During this week, Campers will focus on an array of artistic mediums and create a piece of art in each medium. Lessons include a brief history and examples of famous works in that medium. By the end of the week, campers will have their own mini-portfolio to share with family, friends, and teachers. Each week incorporates a special tour of the museum, guest instructors, artist demonstrations, nature walks, and time in the gardens. No previous art instruction is necessary.
Camp days run from 9 am–4 pm, with lunch and outdoor time (weather permitting) from 12 pm-1 pm. Please note: Camp ends promptly at 4 pm and aftercare is not available.
Camp Fees: $285 members / $315 non-members *Unless Otherwise Noted
Tiny Worlds: Building Small Places with Big Stories – June 1-5
In this imaginative maker’s camp, children become world-builders—designing and constructing miniature environments piece by piece. Campers explore how landscapes, structures, and small details work together to create places that feel meaningful and alive. Throughout the week, children will make multiple miniature elements, then thoughtfully choose which pieces best belong in their final world. Campers will create landscapes that focus their attention on texture, color, and symmetry. They will design small structures, tiny objects, and, ultimately, a fully assembled miniature world. Children will work with a variety of materials, including clay for sculpting landscapes, structures, and objects, as well as drawing, painting, collage, and found materials to add detail, texture, and story. Like the careful craftsmanship and attention to detail found in the Hermitage’s historic handwork, children will create tiny worlds by hand, discovering how small choices, patience, and imagination can bring a carefully made place to life. The week concludes with a gallery-style exhibition featuring each child’s finished world alongside selected works from the making process.
Animals and Art – June 8-12
This week is all about animals, imagination, and big creativity! Campers will dive into the wild world of animal-inspired art—where pets, wildlife, and mythical creatures become colorful, expressive masterpieces. Throughout the centuries artists have used animals to tell stories, spark laughter, and show off bold ideas. Now campers get to do the same. We’ll kick things off by sculpting amazing creatures from clay, then switch gears and design works of art using acrylic paint, watercolors, and chalk pastels. Campers will try fun art styles like printmaking, decorative collage, tessellations, and more. Get ready for a week of hands-on fun, fearless creativity, and animals that leap off the page! Let your imagination run WILD!
Everyday Is Art: Making Meaning from Real Life – June 15-18 (no camp June 19) *$235 members / $260 non-members
In this thoughtful art camp, children discover that art doesn’t have to be about faraway places or famous subjects; it can come from everyday life. Campers explore how artists find inspiration in ordinary moments, familiar spaces, and objects they care about, learning that their own experiences are meaningful and worth making art about. Throughout the week, children will work with a variety of art materials, including watercolor, drawing, mixed media, clay, and ink blocking, while learning how different media can express mood, memory, and personal meaning. Projects emphasize noticing details, making choices, and developing confidence in one’s own ideas. The week concludes with a gallery-style exhibition celebrating artwork inspired by real life — inviting families to see how ordinary moments became thoughtful, expressive works of art.
Sculpture: Art in Three Dimensions - June 15-18
This week, campers will dive into the exciting world of three-dimensional art! Students will focus on creating sculptures that can be admired from every angle, not just the front. Through hands-on projects using clay, paper, recycled materials, and more, campers will learn new sculpting and construction techniques. They’ll also collaborate on a larger installation, transforming the classroom into a dynamic art space. This week, art comes to life all around you!
Art You Can Walk Through – June 22–26
This week of immersive art and movement invites campers to explore art that surrounds, surprises, and invites them in. Throughout the week, children discover how artists use scale, space, and perspective to create experiences that feel different depending on where you stand, how close you look, and what you notice first. They will collaborate to build walk-through artworks, exploring how handmade environments influence how we move, feel, and connect. The camp helps children develop museum fluency by showing them that art is something to explore, interpret, and enjoy in their own way. The week concludes with a walk-through exhibition where families are invited to move through the space and experience the artwork the way it was intended to be seen.
Art and Identity-June 22–26
This week, campers will explore the elements of art through personalization and identity. We will look at how artists show their own ideas by studying famous works from art history. Using fun techniques like painting, drawing, printmaking, and working with clay, campers will practice design and composition while creating unique pieces that reflect who they are and their own personal style.
Fiber Art –June 29-July 2 (no camp July 3)
This exciting week of camp invites campers into the colorful, tactile world of soft materials and hands-on creativity. Throughout the week, students will explore fiber-based art using materials such as felt, yarn, fabric, and other textiles, learning how artists use texture, pattern, and color to bring ideas to life. Drawing inspiration from the fibers and textiles found in the Hermitage Museum’s collection, campers will look closely at artworks and objects to spark their own creative ideas. By the end of the week, each camper will have created a variety of tactile artworks and gained a deeper appreciation for fiber art as a dynamic and expressive art form.
