First-Time Parent Memberships
A free membership for first-time parents and their child birth through the age of 18 months.
You want the best start for your child. We want to give it to you free. WonderLab Museum provides the kind of open-ended play and exploration that is essential to develop young bodies and minds. We are offering first-time parents and caregivers a special free membership through the first 18 months of your first child’s life.
A Crucial Developmental Time
The first eighteen months of life is a critical time of development for babies and their caregivers. During this period, a baby’s brain is developing rapidly – building 700 neural connections every second. Key developmental milestones occur before a child’s first birthday and interactions with adults and a rich environment shape brain architecture for life. In a highly interconnected way, babies grow physically and intellectually as well as develop language and social skills. Caregivers and babies develop mutually, as they respond to one another’s communication and have shared experiences – new and repeated. These early childhood experiences can have significant impact on children’s later learning.
Yes. The First-Time Parent Membership is Free.
Developmental opportunities during these early years are of critical importance and WonderLab provides rich year-round experiences in a secure, warm and accepting atmosphere. In addition, science may be a particularly important domain in early childhood, building a basis for future scientific understanding as well as provide important skills and attitudes for learning. Because of this, extending membership to first-time parents and children ages birth through 18 months — is good not only for those individual babies and families, but for our larger community as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to provide a safe, fun, experience for all, children must meet the following requirements to register for WonderCamp:
- Campers must be 5-years-old on or before August 1, 2025.
- Campers must be able to stay with the group independently for 90% of the day. This can include a campers with aides provided by the family.
This waiver is mandatory for all children to attend Spring Break WonderCamp. A signed copy of this waiver must be on file before the start of your camp session. If WonderLab does not have a signed copy of this waiver on file, your child will not be admitted to camp.
Click here to fill out the waiver: 2025 Spring Break WonderCamp Waiver
This waiver is mandatory for all children to attend Summer WonderCamp. A signed copy of this waiver must be on file before the start of your camp session. If WonderLab does not have a signed copy of this waiver on file, your child will not be admitted to camp.
Click here to fill out the waiver: 2025 Summer WonderCamp Waiver
WonderCamp staff will do our best to meet your camper where they are, however, if your camper is not able to be with a group independently then WonderCamp is not appropriate for your child.
The First-Time Parent Membership includes two named adults. It is our policy that anyone who helps you care for your child can be named as an adult on your membership; named adults do not have to be parents or primary guardians.
If you have additional friends or family whom you would like to bring to the museum, but who are not named on your membership, they can purchase a paid membership, or they can purchase admission at the front desk.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager.
No. The First-Time Parent Membership is not available for gifting and is non-transferrable to another baby and family but we encourage you to share the registration form with qualifying new or expectant parents, so that they can register for their own membership.
Other gift options include gift admissions, gift certificates and gift memberships available for purchase on our website. Please see our Gift Membership form for more information about gifting a full-price membership.
First things first — congratulations! We’re so happy for you, and we look forward to seeing you and your baby at the museum. We do need for you to wait to register until your child is born, as we cannot process memberships without birth dates.
Memberships cannot be returned, refunded, or transferred. Please keep in mind that while the First-Time Parent Membership is a great resource for new families, it is a limited membership.
Full-price memberships come with valuable benefits that are not included with the free First-Time Parent Membership. These benefits include additional free guests, birthday party and museum rental discounts, and yearlong access to hundreds of institutions worldwide within the ASTC reciprocal museum networks. Full-price memberships last for one entire year. For more information on all of our other membership levels, visit our Membership Benefits and Levels page). Thank you for supporting WonderLab as a member; you are a valued part of our community.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager.
Our First-Time Parent Membership covers two adults and their qualifying infant(s), and includes free general admission, access to recurring programs, special member programming, and a 10% discount on museum merchandise and pre-registered programs. First-Time Parent members are not eligible for ASTC passport program reciprocal benefits, and birthday party discounts. In addition, the First-Time Parent Membership may last for less than one year depending on the date of registration (for example, if registered when child is 10 months old the First Time Parent Membership would last through the next 8 months).
Full-price memberships come with valuable benefits that are not included with the free First-Time Parent Membership. These benefits include additional free guests, birthday party and museum rental discounts and yearlong access to hundreds of ASTC reciprocal museums worldwide. Full-price memberships last for one entire year. For more information on all of our other membership levels, visit our benefits and levels page.
The First-Time Parent Membership does not include reciprocal benefits.
Full-price memberships come with valuable benefits that are not included with the free First-Time Parent Membership. These benefits include additional free guests, birthday party and museum rental discounts and yearlong access to hundreds of ASTC reciprocal museums worldwide (a full list of benefits is available on our Membership Benefits and Levels page).
For more information on all of our other membership levels, visit our benefits and levels page.
The First-Time Parent Membership covers two adult members and one child under 18 months, or multiple children under 18 months if the children are the same age (as in the case of twins, triplets, etc.). If you have more than one child under 18 months, but they are not the same age, only the eldest (aka first) child would be covered by the First-Time Parent Membership, and younger children would not receive member benefits. Children under 1 year of age always receive free general admission to WonderLab.
For families with more than one child under 18 months, we recommend purchasing a supplemental Dual Membership, or a Basic Family Membership. We also offer the Access Pass to families enrolled in qualifying assistance programs.
Visit our First-Time Parent registration page to sign up online, or visit the museum to sign up in person at the front desk.
NOTE: Please allow 5-10 days to activate your membership.
