Summer Camp at The Nat

Summer Camp at The Nat includes hands-on exploration at the Museum and throughout Balboa Park, where campers test their tracking skills, look for creative inspiration in nature, and experience how the Kumeyaay People take care of nature in this region. Campers practice fieldwork like paleontologists, visit exhibitions such as Fossil Mysteries, Coast to Cactus in Southern California, Amazement in the Basement, and Hidden Gems, and spend time in the Living Lab with its herpetological collection. Activities include exploratory hikes in the park, outdoor garden investigations, close encounters with bugs, conducting experiments, playing games, making ocean-inspired art and other art projects, general classification and artistic renderings, collecting plant and animal observations, using iPads to learn digital storytelling, creating stories about the natural world, digging into the Museum’s collections, and sharing their findings or films with friends and family at the end of the week.

• Ages: 6–13 years old
• Schedule: One-week sessions, Monday through Friday, 9 AM–3 PM
• Price: Members $425 | Non-members $450 per listed camp session

The organization behind Summer Camp at The Nat traces its roots to a group of amateur naturalists who came together in 1874. Its mission is stated as: “Conserving nature through science and discovery. The San Diego Natural History Museum helps nature thrive through research, education, and collaboration.” The organization focuses on the natural history and unique biodiversity of a binational region that includes Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula, in what is described as the most diverse county in the lower 48 states, and it welcomes nearly 400,000 people into the Museum each year. The Museum recognizes the Kumeyaay people whose ancestral homelands it currently occupies and honors their legacy as original caretakers and conservationists.

The San Diego Natural History Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, holds LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance Certification awarded in 2009, has a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, and a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar). It is a member of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, a collaboration of 26 arts, science, and culture institutions in Balboa Park, and hosts environmental education programs in the community while engaging in scientific research throughout Southern California and the Baja California Peninsula.

Last updated July 8, 2026.