Celebrate summer fun and learning through Penn Museum’s world-renowned collections. Each week features an exciting theme with hands-on workshops, expert talks, gallery exploration, and more!
Penn Museum Anthropology Camp is designed for children ages 6-13 who will be entering grades 1–8 for the 2023-2024 school year.
Registration Now Open
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What will summer camp look like in 2023?
The safety of your child is our top priority. COVID-19 vaccines are required for all counselors and campers. As health protocols continue to change, camp safety guidelines will adapt with them. Additional information will be shared in the Parent Welcome Letter following camp registration.
Camp Dates
June 26 - August 18, 2023
The waitlist for sold out sessions can be accessed through the registration website. If you have any specific questions about camp sessions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
| Theme | ||
|---|---|---|
| Creating the World | Week 1 June 26 - 30 |
Week 7 August 7 - 11 |
| Furry Friends, Savage Beasts | Week 2* July 3 – 7 |
Week 8 August 14 - 18 |
| Designing the Museum | Week 3 July 10 - 14 |
|
| Celebrations Around the World | Week 4 July 17 - 21 |
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| Engineering the Mediterranean | Week 5 July 24 - 28 - SOLD OUT |
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| Cracking the Code | Week 6 July 31 - August 4 - SOLD OUT |
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| *There will be no camp on Tuesday July 4. | ||
Themes
- Creating the World
- Our world is filled with rich stories that help humans find their place on the planet. Explore stories about how humans, animals, the earth, and the sky were created. Listen to tales about how the earth is carried by a turtle or hatched from an egg, how people were once made of mud or wood, and how the sky emerged from the water. Learn about mythical creatures, write your own creation myth, and paint your story on a scroll.
- Furry Friends, Savage Beasts
- Animals have been the loyal companions of humans throughout history. Travel the world through stories to learn about larger-than-life creatures. Listen to trickster tales and learn about the mischievous Anansi and cunning Coyote. Discover why cats were revered in Ancient Egypt, make your own animal mask, and more!
- Designing the Museum
- Do you know what it takes to build a museum? Discover why museums are important as you explore the roles of conservators, exhibit designers, and educators. Get up close and personal with artifacts, learn how to write exhibit labels, work with new friends to repair broken ceramic vessels, and design your own museum exhibit in your camp classroom.
- Celebrations Around the World
- Join the party as we explore different celebrations around the world. Uncover the importance of music, dance, and storytelling in global traditions. Learn about seasonal, religious, and historic festivals and ceremonies. Make your own instruments, participate in a culinary workshop, and plan your own classroom celebration.
- Engineering the Mediterranean
- Join us as we explore the architecture of Ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, Mesopotamia and more! Embrace your inner engineer and design your own city. Learn to identify different types of columns, build a model Colosseum, and participate in an engineering challenge.
- Cracking the Code
- Do you know what written language and codes have in common? Join us as we explore the symbols and markings used in early written languages. Learn about the importance of written stories and how they influenced the world. Make your own cuneiform tablet, design an Egyptian cartouche, and use your knowledge of written languages to create your own secret code.
Tuition and Fees
| Register by March 15 | $320 Members | $350 Non-members per week |
| Register After March 15 | $340 Members | $370 Non-members per week |
| Pre-camp (8:00 - 9:00 am) | $30 per week |
| After-camp (3:00 - 5:30 pm) | $75 per week |
Scholarships
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available for Penn Museum Anthropology Camp.
- $100 Partial Scholarship
This scholarship will be given to help offset the cost of tuition. Campers receive $100 off one session. Open to all applicants. - Full Scholarship
This scholarship will cover full tuition for one session of camp. Only open to applicants who live within the city of Philadelphia.
All scholarship applications are due by April 15, 2023
To request a scholarship application, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Camp Lunches
Campers have the option of purchasing lunches from the Museum Café on Tuesdays through Fridays each week. You can pre-purchase a lunch for your child during online registration or by emailing the Camp Director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For the 2023 camp season, all lunches must be pre-purchased. You will not be able to purchase a lunch during morning sign-in.
The Museum Café will be closed on Mondays and lunch service will not be available. Please be sure to pack a lunch for your child. View the lunch menu.
Our café is not a nut-free facility. If your child has a severe nut allergy, we recommend that you send a lunch from home. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the camp director.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does camp begin each day? What time does camp end?
Camp sessions run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
I am filing my taxes and need a receipt and the Museum's Tax ID number. How do I access this information?
The Museum's tax ID is 23-1352685. To obtain a receipt, you may access your online account.
I am a Penn staff/faculty member. Do I receive the Member discount?
Only families who enroll at the Penn Museum’s Household level and above are eligible for Camp discounts. Penn staff/faculty are not automatically Members at this level. This is a separate (fully tax-deductible) fee. Learn more about Penn Museum Household Memberships.
How many campers can enroll in a session? Does the camp sell out?
We cap each week at 65 campers. Most sessions sell out each year, so early registration is encouraged.
About how many weeks do children attend? Do most children attend all eight weeks? Do you get new campers?
Most campers attend at least two sessions, most often back-to-back. About half of our campers return from the prior summer, while half are new each year.
How are the campers divided into groups?
Campers will be divided into four separate groups, or classrooms, of 14-16 campers. These groups are separated by age approximately as follows: 6-7; 7-8; 9-10; 11-13.
What is the ratio of campers to counselors? Are the counselors high school students?
All counselors are 21 or older, have previous experience working with children, and have passed PA and FBI clearances. Camp staff include eight counselors, camp assistant director, camp director, and 4-5 additional support staff. Two counselors are assigned to a group of 14-16 campers each week, with a ratio of 1:8.
Do you offer a sibling discount?
We do not offer a sibling discount. Please consider becoming a Member to receive discounts. Learn more about Penn Museum Memberships.
My child is 5 years old. My child is turning 14. Can I enroll them?
If your child has completed kindergarten and will be entering first grade next school year, they can be enrolled in our camp program. If your child is turning 14 and entering high school, we do not recommend our summer camp program.
My child can no longer attend the camp. Are any of the fees refundable or transferable?
The $100 deposit, due at time of registration, is non-refundable. If you cancel your child’s registration three or more weeks prior to the start date of the session, all tuition and fees (minus the deposit) will be refunded. Refunds cannot be given if you cancel a session two weeks or less prior to the session start date. If your child wants to enroll in a different session, we will transfer all funds paid to a different session if space is available AND if you decide to transfer three or more weeks prior to the start date of the session.
I just registered online. Will I receive additional paperwork? When do I have to make additional payments?
You will receive a confirmation email upon registration. You will receive additional mandatory paperwork via email by June 1, 2023. These forms must be completed and returned two weeks prior to the start of your child’s camp session. If you create an online account during registration, you may log into your account at any time to make additional payments. Balances are due two weeks prior to the start of each camp session.
I’m not sure if I’ll need pre-care and/or after-care for my child. Should I enroll anyway? Do I need to register for the entire week?
If you think that you may need pre-care or after-care, enroll at time of registration. You must register for an entire week of pre-care or after-care.
No payment is needed at time of registration for pre-care and/or after-care. If you do not need to use pre-care and/or after-care, the charges will be removed from your account. All payments for pre-care and/or after-care must be paid by the first day of your child’s camp session. If you need to enroll your child in pre-care and/or after care, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Is there a waitlist for sold out sessions?
Yes. The waitlist for sold out sessions can be accessed through the registration website. If you have specific questions about camp sessions, please contact the camp director at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..