Let your child spend summer by making art at the de Young! Summer Art Camp classes for children ages 6–12 taught by museum teaching artists. Classes include explorations of the museum’s galleries, studio experiences, and adventures in Golden Gate Park. Classes take place Monday–Friday, 9 am–3 pm, in the de Young galleries and studios. Aftercare is available 3–5:30 pm and offers open-structured time in the studio. Children are grouped according to age: 6–7 (apprentices), 8–9 (artisans), and 10–12 (masters).

Summer Art Camp sessions take place weekly, from June 17 through August 9, 2019.

Enrollment: Registration will open in early February. Further details will be available in mid-December.

Weekly themes:

Week 1: June 17–21
Exploring the World: Curiosity will be the guide as campers explore our art collections from Africa and Oceania, and by native peoples of the Americas. Campers learn about the traditions and practices of art around the world.

Week 2: June 24–28
Mess It Up: Campers learn to forgo the eraser as they investigate the different ways in which artists make mistakes, revise, and reflect during the art-making process. After exploring works in the galleries, they return to the studio to experiment with a range of materials, building their skills and practicing their confidence to take risks and make mistakes.

Week 3: July 8–12
Sculptacular: Form, connect, bend, and build. Campers visit inspiring spaces inside and outside the museum—including the galleries, the outdoor sculpture garden, and surrounding park—to investigate the many ways artists design and create sculpture. In the studio, the young artists experiment with various media to construct three-dimensional works.

Week 4: July 15–19
Animals & Nature: Campers create using different materials to explore animals and their habitats. They search for inspiration both inside and outside the de Young as they study animal themes in the museum’s objects and in the surrounding Golden Gate Park.

Week 5: July 22–26
Prints, Books, and Repetition: Young artists explore basic fundamentals of printmaking, from line and color to pattern and repetition. Campers learn a variety of bookmaking techniques for sketching, writing and recording. Projects encourage experimentation and the imaginative power of each camper as they learn the power of process.

Week 6: July 29–August 2
Discoveries in Drawing and Painting: Campers use a balance of traditional and innovative techniques in drawing and painting exercises to create exciting works of art. Sessions promote an understanding of art fundamentals as well as confidence and risk-taking. Works from the de Young collection demonstrate the variety of methods artists use in both drawing and painting.

Week 7: August 5–9
Reuse, Reimagine, Repurpose: How do artists combine, reuse, and repurpose materials into art? Campers investigate the museum’s collections to learn about the diverse materials and methods used by artists, and harness these inspirations to create their own re-purposed artwork.  

Scholarships are available for all family programs. Applications for Summer Art Camp scholarships will be available in mid-December.

Member Discount

Members at the Family level and above receive a discount of 10 percent on summer camp programs. To upgrade, renew, or purchase a Family membership, please call 415.750.3636.

Additional Information

Questions? Email families@famsf.org.