Looking Ahead to Summer: Penn Museum Camp Plus Online Activities for K-12 Students

PHILADELPHIA — Adventure-seekers ages 6-13 have a chance to learn more about “the story of us” as humans, while examining history from around the world at Penn Museum Anthropology Camp, which begins June 21, 2021. Registration is now open.

Through hands-on interactive workshops, talks with researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and private expeditions through the Museum’s brand-new galleries, week-byweek Anthropology Campers safely globetrot across time and space—from Ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece to North America to Asia.

With safety as its top priority, campers will be divided into groups of 10 to create pods and ensure proper social distancing. Everyone entering the Museum is required to wear a mask.

Designed for children entering grades 1-8 for the 2021-2022 school year, the weekly themed summer camp curriculum includes topics that capture the imaginations of young explorers:

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go! – June 21-25 and July 26-30
Diving into the Olympics’ origins in Ancient Greece and other exciting games from different cultures, campers design their own game and search for elements of sports inside the Museum’s galleries. This session involves a challenging outdoor obstacle course for campers of all athletic abilities.

Navigating the Stars – June 28-July 2 and August 2-6
Staring up at the night sky takes on an entirely new meaning when campers learn more about the role of astronomy for people of the past—who created calendars and maps by observing the movements of the sun, moon, and stars.

Kings and Queens of Africa – July 5-9 and August 9-13
Campers study African cultures and traditions— from the fascinating pyramids and temples of ancient Egypt to its thought-provoking artwork to music from across this diverse continent.

Mythical Creatures and Legendary Tales – July 12-16 and August 16-20
Myths and legends teach campers about the common and extraordinary parts of cultures around the world. Filled with stories about important animals, heroes, gods, monsters, and giants, this session encourages campers to tap into their creativity and design their own mythical creature and illustrate its epic tale.

Engineering Marvels of the Ancient World – July 19-23 and August 23-27
Experimenting with building Roman arches and domes, Greek temple facades, and Native American dwellings, campers dig into engineering marvels of the ancient past and construct a model of their favorite of the “Seven Wonders of the World.”

“This year, summer camp at the Penn Museum has a new name and a new look, but it offers the same kind of robust, engaging activities that it has for nearly 25 years. Here, children discover much more than the initial basics of anthropology—they also find new friends and challenge themselves to think differently,” says Allison Krisch, Summer Camp Director. “And for all families who might prefer to experience a bit of summer camp at home, we’re sharing Summer Exploration Kits online, so that they’re available to everyone.”

Summer Exploration Kits are available for download and are pay-what-you-wish for families of K-12 students. A new kit will be released each month so that at-home learners can make crafts, do experiments, watch short videos, play games, and more. June’s theme is Journey to Ancient Rome and Greece, July’s focus is Archaeology for Beginners, and August examines Daily Life in Ancient Egypt. In addition, the Museum will continue to host its free World Wonders virtual program each week during the summer months.

A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. For more information and to register for Anthropology Camp, click here.