Functional Art: Wear it, Use it- July 6-10
This innovative camp invites children to explore the exciting intersection of art and everyday life. Throughout the week, students will design and create artwork that is not only visually engaging but also meant to be worn or used. Drawing inspiration from handcrafted objects such as jewelry, accessories, and thoughtfully designed everyday items, campers will discover how artists and designers blend creativity with purpose. Using a variety of materials and techniques, students will experiment with design, pattern, color, and form while learning how function influences artistic choices. Campers will be encouraged to think creatively, solve problems, and express their personal style as they create unique, functional pieces they can take home and enjoy.
Botanicals and Art- July 6-10
Throughout this week, students will explore the natural world through the expansive gardens and grounds of the Hermitage Museum. Using what they observe—plants, flowers, light, texture, and natural forms—as inspiration for their artwork. Campers will experiment with a variety of traditional and nature-based craft techniques, fusing artmaking with hands-on discovery. Projects may include weaving with natural materials, creating paper flowers, designing colorful suncatchers, and making cyanotypes using sunlight and organic forms. This camp encourages curiosity, creativity, and a deeper connection to nature, while building artistic skills and confidence.
Contemporary Craft- July 13-17
Contemporary Craft introduces campers to the exciting ways today’s artists blend traditional craft techniques with bold ideas and personal storytelling. Throughout the week, students will explore the work of three contemporary artists—Bisa Butler, Colette Fu, and Robert Lugo—each of whom uses craft materials and processes in innovative and expressive ways. Campers will learn about each artist’s unique style, materials, and approach, then apply those ideas to their own creative projects. Using a variety of media, students will create fabric portraits, design and construct pop-up books, and experiment with clay. Additional projects will encourage experimentation and personal expression.
Art in the Gardens- July 13-17
Step outside the studio and into the Hermitage gardens, using the natural environment as both classroom and inspiration. Throughout the week, students will explore the gardens through close observation, paying attention to the colors, textures, shapes, and patterns found in plants, flowers, pathways, and landscapes. Campers will translate their discoveries into creative artworks using a variety of materials and techniques. Projects will encourage students to look carefully, experiment thoughtfully, and express their ideas in imaginative ways while responding to what they see around them. By the end of the week, students will have created a collection of garden-inspired artworks and gained an appreciation for how outdoor spaces can spark artistic ideas.
Learn to Sew- July 20-24
This Super Sewing Camp is a week-long introduction to all aspects of hand sewing- focused on an elementary school level with fun projects each day. Kids will learn the basics of sewing- how to thread a needle, tying a knot, hand sewing stiches, cutting fabric as well as sewing safety. Class projects include a make-your-own-sewing kit, custom stuffies, mini-pillows, pencil cases and a functional tote bag – all theirs to customize in fun fabrics and threads and take home to show their handiwork. This class does include use of needles, pins, and scissors used safely. All students should be comfortable with following directions for best practices.
Puppets & Whatnots- July 20-24
This week imagine, design, and bring characters to life through hands-on making and storytelling. Throughout the week, students will explore puppet-making as a creative process that blends visual art, imaginative thinking, and problem solving. Using discarded, recycled, and scrap materials, campers will transform everyday objects into one-of-a-kind puppets and whimsical “whatnots.” As campers design their characters, they will consider personality, expression, and movement, experimenting with materials and construction techniques to make their ideas work. On the final day of camp, students will bring their puppets to life through storytelling and performance. This culminating experience helps build confidence, social skills, and emotional expression as campers use their creations to communicate ideas and narratives.
Stop Motion Animation- July 27-31
In this engaging week of camp, students will explore the art of stop motion animation while integrating language arts, visual arts, science, and computer science skills. Through differentiated instruction, campers will develop storytelling techniques, plan and write storylines and scripts, and design and construct sets. The week will culminate in a showcase where students present their animated films, demonstrating their creativity, collaboration, and technical skills in bringing stories to life. Students will build their sets, capture animations using stop motion software, and learn about the science of motion and perception.
Art Around the World- July 27-31
Get ready for an art adventure around the globe! This week, campers will explore how artists from different countries create their work and use those ideas to inspire their own projects. Using a variety of materials and techniques like drawing, painting, sculpture, and more campers will practice new skills while taking a creative journey through cultures, styles, and artistic traditions from all over the world.
The Nature of Clay- Aug 3-7
Explore the wonderful world of clay and deepen your connections with nature, history, and different cultures. Take inspiration from ceramic artists past and present to create your own pottery using coil, pinch, and slab hand-building methods. We’ll have an interactive potter’s wheel demonstration, play with colorful glazes, and make pieces you can keep for years to come.
Color Quest: Discovering Art through Color- August 3-7
Learn all about color during this exciting week of camp! Students won’t even realize they are learning the scientific principles of light as they investigate color theory and color mixing. This week, we will create a color wheel and explore color relationships. Campers will be inspired by innovative colorists from art historical movements, including pointillism, cubism, and impressionism, as well as the work of contemporary artists. Projects will include painting, drawing, mixed media, and more as we explore the wonderful world of color!
