Museum Camps
Museum Camps
When school is out – Museum Camps are in!
Explore science, technology, history and the arts through creative activities and games at Cincinnati Museum Center’s fun and educational Museum Camps.Whether it’s cooking or creating stop motion movies, there’s a camp for that.
Pricing
Summer Camps are sold by the week.
5-Day Camps
Members: $335; Non-Members: $360
4-Day Camps
Members: $285; Non-Members: $310
5-Day Premium Camps
Members: $385; Non-Members: $410
4-Day Premium Camps
Members: $335; Non-Members: $360
Registration
Camp registration opens Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. for Members and Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. for Non-Members.
Registration will look different this year! Please make sure you have your Membership up to date and have your log-in information ready; you will need to log in to your Membership before you register to receive the Member perks (early registration and discounted prices).
Questions
If you have questions or would like more information, please call (513) 287-7001 or email camps@likun56.com.
Our FAQ is being updated, please check back in later for important updates.
“My daughter had a great time. When we dropped her off after the first day, she ran right up to her counselors and fellow campers. It was obvious that she was comfortable and felt safe there."
2025 Museum Camps
Camp registration opens Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. for Members and Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. for Non-Members!
May 27 to 30 (4-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Space Adventures, Kindergarten
Travel through space for a stellar week of camp. Learn about our solar system, and what it’s like on different planets. What makes our planet unique? Why can we live here and not on Mars? Find out the answer to these cosmic questions and explore the Neil Armstrong Space Exploration Gallery.
Messy Science, 1st-2nd Grade
Spend the week getting your hands dirty as we dive into some messy science. Explore the scientific method through unconventional ways as we combine science and creativity!
Junior Explorers, 1st-2nd Grade
Explore the eastern forest from within the museum! Learn about conservation efforts and what you can do in your day-to-day life to do your part to keep nature beautiful. Visit the John A. and Judy Ruthven Get Into Nature Gallery and learn about the unique traits of the Cincinnati outdoors and meet our local species.
Paleontology, 3rd-4th Grade
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a part of a team of scientists excavating a prehistoric fossil? Unearth an exciting journey in our Dinosaur Hall as we discover the animals that once roamed Earth. Then dive into the Ordovician seas that once flowed over our city and explore the different roles of a paleontologist.
LEGO Movie Magic, 5th-6th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
June 2 to 6 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Little Artists, Kindergarten
Let your creativity shine in a craft-filled week. We will explore different mediums like paint, clay, drawing and more! Watch your artistic skills grow as you learn to express yourself through making!
Messy Science, 1st-2nd Grade
Spend the week getting your hands dirty as we dive into some messy science. Explore the scientific method through unconventional ways as we combine science and creativity!
LEGO Movie Magic, 3rd-4th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
Harry Potter, 3rd-4th Grade
You’re a wizard and you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Grab your broomstick and fly to Cincinnati Museum Center for a magical week of potions, fantastic beasts and duels. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
Cincinnati Observatory
Premium Technology in Space, 3rd-4th Grade
Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure at the Cincinnati Observatory! Launch into the exciting world of astronomy and technology. Meet with an astronomer who will share the cutting-edge tools and techniques they use. Spark your curiosity with robotics and 3D printing as you learn about the universe!
Premium Technology in Space, 5th-6th Grade
Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure at the Cincinnati Observatory! Launch into the exciting world of astronomy and technology. Meet with an astronomer who will share the cutting-edge tools and techniques they use. Spark your curiosity with robotics and 3D printing as you learn about the universe!
June 9 to 13 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Awesome Animals, Kindergarten
Investigate animals and their amazing adaptations. Explore these adaptations first-hand during animal encounters with our museum friends while engaging with extinct animals in our Dinosaurs Hall!
LEGO Engineers, 1st-2nd Grade
How do you build a house? A town? A city? Learn how a civil engineer might do it and explore engineering while you let your creativity run wild with a week’s worth of pure LEGO fun!
STEM, 3rd-4th Grade
Investigate the 4 branches of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – through chemical reactions, robot coding and building challenges. Join UC students in exploring STEM as it relates to environmental health, the climate, research and health care. Come see how the branches of STEM interlace in a fun-filled week for future scientists!
LEGO Movie Magic, 5th-6th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
June 16 to 20 (4-day camps; off Thursday, June 19)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Dino Discovery, Kindergarten
Dig up some fun as we learn all about dinosaurs! Explore the incredible specimens in our Dinosaur Hall, dig up and identify fossils and show off your prehistoric knowledge as we play games and have a RAWRing good time.
