 7 people. For more than 7 people, see party rentals below. Note that our booking program doesn't allow multiple tickets, so if more than 2 people are attending, the remainder will be due on the day of the private tour. Please let us know in the appointment notes how many people are attending.
Birthday Party or Field Trip
Do you have a bug-loving kiddo with a birthday coming up? Or a small class that would like to visit for a field trip? Our space is small, but we can accommodate up to 15 people total (20 in summer when people can be out front). Must be at least one adult chaperone (two if more than 10 kids) if kids are under 16 years old.
Rates are $200 for first hour, $100 for each subsequent hour. $50 deposit to hold the date. The remainder will be due on the day of the event. We can provide tables, seating, table cloths, activities, and bugs. Food and drinks to be provided by you. For birthday parties we have a gift for the birthday person and for field trips we have printed take-home materials.
Tarantula handling is only available if more than one week from a scheduled tarantula handling event (see calendar) and only if the group is calm and quiet.
Must be booked at least 2 weeks ahead.
Rates are $200 for first hour, $100 for each subsequent hour. $50 deposit to hold the date. The remainder will be due on the day of the event. We can provide tables, seating, table cloths, activities, and bugs. Food and drinks to be provided by you. For birthday parties we have a gift for the birthday person and for field trips we have printed take-home materials.
Tarantula handling is only available if more than one week from a scheduled tarantula handling event (see calendar) and only if the group is calm and quiet.
Must be booked at least 2 weeks ahead.
Private Pinning Class
Learn the techniques of relaxing, pinning, and drying dead insect specimens. Includes instruction, pins, forceps, styrofoam pinning block, a shadowbox, and 1-2 dead insects. The type of insect will depend on what is available at the time of booking. When you request to schedule, I will email you the available options. Please respond to this email or I will not be able to accept the appointment request.
Recommended age 10+ as pinning requires fine motor skills and uses sharp objects. Children under age 15 must have a parent/guardian attending with them. If the parent does not wish to pin an insect, there will be a $10 admission fee when you arrive for the class.
This booking software does not allow for multiple tickets/purchases, so the $75 is a deposit if more than one person is attending. If additional people are attending, payment is due at the insectarium the day of the event: $75 if pinning an insect and $10 if not. Limit 10 people, whether or not they are pinning an insect. The class is scheduled for one and a half hours, but pinning will take 40-60 min, depending on the insect and skill level, so the rest of the time you can just explore the zoo!
If you are looking to accommodate a larger group, we can come to you! Send an email to inquire [email protected]
Recommended age 10+ as pinning requires fine motor skills and uses sharp objects. Children under age 15 must have a parent/guardian attending with them. If the parent does not wish to pin an insect, there will be a $10 admission fee when you arrive for the class.
This booking software does not allow for multiple tickets/purchases, so the $75 is a deposit if more than one person is attending. If additional people are attending, payment is due at the insectarium the day of the event: $75 if pinning an insect and $10 if not. Limit 10 people, whether or not they are pinning an insect. The class is scheduled for one and a half hours, but pinning will take 40-60 min, depending on the insect and skill level, so the rest of the time you can just explore the zoo!
If you are looking to accommodate a larger group, we can come to you! Send an email to inquire [email protected]
Private Bug Walk
Take a walk with us! We offer this as a ticketed event to the public throughout the summer, but if you have a class or group of people who would like to learn the techniques of finding, catching, and identifying the bugs in our local parks, you can book a private Bug Walk. Rates are $10 for adults and $7 for kids (under age 18) and everyone gets a bug catching vial to use and keep. For $15 you can add a full bug-catching kit, which includes - drawstring bag, bug-catching vials, a magnifying glass, and a field notebook. Available May-October. The walk is one-hour, if you would like additional time, it will be an extra $3 per adult and $1 per kid per hour. Minimum 10 people to book (or $85 if less than 10), maximum 40 people and we need at least one adult per 9 kids (under age 16). $50 deposit to hold the date.
Photo Shoot
Get some dreamy portraits taken with bugs! Live, preserved, and artificial bug options available. Our live bug options are a tarantula, a millipede, leaf insects, and cockroaches (scorpion and mantises not available at the moment). As live animals are unpredictable, we can't guarantee all of these will be available at all times. We can accommodate children and groups of up to three. Please let us know in the appointment notes if you plan to bring children, how many, and what ages.
$50 deposit to hold the date and anything remaining will be due the day of the shoot. One person may attend who is not participating in the shoot (ie parent chaperone), any additional guests that have not been paid for as models will be charged a $10 admission fee. Limit three models, limit eight people total. When you request to book, we will send you a form to fill out. You must complete the form before we will accept your request and book the appointment.
