Privacy Policy

Your privacy on the Internet is important to us. This policy statement describes the types of information we collect online and how we use it; please read it carefully. If our Privacy Policy changes, we will post the changes on this page. At that time, you may opt out of any new use of your personal information. (See REMOVAL OF INFORMATION section.)


Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide when you login, join our mailing list, register with us, place an order, interact with our branded social media, or participate in a contest, promotion or survey. Categories of information collected include: your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, credit card information, and comments made or personal information provided via social media, contests, promotions or surveys. In addition, we may maintain a record of your purchases from the Houston Museum of Natural Science. ("we" or "Houston Museum of Natural Science"), including whether your purchases were made online or by phone. We may also acquire names and mailing addresses for select mailings from third parties. On occasion, we may combine information you provide with other demographic information available to us.


Use of Information

When you make a purchase from the Houston Museum of Natural Science, we use your information to process your order and to answer your questions about the status of your order. Unless you have requested us not to contact you, we may use the information to provide you with periodic emails and mailings about the Houston Museum of Natural Science's merchandise, services and promotions. We may also send you emails to help us learn more about your shopping preferences. In addition, we use information about your merchandise interests and purchases to help us improve our direct sales and your shopping experience. If you register with us, or if you purchase from us online or over the phone, you have the option to request marketing materials from us and we may send you notices about our merchandise, services and promotions through mail.


Security of Order Information

The security of your billing information is important to us, and the Houston Museum of Natural Science has taken measures to protect the security of your online and phone order information. We maintain the privacy and security of your billing information through the use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. This will make your credit card, order, and personal information encrypted before processing in order to prevent encoding by anyone other than the Houston Museum of Natural Science. This security is enabled once you enter the checkout page, denoted by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure acronym, "HTTPS," preceding the website address in the browser. You may alternatively purchase online merchandise by calling Customer Service at 713.639.4665 to place your order.


Removal of Information

If you would prefer to stop receiving mail or email notifications from us, you may opt-out of these services. You may request to be removed by contacting our Customer Service Department:
By phone: 713.639.4629
By email: webmaster@hmns.org


Third Parties

In order to better serve you, some orders of online merchandise are processed by an affiliate which is also bound by this Privacy Policy. We may occasionally share your personal information (not credit card information) with trusted third parties who have been carefully screened. These services may include maintaining and managing customer information; providing customer services; taking and fulfilling orders; conducting promotions and surveys; and communicating effectively with our clients. In addition, the Houston Museum of Natural Science may share information that our clients provide with specially chosen marketing partners. We also may share aggregated statistical or demographic information about you with third party companies to optimize our direct sales business. When the Houston Museum of Natural Science conducts contests, sweepstakes, promotions and surveys, or joins with other companies to do so, participants may be asked to provide personal information. The Houston Museum of Natural Science and other participating companies may use this information for such purposes as notifying winners and fulfilling promotional obligations, and may also cross-reference customer databases to identify common customers. Information from these activities may be used to explore future promotional opportunities or fulfill contractual obligations. Even if you have chosen not to receive email or postal mail from the Houston Museum of Natural Science prior to your participation in a contest, promotion or survey, you may still receive information from the Houston Museum of Natural Science in connection with such activity if you register for or participate in it. You may choose not to participate in contests, sweepstakes, promotions or surveys if you do not wish to receive information from the Houston Museum of Natural Science or share your information with the Houston Museum of Natural Science and other companies sponsoring such activities.


Links & Other Sites

We may include links to other websites on the hmns.org/museumstore website. Information about your visit to hmns.org may be collected by the provider of these other websites or search engines. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these other websites or search engines. You may avoid disclosing your information to these other websites or search engines by entering hmns.org/museumstore directly into the address field of your internet browser.


Privacy & Children

The Houston Museum of Natural Science neither knowingly collects any personal information from a child under 13 years of age nor do we send correspondence to anyone who tells us he or she is under 13 years of age. The Houston Museum of Natural Science does not offer merchandise for purchase by children.


Changes to Privacy Policy

The Houston Museum of Natural Science may update this Privacy Policy periodically. When we make changes, we will post them on this webpage. By visiting our website or placing orders by phone, you agree to accept any such changes to these policies. Except as otherwise mentioned herein, this Privacy Statement only addresses the use and disclosure of information we collect from you on our website. If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, please contact our Customer Service Department:
By phone: 713.639.4629
By email: webmaster@hmns.org