Birthday Parties

Young girls around a table at a birthday party with peach craft in their hands

Looking to make your child’s next birthday an unforgettable one? Bring your party animals to the Thunder Bay Museum for an afternoon of games and activities sure to make your child’s big day special!

The museum offers birthday parties for kids ages 5-11 from September – November & January – June.

Each Birthday Party Package includes:

  • Exclusive 2-hour use of the party room.
    • For Theme Parties, the first hour will include games and activities facilitated by your host. The final hour can be dedicated to gifts, cake and exploring the galleries with adult chaperones.
  • Set-up and clean-up by Museum staff (excluding the clean up of kitchen dishes and utensils)
  • A host to run the party games and activities
  • Admission to the galleries for your guests (up to 10 children and 10 adults)
  • 4 free passes so that your family can come back and explore the Museum another time
  • Name tags for guests

Birthday Themes

  • $120.00 for a 2-hour theme party with host
  • $30 per hour for a Do-It-Yourself Party

Museum members receive a 10% discount

Paper crown, paper Luigi hat, and beaded Minecraft crafts.

Video Games Alive Party

Whether your little gamer is a fan of the classics or obsessed with the newest game to hit the market, this party is sure to level up any birthday celebration. Get into the spirit of the games by creating a Mario or Luigi party hat (or Princess Peach crown), then make a cool Minecraft key chain. Still got some energy? Then it’s time for the Angry Bird Bad Piggie Stomp! 

Recommended for children 8-11. 

Flower with feathers handcrafted fascinator with a beaded bracelet and matching necklace.

Jazzy Jewellery Party

This party’s the perfect choice for a birthday child with a love of glitz and glam.

Our party host will help the kids create a feathered fascinator that’ll give their hair-dos that Old Hollywood glam effect. Then, party guests will have a chance to make a one-of-a-kind beaded bracelet and necklace. We’ll wrap up by playing a classic hand slap game.

Paper mask and cuffs.

Heros & Villains

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s… your birthday child!

After a quick discussion about superheroes and villains (and what makes them so awesome), party guests will develop their own superhero personas. To protect their true identities, guests will create masks and wrist cuffs that reflect their new superpowers. When the crafts are finished, our heroes and villains will have to work together and think fast to survive the treacherous lava flow in our classic party game.

Decorated wooden frame, and a beaded bracelet and matching necklace craft.

#Selfie Party

During our #Selfie Party, guests get to create items to decorate their bedrooms AND themselves!

Start by creating a gorgeous hand-painted photo frame, then make a one-of-a-kind beaded bracelet and a funky necklace to take home with you. Finish up by getting sparkly with face paint and taking your most creative #selfies.

Bunch of rocks with castles, trees, star and moons and other designs painted on them.

Once Upon a Time… Party

Forget a land far, far away – the Thunder Bay Museum throws a pretty magical birthday party! 

Quickly brainstorm the elements of a great fairy tale before painting your very own Story Stones and making a felt pouch to keep them in. Round out the party by playing a game of Fairy Tale Pictionary.

Do-It-Yourself Party

You provide the inspiration and activities and we provide the facilities. There is no party host, crafts or museum programming included in this option. You still have the party room for two hours and access to all three floors of galleries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Parties can be booked on Saturdays and Sundays from September to November and January to June (exact dates are subject to availability). Parties run from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

*All parties must be booked at least 2 weeks in advance.

Cake, candles, matches, cake cutter, utensils, napkins, plates, cups, tablecloths (for two 8-foot tables), drinks, and decorations as desired. Limited use of the kitchen will be available to you, including the fridge, microwave and stove if needed.

  • $120.00 for a 2-hour theme party with host
  • $30 per hour for a Do-It-Yourself Party

Museum members receive a 10% discount
Reservations and a signed contract are required for a birthday party. The full birthday party fee is due at the time of booking to reserve the Murphy Room and/or the party host. We accept payment with cash, cheque, credit, and debit.

Note: Parties cancelled with at least 10 days’ notice will be refunded the full amount less a $50.00 administration fee.

We only have adequate space for 10 children maximum (including the birthday child) for the activities that we have planned.

Please consider a Do-It-Yourself Party for larger groups (up to 25 people).

Our casual staff members, who host the party activities, are not historical docents and can therefore only give basic information about the Museum. A tour is not part of your scheduled activities.

Complete our Birthday Party Booking Form.

We will check the availability of the party room and party hosts and respond to your request as soon as possible (typically within 3 business days).