Summer Camps

Discover Your Child’s Summer Adventure

Whether your child is brand new to the camp experience or already knows the ropes, the Virginia Discovery Museum’s week-long, half-day camps for children 4 to 8 offer great opportunities for kids to gain confidence, make friends, and learn about new things, like animals, engineering, cooking, chemistry, literature, space, and more. Campers will meet special guests from our community in art, science, and many other professions as they engage in a variety of crafts, games, and activities that will help expand their knowledge through hands-on experience. Plus, campers enjoy a special play time in the galleries each morning before the Museum opens.

Camp Details  |  2018 Camps  |  Emergency Release Form  |  Questions?

Camp Schedule

Monday-Friday
9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
(Lunch Bunch: 12-1)*

*$5 per Day or $20 per Week (Child Packs a Lunch)

Ages

Children 4-8
Low Staff-to-Child Ratio
(1:5 Maximum)

Campers Must Be Fully Independent in the Bathroom

Registration

$200/Child per Camp
VDM Discounts Apply (?)
(Must Pre-Register)

Includes Mid-Morning Snack & All Craft/Activity Supplies

Emergency Release Form

An Emergency Release Form must be completed for all campers prior to participating in their first camp. If you have already filled out an emergency release form for a previous Museum camp or program, please call (434) 977-1025 x104 or check-in at the Front Desk during drop-off to review and update your information as needed.

Online Form

Questions? Give us a call at (434) 977-1025 x104 or email education@vadm.org.

2018 Summer Camps

Camp registration opens in mid-February, and camps regularly fill up, so be sure to reserve your child's spot in their favorite camp(s) early. The registration deadline for each camp is the Sunday one week before the camp begins. Camp registrations are refundable until two weeks before the corresponding camp(s) start.

Mediums & Movements

June 11-15  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: June 3

Calling all mini Michelangelos, pint-sized Picassos, small Seurats, and kid Kahlos! Travel through time with guest artisan Irene Jennings as we explore the diverse techniques and materials artists use and create masterpieces of our own to share.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Young Coders

June 18-22  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: June 10

Reach “Junior Coder” status by the end of this fun, immersive coding camp! Play screen-free coding games, make binary bracelets, explore and code robots, complete challenges in ScratchJr, and develop your own art bots to create a collaborative masterpiece.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Fun with Engineering – CAMP FULL

June 25-29  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: June 17

Towers! Bridges! Rafts! Join Albemarle High School’s Math, Engineering, and Science Academy, along with VDM staff, as we team up in small groups to engage in hands-on engineering and building challenges.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Travel the Artist’s Road – CAMP FULL

July 9-13  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: July 1

Where does art come from? Everywhere! Join guest artisan Irene Jennings as we explore art from around the world and try techniques from different cultures.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Junior Chefs* – CAMP FULL

July 16-20  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: July 8

Culinary fun for your young foodie! Learn baking basics and the cornerstones of cooking as we create mmm-mmm-masterpieces. Campers will make their own snacks and take home treats to share.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

*Additional $25 Ingredients Fee Per Child. Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Mad Scientists – CAMP FULL

July 23-27  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: July 15

Strap on your goggles as you enter the Mad Science Lab! Join chemists from UVa’s Chemistry LEAD Program for a week of hands-on science exploration, experiments, and fun.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Kid Lit – CAMP FULL

July 30-August 3  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: July 22

Venture to France with Madeline, go a little wild with the Wild Things, search for a button with Corduroy, and more! Dive into a book (or two) each day as we bring the stories to life through themed crafts and activities.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Space Camp – CAMP FULL

August 6-10  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: July 29

Blast off with VDM as we build rockets, practice being astronauts, make a model of our solar system, and view the stars in our StarLab planetarium!

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.

Best of 2018 – CAMP FULL

August 13-17  |  9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.  |  Deadline: August 5

Can’t decide which camp to attend? Try a mash-up of five of our favorites! Experience one day from five different themes in an end-of-summer celebration.

Register Online

Lunch Bunch Add-On

Pre-Registration Required. Camp Capacity: 15 Campers.