Starting in October of 2023, the Magic City Discovery Center began hosting a Sensory Friendly Night once a month. These nights have been hosted on the third Tuesday of each month. This event is open to special needs or differently abled individuals and their family members and guardians.

The museum can be a bustling place, so during Sensory Friendly Nights, the center provides adjusted sound and lighting levels and limits attendance to create a calmer environment. Sensory bags are also available at the front desk. They include a pair of headphones, a weighted heatsock, and a fidget tool.

A sensory friendly event is an event that is designed to be less sensory stimulating and overwhelming. This approach often makes it easier for individuals who have sensory sensitivities to participate in public activities. It has been a goal to make these events a welcoming environment for everyone who may attend, and to give everyone the opportunity to visit the discovery center.

During these nights, the discovery center also sets out extra sensory activities in the Spark!Lab. These activities include, kinetic sand, orbeez buckets, playdough, slime, and sensory art projects. There is also a designated quiet area on each floor of the museum, these rooms are designed to be a place where guests can go if they need a break away from others.
The center is looking to make this a free event for all who attend for the rest of the 2024 calendar year. Your sponsorship will pay for guest admission, sensory materials, and training our staff to be Sensory Inclusive Certified through KultureCity. If your company is interested in sponsoring a month of this event, please contact our education department at (tessia@magiccitydiscoveycenter.com) or by calling (701)858-7529 (ext. 2)