Camps
Nature Museum Camps immerse children into the wonderful world of nature and science!
Campers develop their critical thinking and social skills by spending fun-filled days inside and outside the museum. They participate in interactive exploration including science and art projects, nature play, animal encounters, and so much more. We encourage campers to take the lead and we provide them with space to explore the nature of Chicago at their own pace with tools selected (or built!) by them.
Keep reading to learn more about these unique offerings for kids ages 4 to 14!
Winter Camp
Nature doesn’t take a break in the winter, and neither do we. Winter Camp embraces all that Mother Nature has to offer!
December 30, 2024-January 3, 2025
Ages: 4-9
Registration is now open! Keep reading to register your camper.
Have you ever seen a turtle wearing a scarf? Or a deer wearing mittens? Or a bird sipping hot chocolate? If not, then how do these amazing animals survive through the cold, cold Chicago winter? Come join us at winter camp this year to investigate all the wild ways these critters and more adapt to the cold and snow. We’ll explore the living nature of the museum grounds, the curated collections of the exhibits, and get up close and personal with some sub-zero science! Campers ages 4 to 9 will grow their scientific toolkit, learn to question the world they see, and have more fun than a snowball fight doing it!
Campers will spend time outside on the museum grounds, as well as inside the museum exploring our exhibits and collections.
Camp families can keep the camp fun going with a little help from our daily emails. Unique to the Nature Museum, these Daily Parent Pages are written by the camp directors and include photos, a summary of the day's accomplishments, and questions to spark meaningful conversation with your camper.
Camp sessions are held from 9am to 2:30pm and work around the busy holiday schedule of winter break. Each unique camp session focuses on unpacking the many adaptations our Chicago plants and animals have to survive our cold and snowy winters. Your camper will have the chance to interact with fellow campers, connect with counselors, and engage in unique activities and natural exploration.
In addition to discounts on Nature Museum Camp, Family and Premier Members enjoy discounts on popular family events, free admission all year, and other benefits. Click here to learn more or to become a member.
Questions? Reach out to us at camps@naturemuseum.org.
Day Off Camp
Explore nature and science on your days off school! Nature Museum Day Off Camps give children the opportunity to join us for outdoor and indoor fun.
January 20-21, 2025
Ages: 4-10
Registration is now open! Keep reading to register your camper.
When the icy winds of winter blow, does science stop? Heck no! Join us at the Nature Museum for a special two-day camp where we will examine the world around us as it weathers the chills of winter. We’ll learn about seeds in the cold, take a close look at our pond, and see just how our urban animal friends survive in the cold.
Campers ages 4 to 10 will observe the natural world around them, grow their comfort with scientific skills, and explore the outside world around them, all while having a blast! Campers will spend time exploring the museum grounds, exhibits, and collections to learn more about the local nature of Chicago.
Camp sessions are held from 9am to 2:30pm and each session focuses on unpacking the exciting stories of local plants and animals. Your camper will have the chance to interact with fellow campers, connect with counselors, and engage in unique activities and natural exploration.
In addition to discounts on Nature Museum Camp, Family and Premier Members enjoy discounts on popular family events, free admission all year, and other benefits. Click here to learn more or to become a member.
Questions? Reach out to us at camps@naturemuseum.org.
Tweens Camp
Encourage a love for nature and science throughout middle school with special camps just for tweens. Campers will spend time on the museum grounds, in exhibits, and using the collections to learn more about the nature of Illinois.
February 17, 2025
Ages: 10-14
Solving the Mysteries of the Marsh Tween Day Off Camp registration will open in December. Check back for more details.
Are you up for the challenge of decoding the Mysteries of the Marsh? Use hands-on science tools and close observations while meeting some of the reptiles that live at the Nature Museum. Explore the conservation work of our scientists, while collaborating with your peers to solve puzzles and riddles to learn more about Illinois wetlands.
Camp sessions are held from 9am to 3pm. Campers ages 10 to 14 will have the chance to interact with fellow campers, connect with museum scientists, and engage in unique activities and natural exploration as they explore local native animals that live in our wetlands.
In addition to discounts on Nature Museum Camp, Family and Premier Members enjoy discounts on popular family events, free admission all year, and other benefits. Click here to learn more or to become a member.
Questions? Reach out to us at camps@naturemuseum.org.
June 13, 2025
Ages: 10-14
Unlocking the Puzzles of the Prairie Tween Day Off Camp registration will open in December. Check back for more details.
Can you unlock the puzzles of the prairie? Spend the day using close observations and scientific tools to explore the plants and animals that call a prairie home. Learn more about the conservation work of our scientists while working with your peers to solve challenges and learn more about Illinois prairies.
Camp sessions are held from 9am to 3pm. Campers ages 10 to 14 will have the chance to interact with fellow campers, connect with museum scientists, and engage in unique activities and natural exploration as they explore local native animals that live in our prairies.
In addition to discounts on Nature Museum Camp, Family and Premier Members enjoy discounts on popular family events, free admission all year, and other benefits. Click here to learn more or to become a member.
Questions? Reach out to us at camps@naturemuseum.org.
“You have taught my kids how to be kids again.”
Meet Our Camp Team
Each camp session is supervised by our full-time camp directors. Our staff is always excited to play along, get dirty, and guide campers to make discoveries while they explore the world around them. Each camp has a strictly-enforced counselor to camper ratio, ensuring that all campers have the guidance they need to have a fun, educational, and safe summer camp experience. Camp directors and counselors have experience working with children of all ages and they’re trained to help give specialized guidance for campers with specific needs, such as sensory processing disorders.
Maddy Turner is a full-time, year-round educator at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. She was thrilled to start working in the Nature Museum in January 2024. Prior to joining the museum as Camp Director and Education Programs Specialist, Maddy taught middle school science in Nashville with Teach for America and was the STEM speciality instructor at a Nashville summer camp. She graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in Urban Studies. She is passionate about environmental education and the connections we can make with the natural world all around us.
Garrett Douglas is a full-time, year-round educator at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. He was a full-time summer camp kid since age 7 and has been working in and out of the woods his whole life. After seven years teaching in classrooms across various Chicago schools, he found his way to the museum in the summer of 2024. He brings with him a wild curiosity for the natural world, a well-trained sense of patience, and a smattering of puppetry skills. If you see him, you might also see his friend Poda the Snail, so make sure to say hi to both!
During Summer Camp, high school and college-level counselors lead activities and supervise the campers in every session throughout the day. The camp team participates in extensive educational training focusing on ecology and natural science topics, best practice education strategies, and outdoor education approaches to best foster camper engagement and learning. Together, the camp directors and counselors develop activities and curricula specially tailored for each camp and session.
The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum reserves the right to cancel this program at any time for any reason.
A non-refundable 10% administrative processing fee is included in camp tuition. Cancellations, made for non-medical reasons, must be received more than 60 days before the start of the camp session to receive full refund less this processing fee.
Cancellations, made for non-medical reasons, received 15 to 60 days before the start of the camp session will receive a 50% refund. Non-medical cancellations within two weeks of the first day of camp will not receive a refund.
To cancel your registration, you must email camps@naturemuseum.org.
The CampDoc.com site is secure, encrypted, and password protected. Only Nature Museum camp staff will have access to camper health information.
To read more about their security policies, click here: https://www.docnetwork.org/security/.
Experience nature and science up close with a trip to the Nature Museum.