National Aquarium Offers New Sleepaway Camp Experiences for Grades 6 Through 12

The National Aquarium is pleased to offer summer campers in grades 6 through 12 and 2024 high school graduates a whole new world of aquatic-themed camp opportunities. The new Summer Explorers camps focus on marine science and the aquatic treasures of our remarkable Chesapeake Bay region via tuition-based sleepaway camp experiences ranging from exploring the history and headwaters of the C&O Canal in Western Maryland to shark tagging in the waters off Ocean City.

The programs, which were piloted on a smaller scale last summer, are a complement to our popular Henry Hall Summer Scholars camps that have provided immersive free camp experiences for children from Baltimore City demonstrating a financial need for more than twenty years. Our new Summer Explorers camps are now available to families throughout our region. Experiences are competitively priced per camper based upon their length and specific program components including lodging, meals and travel from and back to the Aquarium.

Summer Explorer camps begin in late June and are staffed by the Aquarium's year-round, full-time educators who specialize in marine science curriculum. Experiences by grade level include:

• Grades 6–7: Journey through Maryland Aquatic Habitats (June 24-28)
• Grades 7–9: Mallows Bay—Marine Sanctuaries and Research (July 10-12)
• Grades 8–10: Chesapeake Bay Issues (July 15-19)
• Grades 9–11: Cypress Swamps and the Eastern Shore (June 19-21)
• Grades 10–12: Western Maryland—Headwaters Ecology and History (June 24-28)
• Grades 11–12: Ocean City Shark Tagging (July 31-August 1)

These unique, immersive opportunities are perfect for students interested in STEAM topics including marine biology, conservation science and local ecology. Visit our Summer Explorers page for full descriptions of each camp. Registration is open now and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until each program fills.