Summer Camps: teen looking through binoculars; boy looking through magnifying glass at ladybug; girl looking at insect in jar.
Register

Welcome

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) looks forward to meeting your child at day camp this summer, where they will experience a range of creative, fun and interactive activities and adventures. The Museum welcomes all campers and strives to provide an equal experience to any child registered. We are committed to open and honest communications with guardians to ensure the best experience for all of our campers. If your child can benefit from any modifications and/or support in order to fully enjoy their time at camp, please contact summercamps@naturalsciences.org.

NCMNS is committed to offering fun, science-centered day camps. Select from one of our innovative interactive experiences. There is something for children in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Registration for Summer 2024

January 17-26: Registration opens at 10:00am for Friends of the Museum Brimley, Explorers, Naturalist Society and  Curator levels members. The registration link will be emailed the evening before your priority registration date. Registration temporarily closes at 5:00pm on January 18 and reopens at 10:00am January 19.
January 30: Registration opens to the public, including Individual and Family level members, at 10:00am. A link to register will be added to the Summer Camps webpage.

Registration is completed with our online system, Active Network. Registration is first come, first served. Camps traditionally fill quickly. Friends of the Museum members save $30.00 per camp. Not a Museum member? Join today!

Each child can enroll in up to 2 weeks of day camp. The Museum will cancel any excess registration. A $45.00 processing fee per camp is required if the Museum cancels excess registration.

Camp hours and after camp care

Camp hours are from 9:00am to 4:00pm with an after camp care option from 4:00-5:00pm. For more information, please visit our Summer Camps Frequently Asked Questions page.

What grade level camp is appropriate for my child?

Grade levels stated in program descriptions are those of the upcoming school year (2024-2025). Please double-check to make sure that child(ren) are signed up for the appropriate age groups. We cannot make exceptions. Falsified registrations will be cancelled and the registration fee will be refunded minus the $45.00 processing fee per camp.

Following Wake County kindergarten eligibility requirements, campers must be five years old on or by August 31, 2024, to be eligible for kindergarten camps. A copy of the birth certificate or its equivalent must be emailed to summercamps@naturalsciences.org upon registration.

Refunds

NCMNS can grant refunds only when a cancellation is received before 5:00pm May 3, 2024. Cancellations received after May 3 will not be eligible for a refund. A $45.00 processing fee per camp is required for all refunds. A $10.00 process fee is required for our After Camp Care refunds. If we are alerted as soon as possible of a child’s illness or family emergency immediately before camp begins, we will do our best to provide a full refund, minus the processing fee.

Cancellation

Camps with low enrollment 3 weeks prior to the start date are subject to cancellation. Campers will be contacted to investigate the possibility of enrollment in another camp. A full refund will be issued if summer camps are cancelled by Museum staff.

Scholarships

Visit our Summer Camps Scholarship page for information and applications. Eligible applicants will be entered into a lottery drawing. All scholarship applicants will be notified by email on or before Wednesday, January 31.

Opportunities

Interested in an internship or working for our Summer Camps program? Visit our Summer Camps Employment page.

Questions

For additional information and camp policies, please visit our Summer Camps Frequently Asked Questions page.

Still have questions? Email summercamps@naturalsciences.org or call 919.707.9889.