Museum Info

Children delight in experiencing science as they mix endless numbers of concoctions that bubble, pop, ooze and glow.  The week will end with a bang, with explosive demonstrations and erupting volcanoes!

Does your child have a knack for building and design? Do they love nature? This class will combine the two with your little one's imagination to create new and earth friendly designs for the future. Kids will discover from nature today what might work for tomorrow.

Is your youngling ready to begin Jedi Training? First they will need to learn the science behind it all: Galaxies far, far away and not so far away. Light sabers: lasers or plasma? Can droids really be built with emotions? What connection does the Force have with magnetism? Answer these questions and more with fun and out of this world experiments and exciting demonstrations using our latest technology ‘Science on a Sphere®’. You can even arrive as your favorite character if you would like!

Project U is a girls only camp all about you. Join us as we delve into the science of cosmetology and fashion. You will create your own beauty products, design the trends of tomorrow and along the way learn self-esteem techniques to become a stronger, more confident you.

Is your youngling ready to begin Jedi Training? First they will need to learn the science behind it all: Galaxies far, far away and not so far away. Light sabers: lasers or plasma? Can droids really be built with emotions? What connection does the Force have with magnetism? Answer these questions and more with fun and out of this world experiments and exciting demonstrations using our latest technology ‘Science on a Sphere®’. You can even arrive as your favorite character if you would like!

Girls bring history and science to life! Inspired by the American Girl© series, this camp will take you on an adventure through the music, food and scientific discoveries of four different historical eras. Experiment with photography, rocketry, space rovers and more with the help of four unique American Girls©. On Friday, dress from your favorite historical era and bring in your favorite American Girl© Doll.

Bend the elements of earth, air, wind and fire with the wizardry of science and learn to create foaming, sparking, oozing, glowing concoctions to amaze yourself and your friends. The results will be a blast!

Grab your goggles and enter the lab where creations in chemistry are made. Measure, pour, and mix your way to science fun. From unknown powders to lots of slime, your young scientist might just go “mad for science” after this camp.

Meet real rainforest animals as you explore the wonders of the rainforest. Learn, explore, taste and experiment with rainforest wonders and the science under the canopy as you learn to become a steward of this precious ecosystem.

Robots capture the imagination; put yours to use as a robotics engineer. Explore basic robot design and concepts. Work with teams to perfect your robot design and program your creation to master mazes and challenge courses. If interested, kids in grades 3 – 4 will receive priority registration for one of our FIRST Lego® League teams for the fall season

Ever wonder what makes your favorite toys work or have a really great idea for a new toy? In this camp, we’ll take apart toys and look at their “guts,” make cool toys to take home, and use your ideas to design the toys of the future.

If you like the T.V. show Fetch with Ruff Ruffman then you will love this camp. Perform team challenges designed by the creators of the hit PBS show and learn a little chemistry, physics, and engineering while you are at it. Challenges will be given point values just like on the show. Will your team have the right stuff for Ruff?

Inspired by the exploits of the world’s most famous adventurers, this one of a kind camp will prepare your child for any adventure that may come their way. Each day participants will learn how to become an adventurer; from Chemistry to History’s Mysteries from Ancient Engineering to Modern day problem solving. Your little adventurer will be prepared for any quest. Stop the bad guys, solve the riddles and recover an ancient treasure all at The Arthur Goldhammer School of Adventure

This week you will learn about all things wild and crazy.  Discover outlandish animals, wild inventions, weird plants, crazy customs, and wild games.  Through hands on activities learn about strange and exciting things all over the world.  Discover where your favorite wild things come from and why they are so outrageous.

Did you know that Egyptians performed some of the first brain surgeries? Or that they were advanced in medicine, chemistry, and mathematics? We will recreate scientific processes from ancient Egypt like the creation of dyes and transport of huge stones. Participants will also get a sneak peek at some of the Museum’s private Egyptian collections, including swords, mummies, and other ancient artifacts.

High tech will turn today’s fashionistas into tomorrow’s futuristas!  Learn everything you need to know to create nano jewelry, high tech cosmetics and fashions to show off to family and friends. You’ll even learn to make “firefly gear,” the latest in LED embedded fashion!

What is the best material for building a hot air balloon? How do you make the bounciest bouncy ball? Discover how to use materials science to answer these questions. And create the best materials for the job. We’ll explore some of the ways scientists make new stuff and test cool materials for their amazing properties.

Why does the Peacock have such beautiful colors? What makes a firefly glow? Put your chemistry goggles on to make your own slug, tree sap and glowing bug. Look at what light and rainbows have in common. Study the engineering behind trees and how a bird flies. Use chemistry, engineering, biology, and physics to take a closelook at nature and how it works.

You’re a robot master already so see if you can handle this!! Send your custom built Lego NXT robot out into a new challenge course each day. Help your team gear your bot to climb the treacherous slant board. What will conquer the chaos of the obstacle pit? You decide in this fast moving week. Use your program and team skills to conquer the courses and compete against other squads! (must have completed Robotics 101)

Explore a new scientific mind, their lives, and what they discovered each day. Learn how to build architecture around nature, navigate the stars, pull DNA from strawberries, look closely at insect’s wings, and learn about solar power. Put your thinking caps on and explore great minds.

Have you ever wanted to make your own video game? Now you can! Designed for novice programmers, this camp will teach basic elements of computer programming such as loops, decisions, and variables using Scratch, an easy-to-use programming language developed by MIT. Scratch is a free download so campers can show off their creations at home!

Learn techniques used by real zoologists. Field collection, microscopy, dissection and working with live animals and preserved specimens all give you a deeper understanding of the beauty and diversity of animal life. Learn the fine art of field and lab sketching as your record the week’s experiences in your lab notebook.

Join us as we explore uncharted territories in the far reaches of planet Earth. Every day, we will experience a different region by learning about the animals that live there and perform experiments to help us understand what life there is like.

Do you have dreams of working in a zoo some day? Professional Zoo Keepers are scientists who are committed to providing the best care possible to the animals they are entrusted with. This hands-on camp will focus on the various science disciplines involved in animal husbandry including biology, nutrition, medicine, training, and exhibit design. Join museum staff for an interactive look at how our Live Animal Department cares for the 150 animals in our collection. And did we mention you will receive hands-on opportunities with the animals?

Backstage Pass (Grades 5-8)

Take the next step in computer programming using Scratch, an easy-to-use programming language developed by MIT. Scratch is a free download so campers can show off their creations at home!.