Today's Hours
10:00am - 5:00pm There’s always more to discover!
Camp Discovery is an educational experience unlike any other. From bugs, to zombies, to galaxy exploration, to the quest for precious metals, the hands-on learning never stops.
Each year, The Discovery offers more than 40 uniquely themed camps during summer, fall, winter and spring school breaks. The museum’s week-long camps for students in kindergarten through 7th grade invite participants to explore camouflage and adaptation with “Animal Adventures,” learn the chemistry behind beauty products and textiles with “Style Engineers,” imagine a world beyond our solar system with “Galaxy Explorers,” and much more!
This summer, Camp Discovery is offering a newly designed camp entitled “Gold Fever.” This traveling camp takes students on a journey around Northern Nevada in search of precious stones and metals and aims to create an understanding of how they’re mined and why they’re so valuable.
In their quest to cure gold fever, campers start the week off with a visit to the W. M. Keck Museum on the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno to explore early mining techniques and check out the Mackay Silver Collection. As the week progresses, campers visit the rock and mineral lab at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City, tour the Chollar Mine in Virginia City, and visit the working Coeur Rochester Mine in Lovelock, Nevada. On the final day of camp, campers head for the hills north of Reno to dig for Crystals at Peterson Mountain—a trip that yields valuable souvenirs and a lasting impression of the importance of mining, past and present, in the state of Nevada.
“This camp was incredible! My son wants to do it again! The staff was outstanding—so thoughtful, organized, caring and fun. And the itinerary kept him interested every day.”
— Kelly Harris Spallone, Mother of a Gold Fever camper
Camp Discovery’s summer 2016 session will continue through August 5, 2016 including another Gold Fever camp beginning July 25th. The Discovery is also pleased to offer financial assistance to support children from families who may not be able to afford the full cost of the museum’s camps. For more information regarding these opportunities, please see our financial assistance page.