Virtual Summer Camp

Budding engineers! The National Museum of Industrial History is taking our summer camp online with a series of virtual programs designed to build STEM skills and encourage inquiry-based learning through hands-on, creative projects. Your young manufacturer will start the week digitally interviewing a member of the Manufacturers Resource Center Dream Team, a group of young employees with successful STEM careers at advanced manufacturing Pennsylvania companies, and be introduced to their project for the week.

Campers will continue their project at their own pace throughout the week by utilizing a camp kit included in enrollment. Camp kits will include a schedule, daily workbook, video tour of the Dream Team member’s manufacturing facility, supplies, and a live, virtual deep dive into artifacts from the museum’s collection. Each camper will be offered individual virtual support for their projects through scheduled ‘office hours’ with an NMIH educator twice a week. Camp will culminate in a digital “Friends and Family” event, where campers can share their work and get feedback.  NMIH’s virtual summer camps are designed for children grades 4-6, however they are open to all interested participants.

Kits can be picked up the Friday and Saturday before the start of your selected week of camp. Due to staffing limitations and certain time-sensitive materials, only kits for the upcoming week of camp will be available. 

Price:
$100 per camp/week

Thanks to generous grants from the Rider-Pool Foundation and UGI Utilities, Inc. there are a limited number of camp scholarships available. Please contact Amber Emory at aemory@nmih.org for a scholarship application.

Camp #1 – Product Design 
July 6th-10th
Have you ever found a product that seems like it was made just for you? Meet a manufacturer behind the famous Martin Guitar product line and learn the process of creating the perfect product. By the end of the week you will be strumming your very own uniquely designed and crafted cardboard guitar.

Camp #2 – Construction 
July 20th- 24th 
Have you every looked around and thought, “how was that built?” Meet manufacturers from Wolsen Construction and Stanley Black and Decker as they talk about the construction process. Get your work gloves on for your very own building project as we create and construct a popsicle bird house, gnome home, or fairy dwelling to show off your new construction skills!

Camp #3 – Automotive Design  
August 10-14th
Look at that cool car! Meet a manufacturer from Mack Trucks to start your engines and put the pedal to the metal as we navigate our very own automotive designs. Friday we will hit the virtual track to test out our creations!

Camp #4 – Molding and Casting 
August 24th- 28th 
3D Printing is all the rage! Dive into the innovations that led to the 3D printer through the process of molding and casting. We will meet multiple manufacturers from B.Braun and ProtoCAM to explain how they use the molding and casting process before we start creating a cast of our very own.