Little Artists, 1st-2nd Grade
Let your creativity shine in an art-filled week. Explore different media such as paint, clay, drawing and more! Expand your imagination into the next level of creativity.
Premium Tinkering with Toys, 3rd-4th Grade
Join the maker movement as you learn to use tools, explore different technologies and engineer a design of your own. From race cars to the cuddliest stuffed animal, see how your prototypes compare to those from Mattel with visits to our new featured exhibit: Barbie®: A Cultural Icon!
LEGO Movie Magic, 3rd-4th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
June 23 to 27 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Story Book Science, Kindergarten
Lovers of stories and science – this camp is for you! We’ll experiment to make a Seuss-worthy oobleck and put our engineering skills to the test as we make a zip line to save Rapunzel from her tower.
Paleontology, 1st-2nd Grade
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a part of a team of scientists excavating a prehistoric fossil? Unearth an exciting journey in our Dinosaur Hall as we discover the animals that once roamed Earth. Then dive into the Ordovician seas that once flowed over our city and explore the different roles of a paleontologist!
Premium Junior Chefs, 3rd-4th Grade
Dive into the flavorful world of cooking and hone your skills as we focus on simple techniques that can take your culinary skills to the next level. Slice, sauté and sear your way through tasty recipes, culminating in a culinary cookout at the end of the week.
LEGO Movie Magic, 5th-6th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
Cincinnati Observatory
Spectacular Solar Systems, 1st-2nd Grade
There are eight magnificent planets in our solar system (and what happened to the ninth)? Could we discover other planets? Explore our solar system and learn what makes Earth special. Enjoy a week with experts at the Cincinnati Observatory and their spectacular telescopes.
Space Explorers, 3rd-4th Grade
Travel to outer space without leaving Earth! Learn how scientists explore space and learn to use telescopes that let us see other galaxies. Explore the Cincinnati Observatory and meet professionals to help answer all your space questions.
July 7 to 11 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Space Adventures, Kindergarten
Travel through space for a stellar week of camp. Learn about our solar system, and what it’s like on different planets. What makes our planet unique? Why can we live here and not on Mars? Find out the answer to these cosmic questions and explore the Neil Armstrong Space Exploration Gallery.
Messy Science, 1st-2nd Grade
Spend the week getting your hands dirty as we dive into some messy science. Explore the scientific method through unconventional ways as we combine science and creativity!
Junior Explorers, 1st-2nd Grade
Explore the eastern forest from within the museum! Learn about conservation efforts and what you can do in your day-to-day life to do your part to keep nature beautiful. Visit the John A. and Judy Ruthven Get Into Nature Gallery and learn about the unique traits of the Cincinnati outdoors and meet our local species.
Paleontology, 3-4th Grade
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a part of a team of scientists excavating a prehistoric fossil? Unearth an exciting journey in our Dinosaur Hall as we discover the animals that once roamed Earth. Then dive into the Ordovician seas that once flowed over our city and explore the different roles of a paleontologist.
Cincinnati Observatory
Living in Space, 1st-2nd Grade
Want to be an astronaut and explore space? Learn what it takes to design rockets, travel beyond our atmosphere and research the stars with help from the experts at the Cincinnati Observatory!
Mission to Mars, 3rd-4th Grade
What do humans need to survive? Could we live on other planets? Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is a journey to Mars! Explore the Cincinnati Observatory and meet professionals to help answer all your space questions.
July 14 to 18 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Little Artists, Kindergarten
Let your creativity shine in a craft-filled week. We will explore different mediums like paint, clay, drawing and more! Watch your artistic skills grow as you learn to express yourself through making!
Messy Science, 1st-2nd Grade
Spend the week getting your hands dirty as we dive into some messy science. Explore the scientific method through unconventional ways as we combine science and creativity!
LEGO Movie Magic, 3rd-4th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
Harry Potter, 3rd-4th Grade
You’re a wizard and you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Grab your broomstick and fly to Cincinnati Museum Center for a magical week of potions, fantastic beasts and duels. Costumes are encouraged but not required.
Cincinnati Observatory
Spectacular Solar System, 1st-2nd Grade
There are eight magnificent planets in our solar system (and what happened to the ninth)? Could we discover other planets? Explore our solar system and learn what makes Earth special. Enjoy a week with experts at the Cincinnati Observatory and their spectacular telescopes.
Space Explorers, 3rd-4th Grade
Travel to outer space without leaving Earth! Learn how scientists explore space and learn to use telescopes that let us see other galaxies. Explore the Cincinnati Observatory and meet professionals to help answer all your space questions.
July 21 to 25 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Awesome Animals, Kindergarten
Investigate animals and their amazing adaptations. Explore these adaptations first-hand during animal encounters with our museum friends while engaging with extinct animals in our Dinosaur Hall!
