The Lawrence Hall of Science Asset 37
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Open 5/30 Memorial Day Wednesday–Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
On a visit to The Lawrence, students collaborate to investigate new ideas as they become scientists and engineers for a day.
We partner with school districts to support science learning. We offer district-wide elementary, middle, and high school programs, either virtually or in-person.
We collaborate with a range of partners to innovate in science education. Together, we go further.
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Welcome. We are excited to have you join us this summer for science camps in-person at The Lawrence!
We have prepared a fantastic lineup of camp offerings! To learn more and register, see camps by grade in the sections below. We look forward to seeing you this summer!
The Lawrence is dedicated to providing access to youth of all backgrounds and offers financial aid to families who otherwise lack the resources to participate. If you or someone you know is in need and would like to participate in our camp programs, please do not register today; instead, submit a Financial Aid Application here, and await registration instructions. The last chance to submit a Financial Aid application is midnight, January 31, 2022. Awardees will be notified by February 2nd and then registration for awardees will be open until February 14th, 2022.
The Financial Aid application has closed. Awardees will be notified by February 2nd and then registration for awardees will be open until February 14th, 2022.
Members, as part of your benefits, you have the chance to register before the general public has access on February 14!
At The Lawrence, we are committed to quality programming. We know you have many choices, and we appreciate and value that you are considering The Lawrence as a prime learning place for your child. We are happy to highlight the ways we stand out among the competition…
These summer camp programs are organized into two-week sessions in order for learners to explore content more deeply, build a better sense of community among the participants, and fully enjoy all that the science center has to offer. Sessions run June 6 through August 12, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., except for national holidays. Please note there is no camp on the nationally observed holidays of Juneteenth (Monday, 6/20/22) and Independence Day (Monday, 7/4/22).
Please note: UC Berkeley and The Lawrence Hall of Science are subject to the restrictions and/or guidance of public health authorities and the University’s policies and practices regarding COVID-19. Our first priority will be the health of the communities we serve. Although the camps are planned at this time, COVID health guidelines could affect our summer programs, up to and including, cancellation.
We use CampDoc, an electronic health record system, to securely collect information about participants. CampDoc is designed to protect your child’s privacy, while alerting us to details such as allergies, medical needs, and other matters that might affect your child’s participation in activities. The information you provide will help us to safely support your children.
For participants entering grades K-9, unfortunately that’s not possible. After long experience we have determined that the two-week cycle provides an optimal opportunity for community-building among participants, as well as for effective science learning and inspiration.
For multiple reasons, we do not recommend that participants be registered for programs designed for grade levels other than their own. If you believe there are extenuating circumstances concerning your child, please contact lhsreg@berkeley.edu with details of your situation and your request.
Each grade band has only one group per session. This means that if your child and their friend or friends are in the same grade band (to see the groupings of grades, please see the camps registration page), they will automatically stay in the same group for the duration of the two-week session.
Every day starts with grade by grade welcome and warm up on the plaza. Once campers have arrived they head into designated program spaces for opening circles, our way of checking in and framing the day. Then campers dive into activities like scientific explorations, investigations, and / or engineering and creating. Activities vary based on programming for the specific day. Days may include exploration in the Outdoor Nature Lab, investigation on Forces that Shape the Bay, or visiting other exhibits at The Lawrence.
Lunch is outdoors. Younger campers (Grades K-2) take an earlier lunch and free play outside (11:30-12:15). Then older campers (Grades 3-12) cycle through the same routine (12:15-1:00). Upon return from lunch campers all enjoy some downtime for socialization, board games and other crafts and puzzles in the program space before jumping back into content.
Afternoon programming will continue scientific activities and include time in other exhibits like the 3D theater, Outdoor Nature Lab, Animal Discovery Zone, Planetarium, or Forces that Shape the Bay. Everyday concludes with a closing circle addressing both content and social emotional reflections, check out, and building excitement for the next day.
The Lawrence Hall of Science is now open to the general public. It will remain open throughout the time during which we conduct summer camps.
Camp runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may drop off your child starting at 8:55 a.m. and must pick them up by 4:10 p.m. each day. The drop-off location will be communicated to you in a welcome email the week before camp starts.
Yes, you can pick up your child before 4:00 p.m. or drop them off after 9:00 a.m. if needed. In order to properly notify staff, please send an email to lhsreg@berkeley.edu with as much information as you can provide (such as your child’s full name, what grade they are in, who will be picking up your child, and what day/time they will be picked up). In addition, you may confirm an early pickup the day-of with the staff member who checks in your child in the morning.
Yes. But if the adult picking up your child is not someone previously listed as an approved pickup person, please send an email to lhsreg@berkeley.edu with the name of the person who will be picking up your child. If you know what day(s) this adult will be picking up your camper, please include this in the email.
Unfortunately no, we are not offering Extended Day. There is no drop-off before 8:55 a.m. and no pickup after 4:10 p.m.
Due to rising costs, we unfortunately had to eliminate discounts to Members. Instead, Members now receive priority registration for the camps and dates they want, ahead of general public registration. If you have questions regarding membership, please email us at lhsreg@berkeley.edu. To purchase or renew a membership, please go here. Thank you for your support.
We plan to provide the same activities and use the identical amount of materials in both the 10-day and 9-day camps. So there is no significant difference in costs.
If you still have any other questions related to registration, please email: lhsreg@berkeley.edu
For the health and safety of everyone on campus, the University of California treats K-12 students including campers and interns, the same as students attending the University. Per the SARS-CoV Vaccination Policy, all campers will be required to complete the COVID vaccine program for which they are eligible, prior to attending the first day of the camp or program for which they registered. Proof of vaccination for all eligible students is required, and should be uploaded, along with other health records, into the minor’s campdoc file. In the event your camper is not eligible for vaccination, or not fully vaccinated due to age when starting camp (under 5 or recently received first vaccine), please include that information in your campdoc file by uploading a document stating that your child is not eligible to be fully vaccinated.
While we strongly encourage everyone to participate in vaccination, we recognize that there may be medical or religious reasons to defer vaccination. Exemptions are possible, and are reviewed according to procedures developed by the University of California Student Health Service.
Exemption Policy and Forms
“The staff at LHS camp are amazing…They listened for feedback and shared little stories about the kids’ days. Couldn’t be happier with such a magnificent team.”
Parent of Camper
“High-level and FUN STEM programming. Relatable staff and educators.”
“My son loved it. He was sad when it ended. Every day he came home happy and excited to talk about the day’s activities.”
“I knew she had an excellent day every day when she came home bubbling with facts that she learned that day and stories about what happened at LHS. Thanks for creating such an amazing environment for learning. I wished all students would be able to experience some of what she did during her time at LHS.”
“Kind and welcoming instructors who truly love what they are doing. A quality educational program. Convenient timings. What’s not to love?”
Become a Lawrence Hall of Science member to receive priority registration for camps!
Membership
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We are thrilled to share our offerings for Summer 2022, which include more than ten options featuring a range of topics across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as other STEM learning and teaching elements.
Teen Research Programs >
You can give the gift of science camp this summer! Your donation—of any amount—will help fund a camper in our community whose family cannot afford camp.
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