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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Camp-In cost?
How old do children have to be to attend Camp-In?
Can I or a member of my group bring a younger or older sibling?
Are there chaperone limitations?
Can I exceed the maximum number of chaperones?
Can I reserve spaces for a Camp-In date over the phone?
Can I register by email?
Where can I park?
What if a member of my group has to arrive late or leave early?
Can I get a refund if a member of my group cannot attend?
What about inclement weather cancellations?
Is there a minimum group size required to register for Camp-In?
Can people who do not belong to youth groups register for Camp-In?
Can I pay the registration fees with a credit card?
Are meals included in the registration fee?
Do I have to attend orientation?
What scout badge requirements are satisfied at Camp-In?
Can I add more children or adults to my group once I have registered and received confirmation?
What do we need to bring to Camp-In?
How should we dress for Camp-In?
Are all the exhibits open during Camp-In?
Can we stay after Camp-In to see exhibits?

How much does Camp-In cost?
$38.00/person, adult chaperones and children alike. Cost includes three science-based, hands-on workshops, a planetarium show, an Imax film, time to explore exhibits and shop in the Store, an evening snack, a light breakfast, a souvenir patch and pen, and - of course - the chance to spend a night in the museum! (Cadette/Senior program is higher-level and includes an Interest Patch. Cost for Cadette/Seniors is $50/girl; $20/chaperone.)

How old do children have to be to attend Camp-In?
Children who attend Camp-In must be 8-11 years old. The Camp-In workshops are written with 4th and 5th grade children (9-10 years old) in mind. However, we gladly extend the Camp-In opportunity to 8-year-old third graders and 11-year-old sixth graders.

Can I or a member of my group bring a younger or older sibling?
No. All children who attend Camp-In must be members of the youth organization reserving the spaces AND be between 8-11 years old (3rd-6th grade.)

Are there chaperone limitations?
Yes. Camp-In is a program for children, so we want to allow as many
spaces as possible for children. Therefore, there is a limit to the
number of adult chaperones you can bring, based on your total number of children. Below is a chart that will give you the adult-to-child ratios for Camp-In.

Can I exceed the maximum number of chaperones?
No. Camp-In is a program for children. Because it is so popular and many children are turned away each year, the number of chaperones is limited in order to accommodate the maximum number of children at each event.

Can I reserve spaces for a Camp-In date over the phone?
No. Camp-In reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis by postal mail only. Spaces can be reserved by mailing a completed registration form, roster, and payment to the Maryland Science Center. Please be aware that contacting the Maryland Science Center and finding out that spaces are still available on a specific date does NOT mean that those spaces have been reserved for you. You are simply finding out the availability AS OF THAT DATE AND TIME: availability changes on a daily basis as registration forms are received. It is up to you to send in your registration form and payment in a timely manner in order to get reservations on a specific date.

Can I register by email?
No. You must print out a registration form, complete it, and send it along with a check made payable to the Maryland Science Center to the address indicated on the registration form.

Where can I park?
Overnight parking discounts are offered at nearby public lots. Information about where to park is included in your confirmation packet. Parking discounts cannot be guaranteed, so you should be prepared to pay full price - up to $16.00 - for overnight parking. (Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!)

What if a member of my group has to arrive late or leave early?
If the need arises, a member or members of your group may arrive after 6:30 PM or leave before 9:00 AM. Upon check-in, the Adult-in-Charge of the group should inform the Event Supervisor of any participants who will be arriving late or leaving early. For late arrivals, a chaperone already at Camp-In must meet the late arrival(s) in the Rear Lobby. If the arrival time is unknown, the security guard on duty will contact the Event Supervisor when the child and/or parent arrives. For early departures, a chaperone should wait with a child in the Rear Lobby until his/her parent arrives. Early departure is not recommended. Camp-In is intended to be an overnight event. Early departure denies a child the full Camp-In experience.

Can I get a refund if a member of my group cannot attend?
Once a registration is confirmed, refunds are not granted. However, if someone in your group cannot attend the program you may substitute another member of your youth organization. Adults can be substituted for children, and vice-versa. However, if a child is substituted for an adult, please be prepared to pay the difference in registration fees, if any, either in advance or when you check in, and be sure you still have the appropriate number of chaperones. Changes can be made to your roster on the night of your Camp-In. You do not have to call in advance.

