🔬 Oakes Museum of Natural History Summer Camps | Science Camp for Curious Kids, Tweens, and Teens
If your child is the kind of kid who would rather inspect a creek, hold a snake, peer into a microscope, or talk your ear off about animal adaptations than sit still for five minutes, Oakes Museum of Natural History Summer Camps might be their natural habitat.
Hosted at The Oakes Museum of Natural History at Messiah University, these hands-on summer camps give students the chance to dig into science through fieldwork, lab experiences, museum exploration, and outdoor discovery. In other words, this is not a glitter glue and coloring sheet situation. This is the good stuff.
At a Glance:
Location: The Oakes Museum of Natural History at Messiah University
Dates: June 8 through July 24, 2026
Grades: 3-6, 6-8, and 9-12
Cost: $150-$375 depending on camp
Scholarships: Need-based scholarships available
🦴 Curator Club Summer Camps | Grades 3-6
Curator Club gives younger campers a fun, science-rich environment where curiosity is encouraged and hands-on learning is the whole point. Campers explore natural history topics through museum collections, experiments, and outdoor adventures. Participants also receive a Curator Club membership card for free museum admission, a Curator Club t-shirt, and a bring-a-friend certificate.
Survive It
June 15-19, 2026
Half Day, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
$150
Dig into how animals survive a challenging world through topics like habitats, senses, locomotion, digestion, and coloration.
Animals Camp
July 13-17, 2026
Half Day, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
$150
July 20-24, 2026
Full Day, 9:30 AM-4:00 PM
$325, lunch included
Using the museum and the surrounding natural world, campers explore a different animal group each day, including invertebrates, fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, and mammals.
Before care: Begins one hour before camp starts and costs $25.
After care: Available for full-day camps until 5:00 PM for $25-$50.
🌿 CC2 Summer Camp | Grades 6-8
CC2 is designed for middle school students who are ready to go deeper into science through observation, experimentation, and field-based learning. Participants receive a CC2 membership card for free museum admission, a CC2 t-shirt, and a bring-a-friend certificate.
Ecology Camp
June 22-26, 2026
Full Day, 9:30 AM-4:00 PM
$325, lunch included
Campers investigate how living things interact with each other and their environments through hands-on experiments and observations in the museum and across Messiah University’s outdoor living laboratory.
Before care: Begins at 8:30 AM for this camp.
After care: Available until 5:00 PM for $25-$50.
🧪 Oakes Museum High School Camps | Grades 9-12
For teens who are serious about science, Oakes Museum High School Camps offer a chance to work alongside qualified museum staff while learning in the field and the lab. Guest professors and professionals bring added expertise, making these camps especially exciting for students interested in biology, environmental science, forensics, and hands-on research.
Field Biology Camp
June 8-12, 2026
9:30 AM-4:00 PM
$375
Students become field biologists for the week, exploring habitats and animal communities using real research equipment and techniques. Activities include tracking animals, setting live mammal traps, electrofishing, and studying mammals, birds, herps, insects, and plants of Pennsylvania.
Plant Biology Camp
July 8-10, 2026
9:30 AM-4:00 PM
$250
Campers study plant cells, structures, growing methods, and environmental adaptations while collecting field samples and examining Pennsylvania plant specimens under the microscope.
Forensics Camp
July 21-24, 2026
9:30 AM-4:00 PM
$350
Students learn evidence collection and analysis techniques using both macroscopic and microscopic specimens, then put their skills to the test by examining a mock crime scene.
Lunch is included for full-day high school camps, and students will eat in Messiah University’s cafeteria.
🎒 What to Bring
Campers should bring a labeled water bottle if needed and dress for the weather, since many activities take place outside. No Crocs or flip-flops for water or hiking activities. Sunscreen is recommended when needed, and closed-toe shoes are required for dissection classes.
Good to Know:
Pre-registration and pre-payment are required, and space is limited. The museum accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Need-based scholarships are available.
Questions about scholarships or camps?
Email curatorsclub@messiah.edu for Curator Club and CC2 information.
Email oakesmuseum@messiah.edu for high school camp scholarship details.
Space is limited, so early registration is a very smart move if your child is the type who lights up at the words “field equipment,” “museum collections,” or “mock crime scene.”
