The Montshire Museum of Science, located in Norwich, is a hands-on science museum with over 150 exhibits that explore nature, technology, astronomy, and more. The museum offers interactive activities and learning experiences for all ages and incorporates the 110 acres of nature that surround it with walking trails, a forest play area, and a water-themed science park.

Montshire can be visited 7 days a week between the hours of 10 am to 5 pm, and general admission costs $17 for adults and $14 for children (summer admission beginning in June is $19 for adults and $16 for children). Admission for children under 2 and members is always free. Visit the website to learn about becoming a member and Montshire member benefits.

The museum also offers interactive summer camps for a variety of age groups beginning at the end of June. Montshire’s Mike Fenzel, Science Educator and Program Manager, answered a few of our questions about upcoming camps.

Question: What summer programs does Montshire offer?

Answer: Montshire offers camp programs for PreK through 9th grade. Most camps are structured around themes of local ecology or engineering.

Camps are all full-week programs, and campers must sign up for the week. Camps run for 8 weeks, from June 27 through August 19. Campers may sign up for one week of each session, so typically, each age group can attend up to 2 weeks of camp.

Q: Who is eligible to attend your summer programs?

A: Anyone may attend our summer camp programs, and we offer scholarships to hopefully make camp accessible for all. 

Q: How much do your summer programs cost?

A: Full-day camps cost between $310 and $380. 

Sessions:

• Ages 4-5: Preschool Nature Camp & Preschool Physical Science Camp. Fee $180/member, $205/non-member.

• Children entering grades 1 and 2: Nature Detectives, Experiment! and Water Worlds camps. Fee $310/member, $350/non-member.

• Children entering grades 3 and 4: Montshire Explorers, Aquatic Explorers, and Inventors' Workshop. Fee $325/member, $365/non-member.

• Children entering grades 5 and 6: Inventors' Workshop. Fee $325/member, $365/non-member.

• Children entering grades 7-9: Makers Camp. Fee $350/member, $380/non-member.

Q: What fun activities do your summer programs include?

A: Campers enjoy outdoor fun that weaves together hands-on exploration, storytelling, games, water play, and reflection time in their “magic spot.” Campers may find and examine insects up close, compare plants and seeds, and become better observers of the world around us. Young engineers will build, problem-solve, test, and modify designs as they bring their ideas to actuality. 

Q: What does a typical day during a summer program at Montshire look like?

A: Most of our camps spend the whole day outside, exploring Montshire's 110-acre property. From their special basecamp site in the woods, campers explore, play, and learn all day long! Each day will focus on a certain aspect of the remarkable ecology of our local world, introduced at our morning circle. Explorations, investigations, and experiments around the daily theme will happen throughout Montshire's campus. There also are times for small and large group activities, games, hikes, and swimming. Our goal is to send campers home tired but happy and eager to come back the next day. A large part of the day is spent in the indoor workshop space for our engineering camps, but they still get outside for games, hikes, lunch, and waterplay. 

Q: What subjects will children learn about during a summer program at Montshire?

A: For our ecology programs, we want to turn kids onto nature and give them the tools and confidence to explore and make sense of their world. Campers will emerge with new friendships, amazing discoveries, and a deeper respect for nature and the outdoors. Our engineering camps teach proper tool use, introduce the design process, help campers develop a basic understanding of how things work, and become better problem-solvers.

Q: Does Montshire offer any programs for adults to attend this summer?

A: The museum itself is a busy destination for families and people of all ages over the summer. There are many daily staff lead programs designed to engage all our visitors during their visits to Montshire. 

Q: How can families learn more about Montshire’s summer camp offerings and sign up for them?

A: All camp information and sign-up links are on our website.