Henry Hall Summer Scholars
Free Camp for Baltimore City Youth
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Duration
Multiple Days
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Grades
5 - 12
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Price
Free
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Where
In the Field
Overview
The National Aquarium's Henry Hall Summer Scholars program offers immersive week-long summer camp opportunities that bring aquatic science to life through hands-on experiences in different habitats around the United States.
The program provides exciting excursions focused on educational and career opportunities for students interested in marine and environmental science.
Henry Hall Summer Scholars Applicant Guidelines
Baltimore City Public Schools students in good standing rising into grades 5 through 12 and 2026 graduates may apply to take part in these endowment-funded opportunities at no expense to their families. Applications are competitive and include written answers and a teacher recommendation.
- Applicants are not evaluated on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identification or physical ability.
- Henry Hall Summer Scholar applications will only be accepted from Baltimore City Public Schools students in good standing rising into grades 5 through 12 and 2026 graduates.
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
- Priority will be given to applicants demonstrating financial need.
- Prior participation does not guarantee applicant acceptance.
- Before beginning your application, please review the camp descriptions available for your grade level and select your first and second choice camp programs.
Application Timeline
- Applications will open in early January 2026.
- Please complete and submit your application by February 20, 2026.
- Submit your teacher recommendations by February 27, 2026.
- Applicants will be notified during the week of March 16, 2026.
Contact
Please get in touch with us at HenryHallCamps@aqua.org with any questions related to camp programs or the application process.
2025 Application
Applications are closed for this year's summer camp opportunities.
2026 Camps
Date: August 10 to August 14, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day
Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of America's oldest seaports. Join National Aquarium educators to learn about the initiatives within the city to enhance, protect, and create habitats for our local wildlife. Tour some of the city's most iconic locations, discover the harbor's biodiversity and experience Baltimore's cultural history! This day camp includes transportation from the Aquarium to day trip locations and lunch. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
Date: June 22 to June 26, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day
Have you ever wondered what animals live in and around the Chesapeake Bay? This five-day study explores the Chesapeake Bay's watershed as we seine for fish, discover aquatic invertebrates and learn how to protect our local habitats. Spend a day kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay and explore the Aquarium's connection to the Bay. This day camp includes transportation from the Aquarium to day trip locations, kayaking instruction and equipment, and lunch. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
Date: July 6 to July 10, 2026
Spend the week at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Lab on the Eastern Shore. Discover Chesapeake marshes and waterways through beach seining, canoe trips, water testing and other aquatic exploration. Visit an oyster hatchery, sail aboard a skipjack and tour the Chesapeake Maritime Museum. This summer camp includes round-trip van transportation from the Aquarium, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 20, 2026.
Date: June 22 to June 26, 2026
Campfires, critters and ... climate change? Oh my! With the New Jersey School for Conservation as a home base, campers spend the week exploring the breathtaking Appalachian wilderness while diving deep into the science and solutions of climate change. Campers will examine how rising temperatures affect creatures big and small, and discover sustainability efforts for the future through hands-on activities, fishing, canoeing, hiking and more! This summer camp includes round-trip transportation to and from Sandyston, New Jersey, lodging, and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 6, 2026.
Date: June 30 to July 2, 2026
Join the National Aquarium and Living Classrooms for three days aboard the skipjack, Sigsbee, as we sail and explore parts of the Chesapeake Bay. Campers will navigate, assist with sail handling and interact with Bay wildlife. Our trip will also include fishing, water sampling, water quality testing and more. In the evenings, Sigsbee will dock, and campers will set up tents at our reserved nature sites. While on shore for the night, campers can play games and make s'mores around the campfire. This summer camp includes all lodging and meals and will depart from Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 13, 2026.
Date: July 28 to July 31, 2026
From prehistoric creatures to oyster pirates, there is so much to discover along Maryland's waterways. Spend the week in southern Maryland learning about the prehistoric past that helped shape the Chesapeake Bay into what it is today. Campers will search for fossils from Calvert Cliffs at Cove Point Lighthouse, kayak around the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay, meet with and learn from local scientists from the Calvert Marine Museum and more as we dig up the past. This camp includes meals and round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium to Camp Maria Retreat Center in Leonardtown, Maryland. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on July 11, 2026.
