Summer Discovery Camp

Extraordinary explorations and adventures are on the agenda at the EcoTarium's popular Summer Discovery Camp for children ages 5-14, one of the longest-running summer day camps in the United States.

• Fill your summer with science and nature
• Look for life in forests, ponds, meadows -- and even in the treetops!
• Engage your inner engineer and explore how things work
• Challenge yourself to learn new outdoor skills
• Encounter animals large and small
• Make new friends and learn more about yourself
• Play and have fun!

New for 2012: Tadpoles!

Children ages 5 and 6 can now enroll in each Summer Discovery Camp session for a special half-day program.  Each weekly session will run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include a maximum of 10 campers.  

Camp Themes

Customize your summer camp experience by topic and spend 1, 2 -- even 4 -- weeks at camp with our mix of one- and two-week themed camp sessions.

• Amazing Animals - Two-Week Camp
• How Things Work - One-Week Camp
• EcoTarium Adventure - One-Week Camp
• Counselor-in-Training Program - Ages 13-14
• Junior Counselor Program for Older Teens

What's camp like?

Summer Discovery Camps are day camps. Campers spend Monday through Friday indoors and out, investigating the museum and grounds and traveling to the EcoTarium's 320-acre field site in Rutland, Massachusetts (Amazing Animals and EcoTarium Adventure camps) or exploring the Tree Canopy Walkway (How Things Work camp).

Camp hours are 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Tadpoles 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Extended hours are available. What's a typical day like? Check our daily schedule.

Each Summer Discovery Camp session also includes a Thursday evening pizza party, so campers can share their experiences with their families, and a train ride on the Explorer Express Train. 

Camp Family Sleepover - Saturday August 11

For a little extra adventure this summer, EcoTarium campers from any 2012 camp session and their families can spend the night during a special family sleepover on Saturday, August 11.  The evening will include a snack, free time, and special programs run by the museum staff -- not to mention the experience of sleeping among the exhibits! A continental breakfast will be served the following morning. Campers must be accompanied by at least one adult chaperone.  All sleepover participants must bring their own sleeping bag, pillow, and personal items. (Additional fee applies)

Summer Discovery Camp complies with all camp regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and is licensed by the local Board of Health.