Junior Explorers (half day)

Morning sessions only: meet Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (drop off starts at 8:30 a.m.)

This half-day program is a perfect introduction to summer camp at Mystic Seaport Museum for the youngest children. Each day will focus on a different topic and hands-on activities in exhibits and onboard vessels, unique games, daily story-time and fantastic craft projects. See the universe on Star Day, explore the ocean deep and the Mystic River on Sea Critter Day, discover the secret lives of sailors aboard ships on Jack Tar Day, and much more!

• Ages 4–5
• June 16–20, August 11–15
• Members $220 | Non-members $275

Junior Detectives (half day)

Morning sessions only: meet Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (drop off starts at 8:30 a.m.)

Travel back to the 1870s to figure out where our lights, clothes, and food come from. Try your hand at potting your own herbs, use basic weaving skills, see what kinds of food we get from the ocean, and map out the long journey some of our everyday things take to get to us. Campers will explore the Museum from kitchen garden to fishing schooner, participate in games and activities, and make fun crafts each day.

• Ages 4–5
• June 30–July 4
• Members $220 | Non-members $275

Ocean Adventurers

For thousands of years people have adventured across the world’s oceans. This camp will explore the stories of pirates, vikings, whalers and the Navy, and their quests to learn more about what lies across the seas. Each day we will look at the world through the scope of a different group of explorers, using tall ships, maps, and craft activities to get a better understanding about what life was like for these brave explorers and what they discovered on their voyages.

• Ages 6–8
• August 4–8
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Seaport Sampler: Greenhands

Jump into a fun week of history, crafts, exploration, and good old-fashioned camp fun at Mystic Seaport Museum! This camp takes you on an adventure through a little bit of everything that the Museum has to offer. Get a kids-eye view of the last wooden whaling ship, dip your toes into the Mystic River to investigate aquatic critters, see the stars in the Treworgy Planetarium, and enjoy hands-on activities in our historic trades. We will cap it all off with a cruise on the Mystic River. If you like a little bit of everything, then this camp is for you!

• Ages 6–8
• June 16–20, July 14–18, July 28–August 1
• Members $344 Non-Members $430

Space is the Place: Mission Specialists

A NASA mission specialist is a new astronaut, whose job is completing experiments. Our mission specialists will explore space—from the comfort of Earth! Campers will experience an out-of-this-world adventure as they explore planets, galaxies, and constellations. Learn about stars, planets, and moons with a show in Treworgy Planetarium. Participate in fun experiments and create awesome space-themed crafts to take home.

• Ages 7–9
• June 23–27
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Girls of Long Ago

Discover history from a girl’s point of view! Campers investigate what daily life was like in the 1870s and what opportunities girls had in a seaport town like Mystic. Campers discover real stories of young women who lived aboard sailing ships and engage in hands-on 19th-century activities such as cooking, housekeeping, hand-sewing, and more. Open to all!

• Ages 8–10
• July 7–11
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Boys of Long Ago

Campers will discover what life was like for boys in a Seaport town in the 1800s. Participants will learn about the opportunities for boys in a small town, practice seamanship skills aboard our tall-ships and immerse themselves in the day-to-day activities a young man would have participated in long ago. Campers will learn knot-tying skills, outdoor games, and role-play as different types of sailors and tradesmen each day. Open to all!

• Ages 9–11
• August 11–15
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Seaport Sampler: Old Salts

Dive a little deeper into history, crafts, exploration, and good old-fashioned camp fun at Mystic Seaport Museum! This camp goes on an in-depth exploration of the Museum’s offerings. See the last wooden whaling ship through the lens of the whalers who sailed the ship, study and investigate life in the Mystic River estuary, see the stars and learn about navigation in the Treworgy Planetarium, and dig into hands-on activities in our exhibits. We will cap it all off with a cruise on the Mystic River! Campers will also participate in teambuilding and leadership activities through a maritime lens.

• Ages 9–11
• June 30–July 4, July 21–25
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Space is the Place: Pilots

NASA pilots not only fly their spacecraft, but they also help the commanders ensure the success of the mission. Our pilots will take what they learned as mission specialists, and investigate further into different space science topics. Through engineering challenges, science crafts, and other activities, campers will learn what it takes to become a space scientist. While participation in the Mission Specialists camp is recommended, it is not required.

• Ages 10–12
• July 7-11
• Members $344 | Non-members $430

Trade Winds

This camp provides the perfect balance for those who want some time on land and on the water. Campers spend their mornings exploring Mystic Seaport Museum exhibits and participating in crafts and hands-on activities. Then in the afternoons campers learn to sail small boats on the Mystic River with our US Sailing Certified instructors in Dyer Dhows.

• Ages 10–12
• June 23–27, August 4–8
• Members $360 | Non-members $450

Time Travelers: Growing up in Greenmanville (ages 11-13)

July 28-August 1

Experience what life was like for youth in the 1800s by living it! Campers spend a week immersed in the 19th century and learn about the differences and similarities of life for young people then and now. Campers investigate young people of the past and create character profiles of someone living in the area in 1876 using primary documents and census data. Campers learn about how roles and responsibilities have changed over time and gain experience in character research, roleplaying, and performance. For campers who join us for multiple summers, they can build on their personas and use the changes in their real lives to model what changes a young adult in the 1870s might have experienced.

Members $372 Non-Members $465

Space is the Place – Commanders (ages 13-15)

July 21-25

NASA commanders are seasoned astronauts in charge of the success of the whole mission. Our commanders will use and build on what they learned as pilots to create and test scientific theories while building their teamwork skills. Campers will be able to explore different space science related fields, such as spectroscopy (studying elements’ spectra), using the same techniques as the scientists. Commanders will learn about the achievements of past space scientists, and look toward the future of space exploration. While participation in the pilots’ age camp is recommended, it is not required.

Members $344 Non-Members $430

Time Travelers: Living the History (ages 14-16)

July 14-18

Experience what life was like for youth in the 1800s by living it! Campers spend a week immersed in the 19th century and learn about the differences and similarities of life for young people then and now. Campers investigate young people of the past and create character profiles of someone living in the area in 1876 using primary documents and census data. Campers learn about how roles and responsibilities have changed over time and gain experience in character research, roleplaying, and performance. For campers who join us for multiple summers, they can build on their personas and use the changes in their real lives to model what changes a young adult in the 1870s might have experienced.

Members $372 Non-Members $465