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Spring Break Science Camp for ages 6-11 is April 6-10!

Science experiments, nature exploration, games and crafts! Spring Break at the Virginia Museum of Natural History is a fast-paced, inquisitive adventure like none other for children ages 6 to 11! Take a step back in time - way back in time - to the age of dinosaurs! Explore the magnificent diversity of flora and fauna in nearby Wilson Park! Concoct your very own scientific experiments deep within the bowels of the museum!

Spring Break Science Camp takes place throughout the week of April 6 - 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, but it's designed to allow parents to choose between 1 day or all 5 days! Can your child only attend on Tuesday? No problem! What about only Wednesday and Friday? That's great, too!

Spring Break Science Camp Registration:

The registration deadline for Spring Break Science Camp is Monday, March 30. Register by contacting Debbi Bryant at 276-634-4185 or discover@vmnh.virginia.gov. Fees include a morning and afternoon snack, but campers are asked to bring their own bagged lunch and a water bottle each day.

Cost (full week): $120 (members) $130 (non-members)
Cost (per day): $40 (members) $45 (non-members)

Registration now open for 2020 Summer Adventure Camps!

Each summer, the Virginia Museum of Natural History offers a wide variety of summer day camps for ages 3-11, with a heavy emphasis on hands-on activities, learning and fun!. Each camp has a unique theme, ranging from "Explosive Experiments" for ages 9-11, which allows campers to become scientists for a week as they create mixtures, explore chemical reactions, and learn about lab safety, to "Busy Bugs" for ages 6-8, which gives campers the opportunity to learn to survive like a bug through observing insect behaviors, making crafts and playing games!

Full week camp rates are $120 for museum members and $130 for non-members (extra fees may apply for some camps) and include a morning and afternoon snack, as well as activities, such as take-home crafts, group projects, and experiments. Preschool camps are $40 for museum members and $45 for non-members (an adult must stay with the child). All camps are Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., with the exception of Pre-K camps, which are Monday - Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Full week campers should bring a packed lunch, water bottle, sunscreen, and insect repellant. Pre-registration is required 2 weeks prior to each camp by calling 276-634-4185 or emailing discover@vmnh.virginia.gov.

Camps for ages 3 - 5 (with an adult)

Lil' Naturalists
June 29 - July 1
You are never too young to start exploring nature. Join us as we explore the plants and animals that call our backyard home around VMNH.
Registration deadline: June 15

Grow As We Go
August 3 - 5
Let's grow our curiosity and knowledge of science with activities and crafts to stimulate learning and create mementos of the experience!
Registration deadline: July 20

Camps for ages 6 - 8

Safari Adventures
June 1 - 5
Let's swing into an adventure and explore the lives, habitats and conservation of animals around the world. Campers will experience exciting hands-on activities, lessons, and craft projects while learning about animals.
*There is an extra $10 fee for a field trip.
Registration deadline: May 18

Weird Science
June 15 - 19
Let’s get messy! Campers will have a week filled with icky, sticky, slimy, and gooey fun experiments. Dress for the mess!
Registration deadline: June 1

Ocean Exploration
July 6 - 10
Dive in and become a marine biologist as we explore far into the deep blue sea! Scientists have only been able to study a small percentage of our oceans, so there’s much to be discovered! Campers will enjoy crafts, games, and experiments!
*A field trip is planned for Tuesday to a local park - no charge.
Registration deadline: June 22

Dino Roar
July 20 - 24
Dino roar, dino stomp! Travel back in time to when the dinosaurs ruled the world. Campers who attend this camp will gain free entry to the museum’s Dino Festival July 24-25.
Registration deadline: July 6

Busy Bugs
August 3 - 7
Want to know what it really takes to survive like a bug? Campers will have the opportunity to get hands on with real bugs! Learn all about these tiny creatures by observing behaviors, making crafts, playing games and other hands on activities!
*There is an extra $10 fee for a field trip.
Registration deadline: July 20

Camps for ages 9 - 11

Explosive Experiments
June 8 - 12
Grab your goggles and lab coats and get ready to make a mess! Campers will become scientists as they answer questions about the world around them through experimenting! Create mixtures, explore chemical reactions, and learn about lab safety! Dress to get messy.
Registration deadline: May 25

Brilliant Builders
June 22 - 26
Campers will be challenged with hands-on explorations as they engage in imagining, designing, constructing, inventing, testing, observing, and learning. This camp provides a great way to spark enthusiasm in engineering and technology in the next generation of problem-solvers!
Registration deadline: June 8

Junior Naturalists
July 13 - 17
Become a Junior Naturalist! Get outside and explore, be active, make new friends and have fun in the outdoors! Activities include nature exploration, games, and crafts. Participants spend most of the day outside and are encouraged to explore their natural curiosity for the environment.
Registration deadline: June 29

Get Up, Get Active
July 27 - 31
Awaken your child’s love for being active, enhance their cognitive skills and promote working in teams. Your child will learn different skills from different sports and learn about nutrition through interactive activities. Campers will explore different physical activities that will test their coordination, improve their balance, increase their endurance and show them that fitness is fun!
Registration deadline: July 13