Summer Camps at Gilbert House Children's Museum
Gilbert House Children's Museum, 116 Marion St NE, Salem, OR 97301
About
Summer Camps at Gilbert House Children's Museum offer themed weeks such as Artist Camp, Engineer Camp, Storybook STEAM, Scientist Camp, Crafter Camp, World Traveler Camp, and Best Of Camp. Campers take part in specific projects like experimenting with watercolors, Gelli prints, pastels, and clay, building big box cars and Cranky Contraptions, camouflaging eggs, engineering gingerbread houses, crafting spy bottles, and creating Sphero boats. Additional hands-on activities include exploring paleontology, seismology, and chemistry, as well as beginner woodworking, making neon signs, and hand-stitching.
• Ages: 5–9 years old
• Schedule: Camp hours are 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
• Price: Member Price $340/week; Non-Member Price $380/week; 15 scholarship spots across three camp weeks at $150; 5 scholarship spots available per week; scholarship program follows the same qualifications as Access Membership; scholarship spots limited to one camp week per child; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
Gilbert House Children’s Museum describes its mission as “Inspiring Children to Learn Through Creative Play” and has been inspiring young minds since 1989. The museum identifies itself as a nonprofit dedicated to hands-on, play-based exploration and uses a hands-on, inquiry-based approach with original activities led by experienced educators set against the backdrop of unique museum exhibits. As a nonprofit, it states a commitment to making high-quality educational experiences accessible to every family in the community, including ACCESS Memberships available by application to families who qualify for assistance and have an annual income of $50,000 or less before taxes.
Families describe Gilbert House Children’s Museum as having 20+ hands-on exhibits spanning science, art, and the humanities, along with a 20,000-square-foot Outdoor Discovery Area inspired by the Erector Set and an expansive outdoor play space. Parents and caregivers report visiting with children of various ages, including children with special needs and homeschooled children, and mention frequent visits in different weather. Additional offerings mentioned by families include Science Time every day from 1:00 PM–2:00 PM and weekly storytime every Friday at 11:30–4:00 PM, both free with admission. The museum also notes that all programs require a minimum number of registrations to run and that there is no before or after care being offered this summer.
Last updated June 12, 2026.
• Ages: 5–9 years old
• Schedule: Camp hours are 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
• Price: Member Price $340/week; Non-Member Price $380/week; 15 scholarship spots across three camp weeks at $150; 5 scholarship spots available per week; scholarship program follows the same qualifications as Access Membership; scholarship spots limited to one camp week per child; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis
Gilbert House Children’s Museum describes its mission as “Inspiring Children to Learn Through Creative Play” and has been inspiring young minds since 1989. The museum identifies itself as a nonprofit dedicated to hands-on, play-based exploration and uses a hands-on, inquiry-based approach with original activities led by experienced educators set against the backdrop of unique museum exhibits. As a nonprofit, it states a commitment to making high-quality educational experiences accessible to every family in the community, including ACCESS Memberships available by application to families who qualify for assistance and have an annual income of $50,000 or less before taxes.
Families describe Gilbert House Children’s Museum as having 20+ hands-on exhibits spanning science, art, and the humanities, along with a 20,000-square-foot Outdoor Discovery Area inspired by the Erector Set and an expansive outdoor play space. Parents and caregivers report visiting with children of various ages, including children with special needs and homeschooled children, and mention frequent visits in different weather. Additional offerings mentioned by families include Science Time every day from 1:00 PM–2:00 PM and weekly storytime every Friday at 11:30–4:00 PM, both free with admission. The museum also notes that all programs require a minimum number of registrations to run and that there is no before or after care being offered this summer.
Last updated June 12, 2026.
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