The first-time parents of children over 18 months of age do not qualify for this membership.
We offer a range of other membership options, including reduced-price Access Passes.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager, or the events and group visits manager.
The First-Time Parent Membership is intended for first-time parents, and is valid through the first 18 months of their first child’s life; it is limited to just two adults and one infant for a single period through the age of 18 months. Due to these conditions, some of the children in your household may not be covered by the First-Time Parent Membership. We offer a range of other membership options, including the reduced-price Access Pass Program.
If you have questions about your specific situation, or need help to select the best membership for your family, please contact the membership manager, or the events and group visits manager.
Yes. The First-Time Parent Membership is really free.
Camp teachers can provide alternative manipulatives and a quiet space at most locations but need campers to remain with their group for the majority of the time.
First things first — congratulations! We’re so happy for you, and we look forward to seeing you and your baby at the museum. Please wait until after your child is born to register; your child’s date of birth determines the expiration date of your membership, and is required to register.
All classrooms and locations have a Sensory Backpack.
Sound modifying headphones are available upon request.
WonderCamp strives to maintain a 5:1 ratio in all camps at all times. In order to do this we need to ensure the campers are with the group 90% of the day. We understand campers may need a break from an activity or the group, however we are not able to provide 1:1 support apart from the group for extended periods of time during the day.
A “picture story” is available at University Elementary School to give the camper a visual of what camp looks like at the school.
The First-Time Parent Membership is intended for First-Time parents, and is valid through the first 18 months of their first child’s life; it is limited to just two adults and one infant for a single period through the age of 18 months. Due to these conditions, your family may not be eligible for the First-Time Parent Membership, or some of the children in your household may not be covered.
We offer a range of other membership options, including reduced-price Access Passes. All of the educational programs associated with the First-Time Parent Membership are also available to any museum visitor, so all members are welcome to participate.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager, or the events and group visits manager.
The First-Time Parent Membership is intended for first-time parents, and is valid through the first 18 months of their first child’s life; it is limited to just two adults and one infant through the age of 18 months. Due to these conditions, your family may not be eligible for the First-Time Parent Membership, or some of the children in your household may not be covered. We offer a range of paid membership options, including the reduced-price Access Pass Program.
If you have questions about your specific situation, or need help to select the best membership for your family, please contact the membership manager, or the events and group visits manager.
Yes! First-time parents of multiples are welcome to sign up. The First-Time Parent Membership covers two adult members and one child through the age of 18 months, or multiple children through the age of 18 months if the children are the same age; parents of multiples are welcome to sign up. Simply list all of the infants’ names on line three of the registration form.
Benefits extend to two named adults and their eligible infant(s); membership is valid through the infant’s age of 18 months and includes:
- Flexible and easy to use
- Unlimited admission to the museum for each named individual
- Infant-appropriate programs: Baby Brilliance and Science Sprouts
- Invitations to free member parties and events
- 10% discount on Gift Shop purchases
- Benefits to infant AND parent development through routine encounters with high quality developmentally appropriate programming and exhibits
At the end of your membership, you will have the option to enroll in one of our other membership programs. We offer a range of paid membership options, including the reduced-price Access Pass Program.
If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager, or the events and group visits manager.
Thank you for supporting WonderLab as a valued member. All of the educational programs associated with the First-Time Parent Memberships are also available to any museum visitor. The First-Time Parent Membership is only valid through the first 18 months of the first child’s life.
Full-price memberships come with valuable benefits that are not included with the free First-Time Parent Membership. These benefits include additional free guests, birthday party and museum rental discounts and yearlong access to more than 290 institutions worldwide within the ASTC reciprocal museum networks (a full list of benefits is available on our Membership Benefits and Levels page). If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager.
Our First-Time Parent Membership covers two named adults and their qualifying infant(s) and includes free general admission to the museum for all members, access to Baby Brilliance and Science Sprouts programs, access to exclusive member programming, and a 10% discount on registered programs and museum merchandise.
Full-price memberships come with valuable benefits that are not included with the free First-Time Parent Membership. These benefits include additional free guests, birthday party and museum rental discounts and yearlong access to hundreds of institutions worldwide within the ASTC reciprocal museum networks. Full-price memberships last for one entire year.
For more information on all of our other membership levels, visit our Membership Benefits and Levels page). Thank you for supporting WonderLab as a member; you are a valued part of our community. If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact the membership manager.
The first-time Parent Membership is a membership program for new parents. Each membership includes two named adults and their first child. The membership is valid through the child’s first 18 months of life, and includes free general admission to the museum for all members, access to Baby Brilliance and Science Sprouts programs, access to exclusive member programming, and a 10% discount on registered programs and museum merchandise. The First-Time Parent Membership is completely free.
First-Time Parent Memberships expire at the end of the month in which the qualifying child turns 18 months old. For example, if your child turns 18 months old in October 2020, your membership would expire on October 31, 2020.
Because WonderLab values the development of young people in this community and because the first eighteen months of life are a critical time for learning and development, we want to make sure no first time parent encounters a barrier to learning at WonderLab. By connecting new parents with our educational programs, as well as to our growing community of families, we will provide valuable support to them and their developing babies.
Early access to high quality developmental experiences have demonstrated long-term benefit; the first 18-months of life is a critical time filled with key developmental milestones and new behaviors. WonderLab’s goal is to promote awareness of this critical period for new parents, the community, and region through easy, free access to our educational offerings during this period.