Science Camps at The Bishop
The Bishop’s Science Camps provide awe-inspiring explorations, delightful discoveries, and WOW! moments for kids during spring and summer breaks! Campers work together to engage in activities, experiments, and investigations as they explore popular science topics in a unique and safe environment. Join us for one week or many – each week is different!
Details:
When: Camp runs 9:15am to 3:45pm Monday through Friday
Drop off begins at 8:45am; pick-up ends at 4:15pm
Where: The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature
201 10th St. W, Bradenton, Florida, 34205
Cost: $300/Non-Member Camper per week.
Discovery Society Members at the Innovator Level and above pay only $225/Camper per week! Join the Discovery Society here!
Payment in full is due upon registration.
In need of financial assistance? Please fill out our Financial Aid Request Form and our staff will contact you to complete your camper’s registration.
Spring Break Science Camp
The Bishop offers Spring Break Science Camp for campers ages 7-11 to coincide with spring break for the School District of Manatee County students. Registration for Spring Break 2023 opens December 1st!
March 13-17: Building UP!
Celebrate our Year of Engineering at The Bishop! Creatively construct and design your way through this week of camp to solve some tricky problems with serious and silly solutions.
Summer Science Camps
The Bishop offers Summer Science Camps every summer! And this summer we have even bigger plans! In addition to our 8-week elementary school program, we are offering 2 weeks of Science Camp for middle school aged youth from 11-14 years old.
Registration for Discovery Society Members begins January 2, 2023. Sign up to become a member of the Discovery Society and receive an exclusive invitation to early Summer Camp registration. Registration for all others opens January 15, 2023.
NEW! Middle School Camps
How do we design ways to look millions of light years away and billions of years into the past? Take this crash course in astro engineering to get hands-on experience creating your own space machines!
What was Florida like a few million years ago? Dig into the past and unearth how paleontologists uncover their findings.
Elementary School Camps
Water is more than a basic need – it’s also a lot of fun! Explore properties of water, water games, water in space, and more as we DIVE into this subject.
Sharks, squids, and whales, oh my! Reveal the secrets of the most powerful creatures living in the depths of our oceans.
Journey into the history of our planet using what is left behind from plants, animals and humans through fossils, artifacts, and more.
How do we know about the universe? Discover rockets, rovers, and other out-of-this-world engineering successes that allow us to investigate space as we never could before.
Sometimes wild animals need a helping hand. Discover how animals in need, like the manatees at The Bishop, are rescued, rehabilitated, and returned home.
Follow clues to uncover the secrets of the Museum! Explore the science behind collecting evidence and try your hand at solving some mysteries of your own.
What is beyond our solar system and Milky Way galaxy? Blast off into the depths of space as we explore new, uncharted territory!
Plants and animals unite as we trek through Florida’s native species. Discover some of the most important and weirdest flora and fauna found in your backyard!
SCIENCE CAMP FAQs
No refunds will be issued for cancellations within two weeks of the camp’s start date.
If circumstances require The Bishop to cancel a camp session, all campers registered for that session will be offered an opportunity to re-book for a later camp session if one is available. Otherwise, refunds will be issued.
Camp runs 9:15am-3:45pm. Drop-off is from 8:45-9:15am. Pick-up is from 3:45-4:15pm. Pick-up and drop-off will take place at the check-in table to the left of the main doors. Please park along the street or in the parking garage across from the entrance of the Museum on 10th Street West.
- During pick-up, please have your photo ID ready.
- Pick-up and drop-off will take place rain or shine.
- Do not drop off your camper without signing them in.
We prefer that campers are picked up and dropped off during the established times.
- If you need to pick up your camper early, please notify camp staff at drop-off. Upon arrival, please speak with Visitor Services at the front desk, and they will communicate with the camp staff to bring your camper to you.
- If you will be dropping off your camper late, please notify camp staff asap using the phone number provided in your Pre-Camp email.
Please do not bring your camper to camp if they or anyone else in the household is feeling ill. You may notify Meghan O’Brien at 941-746-4131, ext 145, or MOBrien@BishopScience.org if your camper becomes unable to attend for any reason.
- Lunch and snacks that do not need to be refrigerated or microwaved.
- A refillable water bottle.
- Comfortable clothes and shoes that can get dirty. We suggest your camper be dressed in layers due to the hot temperatures outdoors and cold temperatures indoors.
Please label all items with your camper’s name. Campers may bring a cell phone, but it must be put away in their bag or cubby during camp activities. All other electronics and toys should stay home.
Campers must be in the age range (7-11 for Elementary Camp, or 11-14 for Middle School Camp) on the first day of camp. For example, your camper could be 6 when signed up in February but must be 7 by the first day of the camp they are signed up for OR a camper could be 14 on the first day of camp and have a birthday the next day.
If a camper will not be the correct age on the first day of camp, the registration will be cancelled and refunds given in accordance with our cancellation policy.
At The Bishop, we provide a variety of indoor and outdoor science activities for our campers, including limited periods in the sun. Please apply sunscreen to your camper prior to drop-off. Indoor areas can get chilly, so please dress your camper appropriately for different temperatures.
Due to safety and space considerations, family members are not permitted to visit with their camper during the camp day. If The Bishop is open, you are welcome to pay admission to enjoy the public areas while camp is in session. If you decide to visit the Museum, please do not disrupt campers while camp is in session.
Our camp is inclusive, though not specifically set up to serve campers with special needs. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your individual camper. We will work with you to determine if our camp is a good option for your child.
Yes.
Our goal is to make Science Camp accessible to as many children as possible. We now offer scholarships to resource-limited families. Scholarships are first-come, first-served and are limited to 2 camp weeks per camper. For more information and to submit a scholarship application, please fill out this form.
Contact Susan McCarthy at 941-746-4131, ext 113, or SMcCarthy@bishopscience.org to add your name to our waiting list. If a cancellation occurs, open spots will be offered to those on the waiting list on a first-come, first-served basis.
You will receive a Pre-Camp email the week prior to your camp’s start date with specific camp details. If you still have questions regarding our camp policies and procedures, please contact our Camp Director, Meghan O’Brien, at MOBrien@BishopScience.org or 941-746-4131, ext 145.