LEGO Engineers, 1st-2nd Grade
How do you build a house? A town? A city? Learn how a civil engineer might do it and explore engineering while you let your creativity run wild with a week’s worth of pure LEGO fun!
STEM, 3rd-4th Grade
Investigate the 4 branches of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – through chemical reactions, robot coding and building challenges. Join UC students in exploring STEM as it relates to environmental health, the climate, research and health care. Come see how the branches of STEM interlace in a fun-filled week for future scientists!
Cincinnati Observatory
Living in Space, 1st-2nd Grade
Want to be an astronaut and explore space? Learn what it takes to design rockets, travel beyond our atmosphere and research the stars with help from the experts at the Cincinnati Observatory!
Mission to Mars, 3rd-4th Grade
What do humans need to survive? Could we live on other planets? Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is a journey to Mars! Explore the Cincinnati Observatory and meet professionals to help answer all your space questions.
July 28 to August 1 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Dino Discovery, Kindergarten
Dig up some fun as we learn all about dinosaurs! Explore the incredible specimens in our Dinosaur Hall, dig up and identify fossils and show off your prehistoric knowledge as we play games and have a RAWRing good time.
Little Artists, 1st-2nd Grade
Let your creativity shine in an art-filled week. Explore different media such as paint, clay, drawing and more! Expand your imagination into the next level of creativity.
Premium Tinkering with Toys, 3rd-4th Grade
Join the maker movement as you learn to use tools, explore different technologies and engineer a design of your own. From race cars to the cuddliest stuffed animal, see how your prototypes compare to those from Mattel with visits to our new featured exhibit: Barbie®: A Cultural Icon!
LEGO Movie Magic, 3rd-4th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
Cincinnati Observatory
Premium Technology in Space, 3rd-4th Grade
Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure at the Cincinnati Observatory! Launch into the exciting world of astronomy and technology. Meet with an astronomer who will share the cutting-edge tools and techniques they use. Spark your curiosity with robotics and 3D printing as you learn about the universe!
Premium Technology in Space, 5th-6th Grade
Join us for an out-of-this-world adventure at the Cincinnati Observatory! Launch into the exciting world of astronomy and technology. Meet with an astronomer who will share the cutting-edge tools and techniques they use. Spark your curiosity with robotics and 3D printing as you learn about the universe!
August 4 to 8 (5-day camps)
Cincinnati Museum Center
Story Book Science, Kindergarten
Lovers of stories and science – this camp is for you! We’ll experiment to make a Seuss-worthy oobleck and put our engineering skills to the test as we make a zip line to save Rapunzel from her tower.
Paleontology, 1st-2nd Grade
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a part of a team of scientists excavating a prehistoric fossil? Unearth an exciting journey in our Dinosaur Hall as we discover the animals that once roamed Earth. Then dive into the Ordovician seas that once flowed over our city and explore the different roles of a paleontologist!
Premium Kitchen Chemistry, 3rd-4th Grade
Explore how science shapes cooking through a blend of culinary techniques and scientific concepts. Work with emulsions, caramelization, and fermentation to discover how molecular changes create flavor and texture and how chemistry, thermodynamics and physics inform and enhance cooking. Ideal for aspiring chefs and curious food enthusiasts who want to blend science with creativity.
LEGO Movie Magic, 5th-6th Grade
Lights, camera, action! Join our crew and cast as we learn the science behind special effects and create stop-motion animation movies with LEGO minifigures and bricks. Learn what it takes to make a movie, from storyboarding to screenwriting to filming!
More Information
Grade Bands
Campers are eligible for the grade they will be entering in Fall 2025.
The grade bands are as follows:
- Kindergarten
- 1st-2nd grade
- 3rd-4th grade
- 5th-6th grade
Hours
Camps will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Check-in: Camper drop off is from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m.
Check-out: Camper pick up is from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.
Please note: We will not be offering before or after care for the summer of 2025.
Locations
Museum Camps will take place at two locations around our region:
Cincinnati Museum Center
1301 Western Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45203
Cincinnati Observatory
3489 Observatory Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45208
Cancellation Policy
There is a $50 processing fee for cancelling on or after May 2, 2025. There will be a $100 fee if you cancel after May 2, 2025 up until the Friday before your camp. No refund given for cancelations after that point.
To cancel, please call (513) 287-7001. A refund will be issued to the same credit card used to register for camp. Please have the card in hand when calling to cancel.
Become a CMC Member!
Be the first to see new exhibits, enjoy free admission to all of our museums and get the best price at all of our yearly events.