Camps
& Classes
Snowflake Break Camps
Experience the magic of winter at the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Snowflake Break Camps! Our fun and educational camps provide kids with exciting opportunities to explore science, history, and culture during the holiday season. With engaging activities, hands-on experiments, and interactive exhibits, children of all ages can discover and learn in a festive and welcoming environment. Join us for a winter adventure they won’t forget!
Registration coming soon! Member registration begins on November 4.
Not a member? Become one today.
Registration will open to the general public on November 11.
Contact Us!
Please reach out to campcurious@grpm.org with any questions.
Are you an educator?
Learn more about our free resources here.
Camps for Grades 1-3
The Art of Nature
Explore the beauty and creativity that abounds in the natural world! This session introduces a variety of art techniques while exploring the Museum’s Natural Science exhibitions and beyond! Campers will marvel at the patterns, colors, shapes, and textures while making connections to everyday objects influenced, and inspired by nature.
Monday, December 23: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Builders & Makers
Explore different building materials as you design your own creations. Experience the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Arcade and create your own pizza box pinball machine! Get ready to design, build, test, and improve your creations as you learn what it takes to be an engineer.
Thursday, December 26: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 2: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
LEGO® Bricks Adventures
Drawing inspiration from the Museum, campers will create their own original LEGO® creations. From building toys to creating amazing animals, campers will test their creativity, problem-solving, and building skills. Get ready to experience this familiar building toy like never before.
Friday, December 27: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Monday, December 30: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
River Explorers
The Grand River is home to more than 90 different kinds of fish! In this camp, we will explore the different creatures that call our river home. Discover where water comes from, design solutions for pollution, and create fun art projects inspired by this amazing ecosystem. Get ready to splash into a fun day of learning!
Thursday, January 2: 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Our World in Color
Color is all around us! Draw inspiration from the traveling exhibit The Nature of Color from the American Museum of Natural History, explore objects from our Collections, create your own colorful artwork and experiment. Learn about the role that color plays in the natural world, how color impacts culture, and how color affects our emotions.
Friday, January 3: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Camps for Grades 4-6
Nature's Palette
Nature and art come together for an amazing week of exploration and creation. Explore art techniques as you create masterpieces inspired by the Museum’s Natural Science Collection. You will be amazed at the incredible patterns, textures, and colors you will find in the world around you.
Monday, December 23: 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Incredible Innovators
Put your engineering and creativity to the test as you complete a variety of challenges. Get a behind the scenes look at the building that goes on at the Museum and draw inspiration from our arcade as you create your own pizza box pin machine!
Thursday, December 26: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Thursday, January 2: 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
LEGO® Brick Masters
Experience LEGO® like never before. Create your own minifigure, solve challenges, and create builds that move. You will explore the Museum to find inspiration for your next creation and learn about simple machines. Explore science and engineering principals as you create amazing builds.
Friday, December 27: 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Monday, December 30: 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Watershed Wonders
The Grand River plays a huge role in our community and state. Explore the past, present, and future of this watershed as well as the role you play in protecting this resource. Get ready for a fun day of experimenting, exploring, and creating artwork inspired by the river.
Thursday, January 2: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.
Coloring Our World
Our world is awash in color, making it feel vibrant and alive. Explore traveling exhibit The Nature of Color from the American Museum of Natural History, then investigate artifacts, specimens, and artwork to make sense of the world. Campers will explore the physics of color, learn why some plants and animals have adapted to display color, discover what color means to people and the emotions it evokes, and create their own colorful objects along the way!
Friday, January 3: 1:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Refund Policy
The GRPM may cancel camp with insufficient enrollment or for any emergency reason; registrants will be notified and given a full refund. There are no refunds after the start of class. Campers are not enrolled until complete payment is received. The GRPM will not prorate or offer make-up days for student absences. If campers need to cancel their registration, the Museum will provide a full refund if it is two weeks or more before the start of the Camp session. The Museum will offer a 50% refund on cancellations one week prior to a scheduled Camp date. No refunds will be given for cancellations less than one week prior to the Camp’s start date.
Family Handbook.
