Summer Camp

Camp Explorations Health and Safety Practices

• Campers will be placed in groups of 10 or fewer.
• Food is not provided. 
• Camp Families are responsible for packing lunch and snacks for their campers. 
• This is a reminder that Camp Explorations is a NUT FREE camp.  Please be mindful that we have students with severe/life threatening nut allergies.

For more parent information and details on picking up/dropping off please visit the Camp FAQ page.

Adventure AM Sessions

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

For completed grades K-5
$205 per AM session (Week of 7/5-7/7 is $123)
$195 per PM session (Week of 7/5-7/7 is $117)
50 camper limit

Sessions:

Fun with Physics (6/12-6/16)
Learn all about physics! Learn about energy, chemical reactions, force and motion. Campers will be able to create their own atoms, make oobleck, and experiment with snap circuits. 

Dinosaur Discovery (6/19-6/23) 
Go back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the world. Campers will get to explore the museum’s collection and examine fossils of dinosaurs from Allosaurus to Velociraptor. 

Natural Science Spectacular (6/26-6/30)
Are you interested in learning more about the things that make up the natural sciences? Explore such topics as zoology by visiting our museum's collections, ecology by visiting Nichols Arboretum, and astronomy in the museum's Planetarium & Dome Theater. 

Our Planet Rocks! (7/5-7/7 no camp 7/3 and 7/4) 
Delve into the realm of Earth science. Campers will learn all about Earth and what makes our planet so dynamic. We will discuss such topics as earthquakes and volcanoes, examine fossils, learn about the climate, and explore the importance of water on our planet.

Astronauts in Training (7/10-7/14)
Calling all astronauts! Explore planets, build rovers, and launch “rockets” in an out-of-this-world adventure. Test your astronaut skills with our mental and physical challenges and visit the museum’s Planetarium & Dome Theater.

Paleontology Rocks! (7/17-7/21)
Put on your sun hats and discover what it means to be a paleontologist! Learn about all the aspects of what a paleontologist studies, including fossils, Earth's geologic record, dinosaurs, and other prehistoric life. Campers will get to participate in a “fossil dig,” touch real fossils, and learn more about the museum's exhibits of prehistoric life. 

Detective Academy (7/24-7/28)
Can you solve it? Learn some of the skills detectives use every day to solve mysteries. Crack the case by decoding messages, interviewing suspects, examining fingerprints, and more. 

I Dig Archaeology (7/31-8/4)
Uncover clues from the past as you learn the techniques and use the tools of real archaeologists. Examine ancient artifacts, analyze and record data, and discover the mysteries of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. 

Best of Camp Explorations  (8/7-8/11)
This week celebrates the best activities from Camp Explorations. We bring back many of the favorites from previous weeks and years. Campers will visit the dinosaurs, launch rockets, visit the planetarium, and explore the Nichols Arboretum on campus.

Adventure PM Sessions

1:00 - 4:00 PM

For completed grades K-5
$205 per AM session (Week of 7/5-7/7 is $123)
$195 per PM session (Week of 7/5-7/7 is $117)
50 camper limit

Sessions:

Solar System Safari (6/12 - 6/16)
Explore the planets and stars in our solar system, and discover the rest of our incredible Universe. Visit the night sky in our new Planetarium & Dome Theater, discover a new planet and launch your own “rockets.” It will be an out-of-this world adventure!

Outdoor Explorers (6/19-6/23)
Get outside and explore the spaces around you! Learn how to build shelters, tie knots, purify water, and track animals. Make your own compass and then practice using it as you explore the university campus.

Digging Up the Past (6/26-6/30)
Unearth different eras from the past, from dinosaurs to lost civilizations, fossils to ancient Greece, and more!

Try It! Science (7/5-7/7 no camp 7/3 and 7/4)
Try a little bit of all the science topics! Try It! Science topics include chemistry, physics, and engineering. Activities are not repeated from other sessions, so campers enrolled in other weeks will have a great time, too!

Chemical Chaos (7/10-7/14)
Get ready for an explosion of science fun! Explore physical and chemical reactions, learn all about bubbles, play with slime, and discover the fizzing science of soda!

Animal Superheroes (7/17-7/21)
Uncover the secrets behind these master “heroes.” Learn about the masters of disguise, the champions of speed and agility, and other super skills that make animals real-life superheroes. Discover their amazing adaptations like super-sight, super-strength and super-intelligence. 

Emerging Engineers (7/24-7/28)
Do you like to create, design, experiment, and build? This camp is for you! Solve engineering challenges with hands-on projects and bring your creations to life in this innovative camp. Do your best to build the most exciting roller coaster and the safest crash test car.

Fantastic Fossils (7/31- 8/4)
Travel back in time to discover the ancient world of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. How were their fossils formed and what do they tell us?  Visit the museum’s Evolution: Life Through Time exhibit and dig for fossils. 

“Ology” Camp (8/7 - 8/11) 
Are you fascinated with museum specimens and objects? This is the camp for you! Come explore the worlds of geology (rocks and minerals), paleontology (ancient life), biology (living organisms), entomology (insects), and more. Each day we will tackle a new “ology” with real specimens, exploring exhibits and the University of Michigan campus. 

Little Explorer Sessions

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (AM sessions only)

A camp for the museum’s littlest explorers, ages 4-5
$165 per session (Week of 7/5-7/7 is $100)
15 camper limit

Sessions:

Dinosaur Explorers (6/12-6/16)*
Calling all dinosaur lovers!  Learn how to spot a dinosaur, dig for dinosaur bones and be a paleontologist.

Ice Age Explorers (6/19-6/23)
Travel back in time to the Ice Age! Campers will learn about Ice Age animals including woolly mammoths, saber-toothed cats and giant Sloths. 

Dinosaur Explorers (6/26-6/30)*
Calling all dinosaur lovers! Learn how to spot a dinosaur, dig for dinosaur bones and be a paleontologist.

Bug Explorers (7/5-7/7)
Discover the world of bugs as you crawl, fly and wiggle through this camp. Campers will learn about the life cycles of bugs and explore the museum and museum specimens

Space Explorers (7/10-7/14)*
Blast off into space as we explore the night sky and planets. Become an astronaut as you complete training and learn about life in space. 

Animal Explorers (7/17-7/21)
Get ready to learn all about animals! Campers will learn about all kinds of animals that have fur, scales and feathers!

Space Explorers (7/24-7/28)*
Blast off into space as we explore the night sky and planets. Become an astronaut as you complete training and learn about life in space. 

*Both Space Explorers and Dinosaur Explorers sessions have the same activities each week.  Please only select one week when registering for a session.