Spend a week immersed in color! Find out where color comes from and discover how different colors and patterns help plants and animals survive. Head outdoors in search of all the colors of the rainbow, and explore beloved exhibits with museum experts to uncover the importance of color in the natural world.
Learn more about Color Craze.
Celebrate your favorite real and cartoon dogs in this canine-themed camp! Learn about proper pup care and what dogs need to thrive. Take a look under the microscope to discover the difference between hair and fur, and craft your own furry friend. Engage in nature play to explore the habitats of famous colorful canines like Bluey and the Paw Patrol.
Learn more about Dog Days of Summer.
A summer camp adventure 66 million years in the making! Piece together prehistoric evidence as you investigate how dinosaurs lived and why they died. Extract DNA from modern-day relatives of dinosaurs. Take a hike through the museum and nearby Schenley Park to compare today’s world to that of the dinosaurs. Build a habitat, complete with life-size dinosaur murals, to transform your classroom into Jurassic Planet.
Learn more about Jurassic Planet.
Do you have an eye for detail? Do you like to puzzle through patterns? Join this micro-adventure to unearth some of the smallest specimens on display in the museum. Analyze patterns and make connections between cultural artifacts and the natural world. Learn how your brain decodes fine detail by experimenting with light and color. Dissect a real cow eyeball using age-appropriate tools and techniques.
Learn more about Camouflage Chaos.
Discover more about your favorite dinosaurs! Get an up-close look at real fossils in the exhibition Dinosaurs in Their Time. Find out where these big bones came from and learn all about prehistoric animals. Dig for replica bones like a real paleontologist, make fossil casts, and study authentic dinosaur specimens. Learn about the creatures that roamed with the dinosaurs—early mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Learn more about Dino Dig - AM.
Calling all Eye Spy champions! Challenge your skills on a visual quest full of surprises. Search the museum for the smallest specimens on display, look for mystery minerals, and discover how our eyes play tricks on us. Learn how animals use their brains and eyes as predators and prey, and conduct experiments with colors. Gain an eye for photography as you take photos of your favorite toy animal in its “natural habitat” during your Eye Spy adventure.
Learn more about Eye Spy.
Discover more about your favorite dinosaurs! Get an up-close look at real fossils in the exhibition Dinosaurs in Their Time. Find out where these big bones came from and learn all about prehistoric animals. Dig for replica bones like a real paleontologist, make fossil casts, and study authentic dinosaur specimens. Learn about the creatures that roamed with the dinosaurs—early mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Learn more about Dino Dig - PM.
Discover the amazing creatures living in and around your home! Explore the museum’s exhibits, backyard, and nearby Schenley Park to look for critters, search for insects in leaf litter, and go on a mammal scavenger hunt. Create your own bird feeder to attract birds to your yard, plus craft a bug hotel and make art from nature. Conduct plant pigment experiments and dissect fruits and vegetables. Uncover backyard micro mysteries using magnifiers and a video microscope.
Learn more about Backyard Biology.
Look up, down, and all around on this adventurous week of seeking and searching! Explore Powdermill Nature Reserve’s forest, soil, and stream with games and activities focused on discovering the wonders of nature. Dig through soil in search of worms and work together in a crawfish bonanza to see how many you can collect. Solve a series of clues on a wildlife scavenger hunt, and play cooperative outdoor games to learn about predators, prey, and nature all around us.
Learn more about On the Lookout.
Piece together a prehistoric mystery as you explore the science of paleontology. Map and excavate a mock dig site, wrap your finds in plaster fossil jackets, and transport them to the classroom. Build hands-on fossil prep skills by reconstructing discoveries and analyzing bones. Stack up your finds against the specimens in the exhibition Dinosaurs in Their Time to discover what bone you’ve found, which dinosaur it came from, and how that part of the skeleton functioned.
Learn more about Paleontology - Field to Lab.
