The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Open Daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Closed December 24 & 25 Open New Year’s Day View Additional Hours >
We’ll bring our science programs to you.
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! See camps by grade in the sections below to learn more and register. We look forward to seeing you this summer!
Camps By Grade
Camps By Session
Important Dates
Financial Aid
A Day in the Life of Camp
FAQ
Registration now open for Members. Sales to the general public will open January 2nd.
What makes a toy fun to play with? In this camp, young scientists will investigate what makes toys and simple machines do what they do.
Sessions Offered: Session 1: June 2–13, 2025 Session 3: June 30-July 11, 2025 Session 5: August 4–August 15, 2025
What does it take to land a human on the moon? What supplies do they need once they get there? In this out-of-this-world camp, participants will design, plan, and execute a mock exploration mission to the Moon.
Sessions Offered: Session 2: June 16–27, 2025 (Holiday Exclusion June 19) Session 4: July 21–August 1, 2025
What if you looked up at the night sky and saw four moons instead of just one? That’s what you would see from the surface of Jupiter! In this camp, your young astronomer will design a spacecraft that can launch through Earth’s atmosphere and land on and explore one of Jupiter’s moons.
Sessions Offered: Session 1: June 2–13, 2025 Session 3: June 30-July 11, 2025 (Holiday Exclusion July 4) Session 5: August 4–August 15, 2025
Are you ready to “level up” and set a high score? In this camp, participants will design and build classic, hand-powered, arcade games such as pinball and skee ball.
Rather than simply turning a page with your finger, wouldn’t it be way more fun to knock over a line of dominoes, which causes a ball to roll… that turns on a hair dryer… that blows a hammer… that taps a board… that triggers a catapult… that launches a ball… that hits a piece of rubber hanging over the page… that turns the page?
Asteroid science has never been more exciting! In this camp, your young astronomer will journey through our Solar System, exploring the asteroid belt and investigating specific asteroids.
What supplies would you bring with you on a trip to Mars, our most habitable neighboring planet? In this camp, young explorers will “blast off” into cutting-edge science and plan for the first human trip to “the red planet.”
Have you ever wondered why squirrels hide their food rather than eating what they find right away? In this camp, your young biologist will explore the process and power of creative scientific investigation.
The Teen Internship Program is a great opportunity for teens in high school who have a passion for science and enjoy working with youth.
Teen Internship Program
Explore a career in science and conduct research at UC Berkeley in our Teen Research Programs.
Teen Research Programs
Registration for Members begins December 17! As part of their benefits, Members can register before the general public.
At The Lawrence, we are committed to quality programming. We know you have many choices, and we appreciate and value that you consider The Lawrence a prime learning place for your child. Here are a few ways our camps are a cut above the rest:
Summer camp programs are organized into two-week sessions for campers to explore content more deeply, build a better sense of community among their peers, and thoroughly enjoy all the science center offers. Sessions run June 2 through August 15, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., except for national holidays. Please note there is no camp on Juneteenth (Thursday, June 19) and Independence Day (Friday, July 4).
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.
Financial aid applications are open to Non-Members and Members
Registration is open to Members
Last day of Member-only registration
Registration is open to the public
Last day to cancel for a refund
Camps Begin
Session 1
Session 2
Session 3
Summer Camp Hiatus
Session 4
Session 5
Camps End
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 submit a Financial Aid Application here and await further instructions.
Due to the volume of applications, financial aid is typically awarded to families making under 75K a year. Financial aid will be awarded after the new year.
Starting December 17, 2024, everyone can apply for financial aid. You need not be a Member to receive assistance.
We use CampDoc, an electronic health record system, to securely collect participant information. 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 support your children safely. We also appreciate further information, which can be sent to lhscamps@berkeley.edu.
There is no waitlist this year. Rather, you can opt-in to be alerted when seats are available for a specific grade band by filling out this form. Everyone who opts in will be alerted via email and can register for open seats on a first-come first-served basis.
Unfortunately, for participants entering grades 1–6, that’s not possible. 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 register for programs designed for grade levels other than their own.
If your camper is in either Entering 1 or 3/4, you may request a friend group via a form that will be accessible in both the confirmation email and welcome email. Please fill out this form as soon as possible.
There will only be one group for Entering 2 and Entering 5/6, so if your child and their friends are in either of these grade bands, they will automatically be in the same group for the two-week session.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to email the Registration Department at lhsreg@berkeley.edu.
Read about a day in the life of camp.
The Lawrence Hall of Science is open to the general public, and hours are subject to change. Please be advised that parents and guardians are not permitted to be inside the building while the science center is closed.
Yes, our adult Summer Camp staff are First Aid (EpiPen included) trained and CPR certified.
Camp runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may drop off your child as early as 8:55 a.m. and must pick them up at 4:00 p.m. each day. The drop-off location will be identified 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. To properly notify staff, please email lhsreg@berkeley.edu with as much information as possible (such as your child’s full name, what grade they are in, who will pick up your child, and what day/time they will be picked up). In addition, you may confirm an early pickup the same day with the staff member who checks in your child in the morning.
Because we have no aftercare available, we ask that you are at The Lawrence and ready to sign out your camper at 4:00 p.m. Consistent late pick-ups may result in your camper being excused from the program.
Yes. If the adult picking up your child is not someone previously listed as an approved pickup person, please email lhsreg@berkeley.edu to receive the appropriate form.
Unfortunately no, we are not offering Extended Day Care. There is no drop-off before 8:55 a.m. and no pickup after 4:00 p.m.
No, we are focusing on the entering grade 1–6 bands this year. We cannot accommodate children below these grade bands in camp.
Before starting camp, you will receive an email including a pre-recorded orientation video. This video will cover important information regarding the requirements and details of attending camp. If you have any questions that are not answered in the video or here on the FAQ page, please send an email to lhsreg@berkeley.edu
No, we do not provide any food. You must provide two snacks and a lunch for your child every day. For the safety of others, we ask that you not include any foods containing nuts or peanuts.
This year, we implemented a mid-summer hiatus to give our wonderful staff a much-deserved break. The break will allow us to prioritize our staff’s well-being and increase the quality and consistency of our programming.
Due to rising costs, we eliminated discounts for Members. Instead, Members now receive priority registration for the camps and dates ahead of general public registration. If you have questions regarding Membership, please email us at thelawrencemembers@berkeley.edu. To purchase or renew a Membership, please go here. Thank you for your support.
No, we do not offer discounts for multiple children or multiple sessions.
We plan to provide the same activities and use identical materials in the 10-day and 9-day camps. So there is no significant difference in costs.
If you still have any other registration-related questions, please email lhsreg@berkeley.edu.
If a program does not reach its minimum enrollment, you will be notified at least five days before the starting date, and your tuition will be fully refunded.
The University has identified our programs’ costs as educational, not child care.
The educational programs fall into the “Educational, learning or study skills services” category and are not considered reimbursable expenses. Any decision to submit the camp costs for child-dependent care should be made in consultation with your accountant or employer.
Our team continues to track COVID-19 developments and adjust our program accordingly. We will post updates regarding COVID-19 restrictions as conditions change.
The Lawrence will not be issuing refunds for COVID-related absences.
Become a Lawrence Hall of Science member to receive priority registration for camps!
Membership
“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?”
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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