Summer Camp

Discovering Dinosaurs 6/17-6/21
Go back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the world. Campers will get to explore the museum’s collection and special exhibition Dinosaur Discoveries: Ancient Fossils, New Ideas. Discover the dinosaurs from Allosaurus to Velociraptor!

Fun with Physics 6/24-6/28
Have some fun with physics! Learn about energy, chemical reactions, force and motion. Design and build a roller coaster, explore the science of glow sticks, and make slime.

Try It! Science 7/1-7/3
(No camp 7/4-7/5) 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!

Paleo Party 7/8-7/12
Put on your sun hats and discover what it means to be a paleontologist! Learn about all the 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. Get ready for a dino-mite adventure!

Astronauts in Training 7/15-7/19
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.

Natural Science Spectacular 7/22-7/26
Are you interested in learning more about the things that make up the natural sciences? Explore topics such as zoology by visiting our museum's collections, ecology by visiting Nichols Arboretum, and astronomy in the museum's Planetarium & Dome Theater.

Detective Academy 7/29-8/2
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 8/5-8/9
Uncover clues from the past as you learn the techniques and use the tools of real archaeologists and examine ancient artifacts. Dig into the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome and right here in Michigan.

Best of Camp Explorations 8/12-8/16
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.

Outdoor Explorers 6/17-6/21
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.

Solar System Safari 6/24-6/28
Explore the planets and stars in our solar system, and discover the rest of our incredible Universe. Visit the night sky in our Planetarium & Dome Theater, discover a new planet and launch your own “rockets.” It will be an out-of-this world adventure!

Our Planet Rocks 7/1-7/3
(No camp 7/4-7/5) Delve into the realm of Earth science. Learn all about Earth and what makes our planet so dynamic. Build a structure to withstand earthquakes, identify rocks and examine fossils, learn about the climate, and explore the importance of water on our planet.

Animal Superheroes 7/8-7/12
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.

Chemical Chaos 7/15-7/19
Get ready for an explosion of science fun! Explore physical and chemical reactions, make your own colorful dye, and clean up an oil spill with chemistry!

Digging Up the Past 7/22-7/26
Unearth different eras from the past, from dinosaurs to lost civilizations, fossils to ancient Egypt, and more!

Inventor’s Workshop 7/29-8/2
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. Build the strongest bridge, create your own crash test car and design a Rube Goldberg machine.

Fantastic Fossils 8/5-8/9
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 exhibits and collections and dig for fossils.

“Ology” Camp 8/12-8/16
Ology means the study of. Come explore the different “ologies” the museum has to offer: geology (rocks and minerals), paleontology (ancient life), microbiology (bacteria and other microorganisms), zoology (animals), and more! Each day we will tackle a new “ology” with real specimens, exploring exhibits and the University of Michigan campus.

Dinosaur Explorers* 6/17-6/21
Calling all dinosaur lovers! Learn how to spot a dinosaur, dig for dinosaur bones and be a paleontologist.
 

Space Explorers* 6/24-6/28
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.
 

Science Explorers 7/1-7/3
(No camp 7/4-7/5) Do you want to be a paleontologist?...A biologist?... An astronaut? This fun-filled, four-day camp is for you! Each day we will explore new science topics.
 

Dinosaur Explorers* 7/8-7/12
Calling all dinosaur lovers! Learn how to spot a dinosaur, dig for dinosaur bones and be a paleontologist.
 

Space Explorers* 7/15-7/19
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.
 

Bug Explorers 7/22-7/26
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.

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

“Ology” Camp 6/24-6/28
Dig deeper into the world of “ologies” at this camp. Explore the different fields of geology (rocks and minerals), paleontology (ancient life), mammalogy (mammals), entomology (insects) and more. Each day, we will tackle a new “ology” with real specimens, exploring exhibits and the University of Michigan campus and meeting with researchers.

Microbiology Camp 7/15-7/19
Discover the world invisible to the human eye and uncover the mystery of life around you. Learn about microbes, both harmful and beneficial. Build your own microscope, do a DNA extraction, and design your own experiment and see what things you can discover hiding right in front of your eyes.

The U-M Museum of Natural History has scholarships available for Washtenaw County campers in need of financial help. Scholarships are available for campers that qualify for free or reduced lunch at their school.

• Adventure Sessions Scholarship covers $200 of AM and $190 of PM session ($100 for Week 3 sessions) of the cost of the camp session and is limited to 2 sessions per child. After Camp Care fees are waived.
• Little Explorer Sessions Scholarship covers $140 of the cost of the camp session and is limited to 1 session per child ($70 for Week 3 session).
• Middle School STEM sessions covers $400 of the cost of the camp session and is limited to 1 session per child. Before Camp Care and After Camp Care fees are waived.

Please email ummnh.camp@umich.edu with the qualifying letter to apply for a scholarship.

A $40 cancellation fee is applied to all refunds. Refunds will be given if requested at least 14 days before your camp start date. No refunds will be given if requested within 14 days of your camp start date. Please notify the camp office in writing for any cancellation requests.

Camp Explorations reserves the right to remove any child from camp if the child's behavior is overly disruptive, inappropriate, or creates a safety hazard. In such cases, the child will be immediately removed from camp and asked not to return, possibly for the remainder of the camp and/or the remainder of the summer. In these cases, no refunds will be given.