Discovery Camps

Supported by The Save Mart C.A.R.E.S. Foundation

Turtle Bay’s Discovery Camps are an opportunity for 7 – 12-year-olds to participate in various science activities, crafts, games, and more! At Turtle Bay, we encourage interactive and hands-on learning that builds on prior knowledge. We encourage campers to try new and different activities and experiments. Sequential days will build off the previous day’s work as we explore science, arts, and the surrounding natural world. Throughout the week, campers will also have opportunities to attend Turtle Bay programs, visit the Parrot Playhouse, enjoy the playgrounds, and explore our exhibitions, gardens, and more.

Summer Camp Registration Fees Per Week
$230 for members
$255 for non-members

Summer 2026 Discovery Camps

Registration for Summer Camps will open on Tuesday, March 3rd!

Please take a look at the dates and themes below for Summer Camp options. Weeks with the same theme will have the same schedule and the same themed activities planned.

NOTE THAT WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE CAMP LOCATIONS (“HOME BASES”) ON OUR CAMPUS

This summer we are excited to continue expanding our camp opportunities across the Sacramento River! We will have two separate “Home Bases” – one at the Museum and the second at the Turtle Bay Nursery – housed in our new Environmental Resources Building! Both camp locations will interact with each other and explore Turtle Bay including animals, exhibitions, gardens, and more! Themed activities will be the same no matter which location is a camper’s Home Base. Upon registration, please pay careful attention to which Home Base location that you are registering your child for.

Can you tell fact from fiction? Take a closer look at what kind of tricks and skills are needed to bring fantasy and sci-fi stories to life in this camp that goes together with our summer exhibition, POPnology! Use your imagination to create fantasy stories and characters, learn about how science fiction has influenced real science, and boost your creativity as you’re challenged to construct everything from armor to wings.

Registration Fee: $230 for members and $255 for non-members

Supported by Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation

Get ready for the ultimate survival adventure, where you become an explorer, engineer, and space pioneer all in one week! Campers will build mini shelters, learn to use a compass and the sun like true adventurers, filter water, and discover how animals & people from the past survived in some of the harshest environments on Earth. From observing local wildlife to imagining life on other planets, get ready to build your own skills along with learning when teamwork is the key to making it through any challenge.

Registration Fee: $230 for members and $255 for non-members

Supported by Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation

We invite you to travel through time and around the globe with us as you explore how art connects us to history, from prehistoric cave paintings to the bold styles of ancient Egypt and the renaissance! Campers will explore the styles of famous artists, learn about inspiring women and young artists, and build their own pyramids and monuments. Everyone in the world can be an artist, and we would like you to join our creative ranks!

Registration Fee: $230 for members and $255 for non-members

Supported by Save Mart Companies CARES Foundation

To get in contact with our camp staff call 530-242-3108 or email mmaney@turtlebay.org

Questions? Contact Us Here >