Museum of New Mexico Media Center Press Release

Young Explorers Summer Science Program brings summer fun back to the NM Museum of Natural History & Science

New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 01, 2023

MEDIA CONTACT

Albuquerque, NM – The Young Explorers Summer Science Program is returning to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science (NMMNHS) for three weeks of fun and scientific exploration this July! 

The Young Explorers Summer Science Program will be held in-person at NMMNHS over the summer for the first time since 2019. Campers between the ages of 5 and 12 will have a chance to explore paleontology, space science, and all things STEM in both large and small groups from July 10 through July 28. Camp Coordinator Sioux Rivera will be overseeing the program. 

“For many campers, our Young Explorers program will be their first opportunity to visit the Museum and explore topics like astronomy and paleontology,” said NMMNHS Executive Director Dr. Anthony Fiorillo. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to foster curiosity and a love of science for campers of all ages.” 

The first week, which runs from July 10-14, gives campers the chance to bone up on their dinosaur knowledge! Campers between the ages of 5 and 7 will participate in Dino Detectives, which gives kids the opportunity to don their paleontologist hats and travel into the past to understand what makes dinosaurs special and to explore the environments they lived in. The program will explore museum collections, make fossils, and learn all about life in ancient New Mexico. Meanwhile 8- to 12-year-olds can participate in Prehistoric Paleontology, where they can dig into the world of the past and learn all about creatures that lived eons ago at a more advanced, age-appropriate level. 

In Week 2, the Young Explorers will be blasting off into the cosmos from July 17-21! The younger cohort will join for Awesome Astronomy and explore the huge variety of celestial objects, space flight, and much more. The older group will participate in Space Explorers, where they will have a chance to speak face-to-face with Dr. Larry Crumpler, a museum geoscientist who is currently working on the Mars rovers. 

It all culminates in the Summer Science STEM-fest in Week 3, where all campers will delve into all sorts of fun with tinkering and creating around paleontology, ecology, geology and engineering! Behind-the-scenes museum tours, DynaTheater movies and Planetarium shows make each day a unique wonder for all campers. 

Camps cost $300 per week for the general public, and $270 per week for museum members. All camps run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with drop off beginning at 8:30 a.m. Aftercare will be available from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. for an additional cost of $10 per day. Register for all programs and learn more about financial assistance at nmnaturalhistory.org/young-explorers-summer-camps. 

About the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Trustees of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation, through the generous support of donors. Established in 1986, the mission of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science is to preserve and interpret the distinctive natural and scientific heritage of our state through extraordinary collections, research, exhibits, and programs designed to ignite a passion for lifelong learning. The NMMNHS offers exhibitions, programs, and workshops in Geoscience, including Paleontology and Mineralogy, Bioscience, and Space Science. It is the Southwest’s largest repository for fossils and includes a Planetarium and the large format 3D Verus Research DynaTheater. 

Back to Press Release Details