Overview

Campers design, build, and show their inventions during summer camp at The Bakken Museum. In addition, campers will practice creative thinking skills, learn magic tricks, play games, and explore science, math, technology, and engineering in a fun, engaging environment.

Additional Information

Young Maker's Camp (Grades 2-3)

• Five-day camp: $240, $216 for Household and Supporting Members

Camp Innovation (Grades 4-9)

• Five-day camp: $470, $423 for Household & Supporting Members
• Four-day camp: $380, $342 for Household & Supporting Members

General Registration for 2026 summer camp will be announced soon. Summer camps sell out quickly. Waitlists will be made available as sessions become full.

Scholarships are available and funded by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Summer Academic Enrichment Program and donations from generous supporters. Two levels of scholarship are available based on income, and space is reserved in each summer camp session for scholarship applicants.

All members of The Bakken Museum receive early access to the museum's summer camps. Members at the household, senior household, and supporting levels also receive a 10% discount on registration to all camps and classes throughout the year.

Camp Staff: Our experienced educators lead camps. Our education staff is supported by high school and college-aged counselors who have a passion for STEM and experience working with children.

Safety and Supervision: We use real tools and materials in our programs, and with that comes some inherent risk. This is especially true when students are working with sharp, hot, or heavy tools. Our staff will provide supervision and guidance to minimize risks and ensure a safe environment. Our team is trained in safety protocols, including basic first aid, and will act swiftly if any incidents occur.

Lunch: Campers should bring their own lunch and water bottle. Lunches and drinks will be set aside in the morning until lunchtime. There is no microwave or refrigerator available for camper use. All lunches will be conducted outdoors, except under extreme weather conditions. This will usually happen at our picnic tables or in the grass under a tree.

Snacks: The Bakken Museum will provide a small, individual serving of snacks in the morning. This usually consists of something like pretzels or goldfish crackers, and we do our best to avoid common allergens. Students are welcome to bring their own snacks if they want more to eat or do not want the snack provided. Campers are also encouraged to bring their own water bottle to prevent frequent trips to the drinking fountain.

Outdoor Breaks: Weather permitting, we have three outdoor breaks on any full day. We step outside for a morning snack break (15 mins), eat lunch outside (30 min) and have an after-lunch outdoor break (45 min), and take another brief outdoor break (15 mins) in the afternoon to get some fresh air. A half-day camp will also have an outdoor break halfway through their day.

All-Girl Camp: Features the same activities and challenges as the other camps, with the only difference being the composition of the class. All-girls camps are intended to present girls with the opportunity to explore activities and environments that too often appear reserved for boys. By providing a camp for girls exclusively, we hope to provide a safe, comfortable environment that empowers young women to pursue science and innovation in their lives. The Bakken Museum seeks to be an inclusive and supportive environment for all learners. Our "Girls" camps include young people who identify as cis, trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender queer, gender expansive and any girl-identified young person).

Camp for 7th, 8th, and 9th graders: The projects and challenge solutions from this session tend to be more advanced and/or complex. Otherwise, these camps are mostly intended to give our older campers a chance to work among their peers.

Young Makers Camp: Designed for innovators who will be entering 2nd or 3rd grade in the fall. This is a half-day camp that has a morning session from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and a separate afternoon session from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Students will engage with group problem-solving challenges, skill-building, project time, and take-home tricks, and we've tailored the activities, materials, and tools specific to this age group.

One Week Restriction: Camp is restricted to one week per camper so we may share this experience with as many students as possible. We are committed to keeping camp accessible to as many students as possible and are restricting participation for any one camper to one session per summer.

New Challenges Annually: Each year we come up with new challenges and tricks for our students to try. The inventions are up to the students, so they are free to come up with something entirely new and original.

First Day Email: Before camp, we will send you an email with logistical details, like drop-off time and location. We will also confirm student details like emergency contact information. Included in that email will be a link to review our safety, participation, and media waivers.

Projects: Students will keep and take home their daily science tricks and their final projects at the end of the week.

Drop Off and Pick Up: Camp Innovation officially starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. We will open the doors at 8:45 and greet arriving campers on their way in. Pick up will be available from 3:50 to 4:10 to allow for any campers who might finish the take-home activity early. Young Makers Camp will similarly open the doors 15 minutes before camp starts and have a drop off window 10 minutes before and after the half-day ends.

Discounts and Scholarships: Household and Supporting members receive a 10% discount on registration. Two types of need-based scholarships are available. Scholarships for 85% of the program cost are available to families receiving public assistance. Scholarships for 50% of the program cost are available to other families needing assistance with a qualifying income.

STTEM Camp: The Bakken Museum and St. Paul Urban Tennis (SPUT) will team up to offer a combined science, technology, tennis, engineering, and math summer camp (STTEM) at the Eastview Recreation Center in St. Paul. Monday through Friday, students ages eight through 13 will play tennis and design, build, and showcase their very own inventions. The STTEM camp is free for all participants and SPUT has given priority to youth from underrepresented and historically excluded communities within the STEM field.

Categories: STEM, Arts, Inclusion, Sports