All upcoming programs

Parents must bring campers to the assigned Before-Camp room in the Ripley Center to sign in daily. At 9 a.m., campers will be brought up to Drop-off and then to their camps.

Pack your space gear and blast off to outer space! Campers spend the week in Smithsonian museums exploring all the wonders beyond our rocky planet. They plan their own Milky Way journeys by learning about the planets in our solar system, stars and their life cycles, and the structures of galaxies. They make their own space gear, enjoy space ice cream, and explore exhibits for objects that are “out of this world.” A Friday showcase offers a peek into their adventures.

This week is all about artistic experimentation! Young artists mix, dip, splatter, roll, brush, dab, and spread paint over rough, smooth, wet, and dry surfaces with sponges, string, utensils, found objects, and brushes. Using visits to the Hirshhorn, American Art, Asian Art, and African Art museums as springboards, campers explore the creative world of color theory, patterns, and texture, and learn to make their own custom-color paints.

Campers dive in and discover the wonders of the watery world as they visit Sant Ocean Hall at the Natural History Museum, the American History Museum, and the National Zoo. Along the way, they learn about fish, sharks, and sting rays; lobsters, oysters and crabs; octopus, eels, and jellyfish; and sea mammals such as otters, whales, and dolphins. They discover the lore of famous ships, pirates, and sea captains who explored the world’s great oceans and mythical characters such as Poseidon, mermaids, and the amazing hippocamp. Campers also build ocean dioramas, coral reef exhibits, and underwater volcanoes. 

America’s story is filled with leaders, activists, artists, and scientists who changed our country for the better. Campers learn the stories of these change-makers through visits to Smithsonian museums and D.C. sites where history has been made. They emulate these heroes, create artworks, and create performances to spread their newfound knowledge of who’s who in American history.

Campers discover how police and detectives use science and technology to help them solve crimes in this investigative camp with the Science Guys of Baltimore. Through trips to the International Spy Museum and the American History Museum, campers uncover the heroes and villains of historic crimes, return to camp to conduct experiments with DNA and fiber analysis, become fingerprint experts, and study anatomy. They collect clues, identify suspects, and crack cases using their crime-fighting tool kits. At the end of the week, the budding detectives work together and use their new skills to solve a mystery—and save the Science Guys!

Our world is made of water. Campers take a deep look at this essential component of life on our planet, which is relied on biologically, environmentally, and symbolically. In a special visit to Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, campers experience first-hand shoreline connections. Other visits to the Natural History Museum and Smithsonian art museums help campers understand how our local water ways impact our lives and inspire water-themed artworks, erosion experiments, and conservation campaigns. 

It’s time to celebrate women in history. From anthropologist Jane Goodall to computer programmer Ada Lovelace to civil-rights activist Audrey Faye Hendrick—and many others—campers delve into the extraordinary accomplishments of women who made their mark on our world. Visits to the American History and African American History and Culture museums help tell their stories. Throughout the week, campers explore these women’s achievements and create their own journals, observe animals, dig for dinos, construct airplanes, design posters inspired by civil rights activists, and other activities. Families are invited to a Girl Power celebration at the end of the week!

Building on the beginners’ wizardry camp, intermediate-level campers delve deeper into the mythology, history, and science behind the Harry Potter books and films. Through art projects, science experiments, and visits to the Portrait Gallery and National Zoo, campers are inspired to create stories that expand the magical universe.

Americans have spread innovations in culture and science across the globe for centuries. Campers visit the U.S. Patent Office, the Q?rius Lab, and the American History Museum to explore the entrepreneurs and creations that changed America and the world. Camper-inventors then develop their own big-idea innovations, polish their elevator speeches, and build prototypes to be presented before the judges at the end of the week.