Museum of Life and Science
Select services venue
The venue will provide the space, plus a few extras.
Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing
Starting at $3,500
Packages
Prices start at $3,500
Guest capacity
Up to 180 seated guests
About this venue
Say "I do" in a treehouse, share a toast with astronauts, or dance with the butterflies! At the Museum of Life and Science, we strive to bring memorable experiences to each and every visitor who explores our 84-acre campus. It is our pleasure to do the same for each guest at your wedding. We are so excited to work with you on creating a unique event just for you! With our 84-acre property, home to animals and science exhibits to explore, hosting your next event at the Museum provides your guests an experience unlike any other. Events can take place in any of our indoor and select outdoor locations. Please inquire with our rentals team about wedding packages and how we can join your journey towards your special day!
Our event spaces
Museum of Life and Science
Your Love is Unique. Your Venue Should be too!
Get married in a treehouse, drink wine with the butterflies, dance beside a spaceship – we have options that match your wonders. The Museum of Life and Science is the perfect location for your intimate ceremony or your big wedding day!
Guest capacity
Up to 180 Seated
Up to 180 Standing
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
Custom rental packages start as low as $4,500 and include exclusive space for ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, logistical planning before your event and day-of venue management, an automatic rain back-up plan, complimentary rehearsal hour if booking ceremony, bridal ready room, complimentary golf cart transportation, 1-hour of set-up time and 1-hour of breakdown time provided free of charge, access to 84-acre campus for wedding photography, free parking for guests and wedding party.
Museum of Life and Science
Your Love is Unique. Your Venue Should be too!
Get married in a treehouse, drink wine with the butterflies, dance beside a spaceship – we have options that match your wonders. The Museum of Life and Science is the perfect location for your intimate ceremony or your big wedding day!
Guest capacity
Up to 180 Seated
Up to 180 Standing
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
Custom rental packages start as low as $4,500 and include exclusive space for ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, logistical planning before your event and day-of venue management, an automatic rain back-up plan, complimentary rehearsal hour if booking ceremony, bridal ready room, complimentary golf cart transportation, 1-hour of set-up time and 1-hour of breakdown time provided free of charge, access to 84-acre campus for wedding photography, free parking for guests and wedding party.
Museum of Life and Science packages
Magic Wings Wedding
180 guests
Peak pricing $4,500
Off-peak pricing $4,500
Say “I do” on a lush lawn surrounded by gardens and backdropped by hundreds of fluttering butterflies. Then dine under our Special Events Tent warmly lit with market lights and equipped with fans to keep you cool while you boogey the night away.
Museum Wonder Package
180 guests
Peak pricing $4,500
Off-peak pricing $4,500
Our Main Building venue offers a variety of spaces great for any season. Whether your guests want to spend the evening dancing or if they want to explore some unique exhibits from NASA, they’ll stay entertained in these exciting spaces.
Wings and Wonder Package
180 guests
Peak pricing $5,500
Off-peak pricing $5,500
The Wings and Wonder package is the perfect blend of an indoor and outdoor space. With a ceremony and cocktail hour at the Butterfly House and a reception inside the Main Building, you can get the best of both worlds!
Woods and Wonder Package
180 guests
Peak pricing $5,467-5,500
Off-peak pricing $5,500
Looking for a ceremony location that is as unique as you and your partner? Hideaway Woods is the perfect location for nature lovers looking for a unique and secluded ceremony. Enjoy breathtaking locations like our babbling stream or cobb arch and take your love to new heights by climbing into our treehouse village. Then move to cocktail hour and reception at either the Butterfly House and Special Events Tent or Main Building!
Available services that can be provided by Museum of Life and Science
Services & amenities
- Dressing room / Bridal Suite
- Event staff
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wifi
Transportation & access
- Self parking - free
- Wheelchair accessible
Reviews
Write a review5.0 out of 5
6 reviews
- EM
Emmaline M.
Magical Venue
Having our wedding at the Museum of Life and Science was absolutely magical! Our guests loved the unique venue and it was everything we hoped for and more. Staff were professional, organized, helpful, and so friendly. We cannot recommend it enough!
- CL
Caitlin L.
