In the summer months, museums that actively work with children offer camp-style programs. Over several days, from morning till evening, children get an intensive immersion into museum life filled with themed activities, games, and interaction with peers. In this article we share examples of such programs at Moscow museums that still have spots available.
What makes these programs special?
Museums develop programs that take place on weekdays — sometimes from morning till evening, sometimes for just a few hours. Multiday programs are usually aimed at middle and high school students and resemble urban day camps, while preschool and younger schoolchildren can take out subscriptions made up of single sessions. The distinctive feature is the content and structure of the activities, which are tied to the museum's theme.
Who are these programs suitable for?
Because the programs include a variety of creative activities, they will be interesting to children who are used to that kind of activity during the school year. For newcomers to the museum world, such activity may feel unfamiliar or even difficult.
You should also consider the specifics of museum spaces. They usually have classrooms or places for activities; depending on the program, meals may be organized, but there will most likely be no opportunity to lie down and rest (or to take a full nap if a child needs daytime sleep).
In which museums are such programs available and how can you find them?
Summer programs are most often found in museums that have experience working with children and that have dedicated spaces (studios, children's centers). Currently some large museums — for example, the Museum of Architecture, the Tretyakov Gallery, Tsaritsyno, and others — run social media groups/accounts specifically about their children's programs. Those channels are the easiest way to follow announcements and information about ticket sales. On museum websites, check the 'For Children' sections or go directly to the ticket-purchase page: there you can see whether places are still available.
Is special preparation required?
I don't yet have personal experience participating in such programs because my children are still small, but in the future I would approach it like this. Knowing which museums generally run such programs, I would pick those that interest my son and visit them in advance to show him the space and get familiar with how the museum is organized. Most likely we would attend single sessions first to see how they run. If the museum appealed to us, then I would consider signing up for an intensive summer program.
Examples of programs at Moscow museums
The Museum of Architecture invites children aged 11–17 to the ARHIcamp-2025 program. This is an educational program dedicated to methods of researching the city. Sessions will take place from June 2 to 11, from 12:00 to 16:00, both in the museum and outside of it. Registration will open on the museum's website on April 21 at 13:00.
The Tretyakov Gallery offers a variety of summer subscription programs for children aged 4–12. Some sessions require parental presence. Subscriptions range from two to nine sessions and take place on both weekdays and weekends. These include traditional classes in the children's studio as well as plein air sessions.
A summer practicum for children aged 7–14 will run all summer. Each week has a new theme. The program is intensive: from 10:00 to 19:00 children will take part in masterclasses, go on walks, and create joint projects. The theme this summer is the exploration of the city. For example, in the first week the kids will draw up architectural plans of Moscow, and in July they will study how the city sounds and create their own symphony. By the way, this program has a very convenient and colorful landing page that not only provides information about the program but also inspires independent exploration and walks.
The museum's children's center invites kids aged 5–12 to the Summer Residence. Class hours are from 9:00 to 18:00. This summer's theme is "Contemporary Art in Detail." The program starts at the end of May. Children will get to know various forms of contemporary art — dance, theater, performance, and music. Activities will take place both at museum exhibitions and during off-site excursions. It's convenient that you can purchase either a subscription or single visits.
In conclusion
Summer programs are usually in high demand, so it's not always possible to buy tickets. What can you do? Make a list of the programs that interest you and monitor information going forward. In the meantime, look at reviews and photos that museum staff are likely to publish. Working with children is one of the museums' priorities, so such programs will continue to appear.