Examine fascinating natural patterns and use objects from nature to create your own designs. Dig into the science behind color and texture as you experiment with bright red beets, beautiful butterfly wings, gorgeous geodes, and spiral snail shells. Discover critters of all shapes and sizes as you explore the marvels and mysteries of the natural world!
Learn more about Hi-Fives!: Natural Wonders.
Enter the world of the dinosaurs as you dive into prehistoric ecosystems in the exhibition Dinosaurs in Their Time. Perform hands-on investigations with mud, rocks, minerals, and fossils. Compare the skulls and teeth of predators and prey, and learn how dinosaurs digested food. Study specimens and predict colors and patterns of dinosaur skin. Watch your own dinosaur adaptations evolve as you make a “Me-a-saurus.”
Learn more about Land of the Giants.
Come and catch them all! Join Pokéteam Carnegie to explore the natural world of Pokémon. Learn about different Pokémon and examine their habitats to discover what makes them strong. Meet entomology experts and compare the life cycle of Pokébugs to real insects. Create your own Poké Ball and Pokémon creature based on real features of amazing animals. Go on quests in the museum and Schenley Park to find Pokémon.
Learn more about PokéGo.
Celebrate your favorite real and cartoon dogs in this canine-themed camp! Learn about proper pup care and what dogs need to thrive. Take a look under the microscope to discover the difference between hair and fur, and craft your own furry friend. Engage in nature play to explore the habitats of famous colorful canines like Bluey and the Paw Patrol.
Learn more about Dog Days of Summer.
Explore the world of massive plant eaters, vicious carnivores, ancient insects, and prehistoric plants! Discover dinosaurs and the world they lived in with hands-on activities including digging for fossils and making a fossil cast. Work in teams to piece together evidence from the past to identify fossils of plants, animals, and more. Use real tools like a paleontologist to mold mystery fossil pieces together. Investigate how modern animals compare to dinosaurs and other animals from millions of years ago.
Learn more about Fossil Investigators.
Visit the habitats of animals big and small as you learn about the types of places different creatures call home. Learn how human architects gain inspiration from nature’s structures and animal dwellings. Design insect homes and observe bugs up close using magnifying glasses and microscopes. Explore how beavers make dams and bees make hives, plus learn how leftover chipmunk holes become homes for snakes. Bring your favorite toy animal to camp and create a model of its very own dream house!
Learn more about Animal Architecture.
Discover the role nature plays in telling great stories in books, fables, and myths. Investigate how animals, plants, birds, and insects spark ideas for fascinating tales and creepy cryptids. Explore the forest and trails to gain inspiration and find out what makes a memorable story. Work with your new camp friends to rehearse and perform a play all about the environment.
Learn more about Mountain Myths and Forest Fables.
Get an inside look at paleontology from the gigantic Diplodocus to the tiny Archaeopteryx. Cover land, sea, and sky while searching for unusual pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, birds, and mammals. Join a museum expert for an up-close look at fossils in Dinosaurs in Their Time. Make a mask of your favorite prehistoric beast and move like a dinosaur in a special relay race.
Learn more about Peculiar Paleontology.
Skunks, spiders, and snakes – oh my! Explore what makes misunderstood animals so important in their ecosystems. Separate fact from fiction and learn about the survival skills of amazing creatures of all sizes. Get an up-close look as you dissect a real squid using age-appropriate tools and techniques. Work with your fellow campers to create an awareness campaign for your favorite misunderstood critter, and observe animals in their habitats on a trip to Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium.
Learn more about The Good, The Bad, & The Misunderstood.
Meet weird prehistoric creatures and some of nature’s coolest critters! Get your hands on mystery slime, take a close look at reptile scales, and build an obstacle course for worms. Examine the movements, habitats, and senses of animals with daily experiments. Get creative with chemistry to investigate scientific phenomena as you mix emulsions and test what floats in slimy substances.
Learn more about Creepy Crawly, Slippery Slimy.