Explorers Camp

Engage your senses as you explore The Huntington’s collections through textures! Where does cotton come from? How was that quilt made? Who built that sculpture? Learn about the materials that make up our collections while creating works of art in this hands-on tactile week!

If you could visit any fictional place, what would it be? If you could make a fictional world, what would it look like? What plants, people, and animals would live there? What would your world be made from? Engage your imagination, explore The Huntington’s collections, and play with a wide variety of materials as you create art that reflects the world you want to see.

Spend a week in an enchanted forest as we visit the world of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream! Campers will explore The Huntington’s collections while discovering the characters and stories of this magical play: runaway friends, fairies, royalty, and even a talking donkey. We’ll play with words, make costumes, decorate our set, and practice using our bodies and voices onstage—there’s something for everyone! It’s Shakespeare, with all of the creativity, imagination, and fun of camp. Our week will end with a performance of Midsummer selections tailored to our age group.

Perfect if you love music, art, and gardens! Start the week by recording a collaborative song with a plant using synthesizers that translate a plant’s energy into sound. Then, make music, rock n roll-inspired gig posters, DIY merchandise, and a fashion photo shoot for your fantasy music project. This week of programming blends music, art, history, and play. Inspired by The Huntington’s plants, archives, and sounds, creative voices and innovation will be encouraged and explored.

Please select one week; both weeks are identical in content and programming. Registration is limited to three tickets per household. Registration includes all supplies and materials.

Explorers Camp runs five consecutive days (Monday–Friday) from 9 a.m. to noon.  Most programs are outdoors so participants should dress accordingly. No lunch or snacks will be provided; participants should bring their own bagged snacks and water bottle (labeled with child’s name).

Each class uses The Huntington’s collections as inspiration for engaging arts, history, botanical, and science-related activities. Explorers Camp focuses on topics that emphasize active learning, exploration, and, most of all, fun! All camp sessions are created with inclusive and age-appropriate activities tailored to the multiple ways kids learn. Explorers Camp also includes unique behind-the-scenes experiences with curators and special guests.

Explorers enjoy a staff-to-child ratio ranging from 1:5 to 1:7, depending on the age group. Instructors are passionate educators who are experts in their fields, and they have undergone training and background checks.

Ensuring that each child has a safe and enjoyable experience is our highest priority. We aim to create an inclusive and accessible experience for all participants. Explorers Camp is designed to meet the needs of all participants, with different ways to engage through empowerment and channeling the strengths and interests of each child. Please contact us if you have questions regarding accommodations for your child at explorers@huntington.org. To ensure that Explorers Camp is a positive experience for everyone, your child must have attended kindergarten at the time of enrollment. Please contact us if you have any other questions about which session is the best fit for your child.