Date: July 21 to July 24, 2026
Situated in the mountains of western Maryland, Rocky Gap State Park encompasses over 3,000 acres of land and all of Lake Habeeb—known for having the "bluest water in the state." Campers will be immersed in history as we learn about the lives of those who served at Fort Frederick and how early transportation along the C&O Canal worked. We will conduct water quality tests, hike through the parks, and even take a tubing trip along the Shenandoah River from Harpers Ferry to see how the past has impacted the waterway today. This camp includes round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium to Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, Maryland, three nights of tent camping (tents provided) and meals. Three aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 27, 2026.
Date: June 29 to July 1, 2026
The headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay are a treasure trove of history and adventure! We'll explore the freshwater tributaries of the Susquehanna by kayak and search for macroinvertebrates and other life existing beneath the water's surface. Learn about Native American tribes that inhabited this land and how they survived and thrived off the bounty of the Bay's upper regions. This camp includes round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium to Gifford Pinchot State Park in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, two nights of tent camping (tents provided) and meals. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 13, 2026.
Date: August 3 to August 4, 2026
Have you ever wanted to experience the life of a shark biologist? Join Aquarium educators in this overnight study as we delve into the world of shark research. Explore Ocean City's coastal marshes, dunes and grasslands; join shark biologists on a shark tagging cruise and learn more about ongoing research in Maryland. This overnight camp includes round-trip van transportation to and from Ocean City, one night's lodging at Salisbury University and meals. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
There will be an optional virtual pre-trip meeting on July 18, 2026, in preparation for this camp.
Date: August 3 to August 7, 2026
Environmental science and education are rapidly growing fields powered by young, problem-solving and engaged minds. Will you be next, joining in to create a better future for the planet? If so, this camp is for you. Come along as we explore conservation careers throughout the watersheds of the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. You'll hear from professionals in the field and learn the steps they took to achieve their goals. With outdoor activities, service projects, and visits to museums, zoos, aquariums and universities, you'll discover many ways we can all positively impact the world around us. This summer camp includes round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium, lodging, and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on July 16, 2026.
Date: July 13 to July 17, 2026
Cape Cod is known for being home to some of the best oceanographic research on the East Coast. In this camp, we will travel to Cape Cod and learn about sharks, ocean currents, waves, careers in oceanography/ocean science and recent research from some of the best research institutions. We will get to know the people and organizations working to unlock the secrets of the ocean and its inhabitants—all while exploring the nooks and crannies of the Cape! Camp lodging will be at the Craigville Retreat Center in Centerville, Massachusetts. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Cape Cod, accommodation and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 27, 2026.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice
The Henry Hall Summer Scholars program and the National Aquarium strive to create a welcoming environment that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.
Who Was Henry Hall?
Henry Hall (1896–1979) was an engineer, world traveler, teacher, aquarist, inventor and philanthropist. He served as a mentor to Baltimore's black engineers, recognizing a lack of opportunities and resources for professionals like himself within his profession. His community involvement and belief in learning helped shape the Aquarium and its relationship to the city and its students.
Hall traveled the world, observing and collecting aquatic animals. He devoted his entire Mosher Street basement to the care of rare freshwater tropical fish, an alligator, an electric eel and a shark. In 1977, he donated his animals to the future National Aquarium, which opened in 1981. To carry on the late Hall's dream, the Aquarium established the Henry Hall Endowment Fund in August 1982 to provide free educational opportunities for students who attend Baltimore City Public Schools. Since then, more than $1 million in awards have been provided to these students through Henry Hall Summer Camps. Every summer, more than 200 Baltimore City students are given the opportunity to explore the aquatic natural world through hands-on experiences, making memories that will last a lifetime.
Hands-On Learning, Beyond Baltimore Empowerment Through Experience
Through the National Aquarium's Henry Hall Summer Scholars camp program, Baltimore students trade city neighborhoods for natural environments and gain a deeper understanding of the connection we share with water.