Intimate Butterfly Microwedding
Writing for a November 2025 Wedding—Museum of Life and Science delivered such a magical evening for our intimate microwedding. Despite some communication hangups due to sudden staffing changes, they were really wonderful about hearing out our needs and ensuring our day was magical down to the detail. Event staff was courteous to our guests and on the ball with set up and presentation. The planning was relatively smooth thanks to the microwedding package which was such an awesome deal for us! I struggle with having way too many open ended options and they were great about narrowing options down for us based on our needs. Our guests raved about the butterfly house as a backdrop for our ceremony. The ambiance was intimate and magical; everyone enjoyed themselves. I definitely recommend having a unique and beautiful venue like the Museum of Life and Science as part of your intimate wedding experience!
- MP
Miranda P.
Beautiful Butterfly Celebration
The planners at the museum were very thorough (and flexible) in working with us to make our vision come to fruition. The venue is gorgeous and I'm so glad we chose the museum for our wedding location!
- YY
Yolanda Y.
The most fun museum venue around
We always dreamed of getting married in a museum, and the Museum of Life and Science made that dream come true. It was the perfect place to combine elegance and fun—and not only did we love it, but our guests kept telling us that they also had an incredible time at such a unique venue! The team at the Museum is highly professional, experienced, and communicative. They’ve clearly handled many events and it shows—the staff are organized, thoughtful, and willing to go the extra mile to make the day special, whether that means suggesting fun activities or offering supplies to help things run smoothly. We really enjoyed working with Jon throughout the process, as well as Rachel and Emily for part of the process. Their thoughtfulness, efficiency, and patience really made me so happy that I choce this venue. On the day of, unexpected weather forced us to adjust our plans, and Jon swiftly helped me create a new game plan while respecting my wishes and preserving as much of my vision as possible. The staff that night were outstanding—professional, friendly, and proactive. They seamlessly moved items between locations and even helped transport guests with umbrellas in the rain. Pricing for the venue was very reasonable and transparent from the beginning, which gave us a lot of peace of mind. The only tricky part is the liquor law that limits catering options if you want an open bar with mixed drinks—but honestly, Southern Harvest (the catering team partnered with the Museum) was incredible and vastly exceeded our expectations. The entire process was so smooth and stress-free that we’ve already recommended the venue to several friends. Truly the best decision!
- JB
Jennifer B.
Evening Under the Moon and Stars, Our Desert Oasis
The team at the Museum of Life and Science were incredibly attentive and transparent throughout our wedding planning process. Their versatile and unique event spaces allowed us to create a truly special day that felt tailored to us. The staff went above and beyond to build custom experiences for our guests, keeping everything moving smoothly and ensuring our wedding day was organized and stress-free. We are so grateful to the Museum of Life and Science for helping make our wedding day truly unforgettable.
Preferred vendors of Museum of Life and Science
Explore other vendors serving Durham, NC
- Beat Box Entertainment LLC
- Tawny Ballard Photography
- Sophia Sullivan Photo
- Lollipop Media
- Bianca Nichole and Co
- Katie Stoltz Photography
- Charlie's Angels Photography, LLC
- BWC Photos (Brotha With A Camera)
- Personal Ceremonies of North Carolina
- Brides by Becks
- Modern Ivory Weddings
- Crafted Nuance Photography
Complete your dream team
- Durham Photographers
- Durham Beauty Professionals
- Durham Bands & DJs
- Durham Florists
- Durham Caterers
- Durham Planners
- Durham Cakes & Desserts
- Durham Videographers
- Durham Bar Services & Beverages
- Durham Officiants
- Durham Event Extras
Other venues in Durham
- Daniel's Ridge
- Healing Green Farms
- Wild Rock Farm
- Pinehill Pavilion
- Chandelier Event Venue
- Ardenwood Farm
- Old Lystra Inn
- A Step To Gold Ballroom & Event Center
- Namu
- The Historic Wakefield Barn
- The Stockroom at 230
- North Carolina Museum Of Natural Sciences
Other wedding services nearby
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Event Extras
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Cakes & Desserts
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Caterers
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Videographers
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Florists
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Bar Services & Beverages
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Planners
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Photographers
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Bands & DJs
- Raleigh, NC Wedding Beauty Professionals