Every summer, the Museum offers camps for preschool through high school students. Some camps are offered each year while others are specific to the exhibits in the Museum. Some of our popular themes include: fossils, slime, LEGO®, watersheds, and space. We offer one day camps on Mondays and Fridays and three day camps from Tuesday to Thursday. We host AM (9am-12pm) sessions as well as PM (1:30-4:30) sessions. Our goal is to open up the Museum as a learning lab to inspire curiosity.
The GRPM may cancel camp with insufficient enrollment or for any emergency reason; registrants will be notified by a camp director via email and given a full refund. There are no refunds after the start of class. Campers are not enrolled until complete payment is received. The GRPM will not prorate or offer make-up days for student absences. If campers need to cancel their registration, the Museum will provide a full refund if it is two weeks or more before the start of the Camp session. The Museum will offer a 50% refund on cancellations one week prior to a scheduled Camp date. No refunds will be given for cancellations less than one week prior to the Camp’s start date.
Check in will take place on the first floor at the table set up by
the A is for Auto exhibit. This table will open 15 minutes prior to
the start of the camp session. Morning sessions start at 9am and
afternoon session begins at 1:30. Campers will check in, receive
a camp shirt, and be instructed where their classroom is by
museum staff. If another adult will be picking up your camper
from camp, inform the camp instructor so that they can make
note of the change. Doors to the camp classrooms will open 15
minutes prior to the start of camp. This ensures camp instructors
have adequate time to prepare for the best camp experience
possible.
The GRPM’s parking ramp is located behind the Holiday Inn and across the street from the Blue Bridge. The parking ramp offers a 30 minute drop off and pick up window. This will offer adequate time to drop off or pick up your camper without having to pay for parking.
Campers should bring a water bottle and a peanut-free snack for snack time. Campers are also encouraged to wear comfortable shoes to walk around the museum and participate in possible outdoor activities. Please encourage your camper to leave electronics, toys, valuables, money, and trading cards at home for safe keeping. The GRPM is not responsible for any lost items. Items that are left at camp will be brought to the security office where they can be picked up. Items left beyond the summer camp season will be donated to local charities.
Campers are required to be able to use the bathroom independently. We are not authorized to assist campers with toileting needs. If your child has health concerns or requires additional support in this area, a parent or another adult is encouraged to stay with the camper.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is committed to providing a safe and fun learning environment for all of our campers. If a camper’s behavior is disruptive or unsafe to the Camp Curious program or experience of other campers, the following steps will be taken. Disruptive and unsafe behavior include but are not limited to: bullying, inappropriate language or actions, and destruction of Museum property.
- The camp instructor will pull aside the camper to talk about the disruptive behavior and remind them of camp expectations.
- If the behavior continues, the instructor will contact a camp director. The director will pull the camper aside to discuss what has been going on in camp. The parent/guardian will also be called and informed of their campers choices and the negative impact it is having on the camp.
If the unsafe or disruptive behavior persists, the camper will be removed from the camp by the camp director and the parent/guardian will be asked to come pick up the camper.
Prior to removal from camp, staff will make every effort to
provide an opportunity for the child to be successful in the
program. If a camper’s behavior posses an immediate danger
to themselves, other campers, or staff; the camper will be
sent home immediately. Examples of dangerous behavior
include: Hitting, kicking, biting, running away from the
group, or using objects as a weapon. If a camper is removed
from camp for behavior reasons, no refund will be issued.
First aid kits are located in each classroom and throughout the museum. If a minor accident or injury occurs such as a bump or scrape, the parent/guardian will be notified at the time of pick up. If the accident or Injury is serious (head injury, excessive bleeding, broken limb. etc) the parent/guardian will be notified immediately and museum security will run an accident report. In the event that a camper needs to go to the hospital via ambulance, a staff member will accompany the child to the hospital until the parent/guardian arrives.
Camp Curious staff is not allowed to administer medication. If your camper requires an epi-pen or inhaler, make sure that your camper brings the required medication in their camp bag and inform the instructor.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is not a nut free building. We encourage campers to bring nut free snack and we will inform families at drop off if food is being used during camp for learning activities. If your child has an allergy, please communicate that with the instructor on the first day of camp.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum is committed to making all guests feel welcome.