April 13, 2012
Still exploring summer activities for your kids? Are they eager for imaginative adventure? The Museum of Northern Arizona’s Discovery summer camps connect kids with local art, natural environments, and the region’s cultures. Summer camp registration for the public is now open at musnaz.org/discovery.
Discovery Village sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, in a grassy meadow on the Museum of Northern Arizona’s 217-acre campus. From June 18 through August 10, Discovery Village will be buzzing with campers aged 4 to 13, exploring topics from aquatic and forest ecology to ceramics and story writing.
With an emphasis on hands-on learning and an average ratio of one teacher to eight students, Discovery summer camps allow students to develop their artistic imaginations and scientific research skills in an exciting environment.
“Our kids come back year after year for hands-on camps, where they get to explore, spend most of the day outside, and make new friends,” says Discovery Manager Caitlin Evans. “Our parents bring their kids back because our camps are educational and they keep students’ minds and bodies active over the summer, with the right balance of play, exploration, and learning.”
The 2012 Discovery summer program offers 43 camps to satisfy every child’s passions, from young artists to budding archaeologists. In Aqua Detectives, campers explore streams and springs as they discover the special biological diversity of the Southwest’s aquatic environments. Volcanism students hike Sunset Crater and the Lava River Caves, as they explore the exciting, explosive San Francisco Volcanic Field.
Classes for younger students include Plateau Predators and Earth Protectors, where students learn about the web of predators and the importance of spiders, bats, and wolves through songs, stories, and crafts.
For its fifteenth year, the Discovery program’s Summer Among the Peaks camps will offer overnight adventures sure to be remembered for a lifetime. Campers spend the Summer Solstice at Canyon de Chelly in Canyon Culture Challenge, and raft the mighty San Juan River, spending nights on sandy banks under the stars during the annual San Juan River trip.
The third annual Discovery exhibit will open at MNA on October 12 and will showcase artwork, scientific research, and collaborative projects created during the 2012 summer camps.
For reservations or information, visit the Discovery website at musnaz.org/discovery, or contact the Discovery Office at 928.774.5213, ext. 241 or discovery@mna.mus.az.us. Scholarships are available and are awarded based on financial need and student interest.
The following sponsors support MNA’s Discovery 2012:
Flagstaff Community Foundation
Forest Highlands Foundation
Geo Fund
McCoy Motors
Flagstaff Rotary Foundation
SmartWool
The Museum of Northern Arizona is surrounded by tremendous geological, biological, and cultural resources in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. With a long and illustrious history, MNA evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau, inspiring a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the area. Its educational programs encourage students to collaboratively and individually contribute to the investigation and interpretation of their homeland.
The Museum is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on scenic Highway 180, scenic route to the Grand Canyon.