$50 deposit to hold the date and anything remaining will be due the day of the shoot. One person may attend who is not participating in the shoot (ie parent chaperone), any additional guests that have not been paid for as models will be charged a $10 admission fee. Limit three models, limit eight people total. When you request to book, we will send you a form to fill out. You must complete the form before we will accept your request and book the appointment.
There are several package options.
1. Quick Basic Shoot: Simple portraits in front of the pinned bug wall or flower wall. No live bugs. 30 min $50 ($35 for each additional person). At least five edited digital photos.
2. Quick Live Bug Shoot: Simple portraits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, or on floor. 30 min $100 ($50 for each additional person). Choose up to two live bugs to shoot with. At least five edited digital photos.
3. Long Basic Shoot: Portaits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, or other backdrops. No live bugs. One hour $85 ($45 for each additional person). At least ten edited digital photos. The additional time allows for outfit changes, multiple backdrops and themes, experimental lighting, and more shots to choose from.
4. Long Live Bug Shoot: Portraits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, floor, or other backdrops. One hour $150 ($85 for each additional person). At least ten edited digital photos. Choose up to three live bugs to shoot with. The additional time allows for outfit changes, multiple backdrops and themes, experimental lighting, and more shots to choose from.
5. Deluxe Live Bug Shoot: Portaits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, floor, or other backdrops. Two hours $400 ($200 for each additional person). At least twenty edited digital photos. Choose any of our available live bugs. Makeup and hair assistance and some wardrobe and accessories available. Requires $100 deposit.
1. Quick Basic Shoot: Simple portraits in front of the pinned bug wall or flower wall. No live bugs. 30 min $50 ($35 for each additional person). At least five edited digital photos.
2. Quick Live Bug Shoot: Simple portraits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, or on floor. 30 min $100 ($50 for each additional person). Choose up to two live bugs to shoot with. At least five edited digital photos.
3. Long Basic Shoot: Portaits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, or other backdrops. No live bugs. One hour $85 ($45 for each additional person). At least ten edited digital photos. The additional time allows for outfit changes, multiple backdrops and themes, experimental lighting, and more shots to choose from.
4. Long Live Bug Shoot: Portraits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, floor, or other backdrops. One hour $150 ($85 for each additional person). At least ten edited digital photos. Choose up to three live bugs to shoot with. The additional time allows for outfit changes, multiple backdrops and themes, experimental lighting, and more shots to choose from.
5. Deluxe Live Bug Shoot: Portaits in front of the pinned bug wall, flower wall, floor, or other backdrops. Two hours $400 ($200 for each additional person). At least twenty edited digital photos. Choose any of our available live bugs. Makeup and hair assistance and some wardrobe and accessories available. Requires $100 deposit.
Off-site events
We can bring the bugs to you (within 20 miles of the insectarium)!
Full traveling presentation:
Our traveling presentation consists of two 6-foot tables or equivalent surface area (provided by you or we can bring some), one table is for touchable bugs where people can handle exotic isopods (roly-polies), roaches, beetles, and more. The other table we use for live bugs in glass terrariums like spiders, scorpions, and mantises, plus pinned insect displays. We also bring a selection of toys and books to explore. Rates $250 for one hour and $350 for two hours.
Basic presentation
We also offer a one table, no touchable bugs presentation for $175 for an hour ($100 for each additional hour).
Vendor presentation:
Markets: if you have an event or space that is specifically where people go to shop, we are allowed to sell things, and it is reasonable that we will make some sales - we can potentially attend without a fee.
Non-markets: festivals, outreach, or educational events where we can sell things or have a tip jar but is not specifically a market, we may be able to attend for $50 per hour.
If you have a space where we can charge admission, we can potentially attend without a fee.
If we are outdoors we need a covered or shaded area away from direct sun. We cannot be near loud music or commotion. If outside of our service area, there is an extra transportation fee. Please email for more information [email protected]
Full traveling presentation:
Our traveling presentation consists of two 6-foot tables or equivalent surface area (provided by you or we can bring some), one table is for touchable bugs where people can handle exotic isopods (roly-polies), roaches, beetles, and more. The other table we use for live bugs in glass terrariums like spiders, scorpions, and mantises, plus pinned insect displays. We also bring a selection of toys and books to explore. Rates $250 for one hour and $350 for two hours.
Basic presentation
We also offer a one table, no touchable bugs presentation for $175 for an hour ($100 for each additional hour).
Vendor presentation:
Markets: if you have an event or space that is specifically where people go to shop, we are allowed to sell things, and it is reasonable that we will make some sales - we can potentially attend without a fee.
Non-markets: festivals, outreach, or educational events where we can sell things or have a tip jar but is not specifically a market, we may be able to attend for $50 per hour.
If you have a space where we can charge admission, we can potentially attend without a fee.
If we are outdoors we need a covered or shaded area away from direct sun. We cannot be near loud music or commotion. If outside of our service area, there is an extra transportation fee. Please email for more information [email protected]