What about inclement weather cancellations?
Should the Maryland Science Center decide to cancel a Camp-In due to inclement weather, the Science Center will notify the Adult-in-Charge of each group. A decision to cancel an event will not be made until 2:00 PM on the day of the scheduled event. Leaders and parents may call the Camp-In information line at 410-545-5881 24 hours a day to receive current information about the status of an event. (This is a recorded information line only. If you need to speak with the Camp-In Programs Supervisor, please call 410-545-5955 during regular business hours.) The Maryland Science Center will make every effort to reschedule a group. If a mutually acceptable date cannot be found for a group, registration fees will be refunded in full.

Is there a minimum group size required to register for Camp-In?
No.

Can people who do not belong to youth groups register for Camp-In?
Only Maryland Science Center Members may register for Camp-In without being associated with a youth group. All others must be part of an organized youth group. MSC members may attend Camp-In on any of the school/youth group dates. Please print out the school/youth group registration form and write "MEMBER" in the space for school/youth organization.

Can I pay the registration fees with a credit card?
No. The only way to reserve spaces is to send in a registration form with a check or money order made payable to the Maryland Science Center.

Are meals included in the registration fee?
An evening snack and a light breakfast are included. There are three options for dinner: 1) groups can eat before coming to Camp-In; 2) groups can bring bag suppers with them; or 3) groups can order special "Meal Deals" in advance from the Science Center's Beakers Cafe (order forms are included in the confirmation packet sent to group leaders).

Do I have to attend a leader orientation?
Although strongly recommended, it is not required for group leaders to attend a leader orientation.

What scout badge requirements are satisfied at Camp-In?
Because so many different types of youth organizations participate in Camp-In, workshops are not designed to satisfy badge requirements. Reading through the workshop descriptions will give leaders a preliminary idea about which badge requirements may be fulfilled at Camp-In.

Can I add more children or adults to my group once I have registered and received confirmation?
It may be possible to add more children and/or adults to your registration after your group is confirmed for a Camp-In date. To avoid confusion, all inquiries must be made by the group leader, not individual parents.

The group leader must call 410-545-5955 to ask whether or not we can accommodate more registrants. It would be helpful if we had no less than a two week advance on add-on requests. It is difficult to accept add-ons at the last minute. Additions without prior approval will be returned. Once a specific number of children and/or adult
add-ons have been approved, the leader must send, within ten days, a check for the total amount that includes the names of the child(ren) and/or adult(s), the group name or number and the date the group is confirmed to attend Camp-In.

Please be aware that the number of registrants allowed for Camp-In is determined by our workshop capacity and safety codes. The policy of the Maryland Science Center is to accept registrations from groups until capacity is reached. Once that capacity is reached, additional groups will be refused. (Capacities for individual events may vary depending upon exhibits or other special projects at the Maryland Science Center). After this time, ONLY children may be added on an individual basis, unless it is determined by the Maryland Science Center that more adults are needed to satisfy the minimum chaperone requirements.

What do we need to bring to Camp-In?
Each person should bring one bag containing minimum toiletries and a sleeping bag. The Adult-in-Charge of each group must have a permission slip for each child as well as a health history for each participant. You may use the form provided in the confirmation packet or other form(s) approved by your youth organization. Adults may want to bring a flashlight and a sleeping pad to soften the floor, and perhaps a sleeping mask, because it just doesn't get very dark. Campers may wish to bring money to purchase gifts, souvenirs, and educational items at the Science Store. Feel free to bring a camera and film. Pictures can be taken everywhere in the museum except the Planetarium and IMAX Theater. Do not bring a hair dryer, curling iron, or other electrical appliance. Cell phones and other electronic communication devices should be used judiciously by adults only.

How should we dress for Camp-In?
Comfortably! Because you will be sleeping in your clothes (do NOT bring a change of clothes!) we recommend a sweat suit with shorts and a t-shirt underneath. Although it is up to the group leader, we advise against scouts wearing uniforms.

Are all the exhibits open during Camp-In?
No. Camp-In will have access to all core exhibits except Dinosaur Mysteries and the Link areas. Does not include the Traveling Exhibit Gallery.

Can we stay after Camp-In to see exhibits?
Yes, you may stay afterwards to see exhibits not open during Camp-In, but it will require some foresight on your part. The Adult-in-Charge must see the Camp-In Event Supervisor to make proper arrangements to stay. Further, you must remove your overnight gear from the building, move (or re-park) your cars, and return when the building opens to the public. This opportunity is good only for the day your Camp-In ends.



Questions, comments? Please email Diane Bellomo, Camp-In Programs Supervisor, at dbellomo@marylandsciencecenter.org.