Before registering, be sure to read through the following
2026 Camp Policies and FAQs
• Doors opens at 8:30 AM. No drop-off before 8:30 AM
• Pick-up window lasts 30 minutes after camp ends
• $25 charge for each additional 15 minutes beyond pick-up window (limited exceptions)
• Keep in mind both your child’s age as well as which grade they have just completed as of Summer 2026 in order to ensure they are registered with the correct age group
*NOTE: If the camp you wish to sign up for is SOLD OUT, email our Summer Camp Coordinator at camps@discoverygateway.org to sign up for the waitlist
Registration
No. Children can only participate in camps designed for their age group. This ensures the best possible academic and social environment for all campers. Children should be registered based on the grade they have just completed as of Summer 2026.
- Contact camps@discoverygateway.org regarding cancellations.
- Cancellations made more than two weeks before camp start date will receive a full refund.
- Cancellations made between one and two weeks before the start of camp will receive a refund minus a $75 cancellation fee.
- Cancellations made within one week prior to the start of camp are not eligible for a refund.
- No shows are not eligible for a refund.
Emergencies
You can contact the Admissions Desk at 801-456-5437 #100 and they will connect your child to you.
Camp activities may occasionally involve walks to other parts of the Gateway Mall. Camp staff will stay in touch with the museum’s admissions desk to assist you in locating your kids. We also encourage parents to stay connected with campers using personal smart watches when needed. Phones should stay in backpacks.
Drop-off and Pick-up
Parking space around the Summer Camp Drop-Off point
Drop-off and pick-up will be at the entrance to the museum’s Learning Center area located on 100 South in the angled parking zone just west of the North Parking Garage entrance. A museum staff member will be stationed there to assist with sign-in and sign-out.
For safety reasons, parents and/or guardians (or those that they designate in advance) must sign for their child at drop-off and pick-up each day. You must provide a federal-issued photo identification AND be on your camper’s registered list of approved individuals to sign out your child. Please be prepared to show photo ID to the staff member at the sign-in/sign-out table.
The (temporary) angled parking zone is ideal for signing in and signing out. Day parking is also available in the North Parking Garage if you are planning on visiting the Gateway.
Please drop your child off no earlier than 8:30 AM, 30 minutes before the camp’s scheduled start time.
Pick-up time is within 30 minutes after the camp ends. Leaving your child longer than the 30-minute window will result in a $25 charge for each additional 15 minutes. No additional activities are prepared after the end of the scheduled summer camp day. Campers are not allowed to leave the camp on their own. If parents and emergency contacts are not reachable 45 minutes after the pick-up window ends, our staff is required to reach out to local law enforcement to try to get a hold of a family member.
If you know ahead of time that you will be dropping off or picking up during camp hours, please inform a staff member at least a day in advance so that we can accommodate your arrival.
For our split camps with Clark Planetarium, communication is extra important. All pick ups and drop offs will be done at Discovery Gateway. We may need extra time to escort the child from Clark Planetarium to the Learning Center.
Camp Policies
The maximum number of students in a camp is 16. If the camp you wanted to sign up for is SOLD OUT, email our Summer Camp Coordinator, at camps@discoverygateway.org to sign up for the waitlist.
Camp size may be less depending on the number of registrants. DGCM reserves the right to cancel any camp with fewer than 4 registrants, with full refunds for the registered parties.
Parents are always welcome to stay a few minutes into the drop off window. Caregivers may not stay during camp hours. At any time, parents are welcome to call the museum’s front desk at 801-456-5437 #100 to be put in contact with a camp staff member for any questions or concerns that they may have.
Clothing should not be a distraction to other campers or inhibit their active engagement in any of the daily activities. Offensive slogans are not permitted on any clothing item. Each day’s schedule includes a “free play” period during which campers should be wearing comfortable clothing and shoes that allow for active movement – preferably no slip-on or flip-flop style shoes.
Some camps include creative projects that may include messy materials such as paint or markers. We recommend clothing that you don’t mind your camper getting messy.
We ask that campers bring a small backpack or school bag to keep lunches, finished crafts, and cell phones, along with 1 change of clothing in case a messy project results in the need for changing into a dry shirt or pants. Please label loose items with your camper’s name.
Camp staff will review expectations on the first day of each camp week. Our expectations are as follows:
• Listen and follow instructions
• Actively participate in camp activities to the best of your abilities
• Respect others and museum property
• Use positive language when speaking to others like you would in school
• Have fun learning and making new friends
• Discovery Gateway reserves the right to send a camper home due to inappropriate behavior without a refund. A child may be allowed to return to camp the following day at the museum’s discretion.
If your child has unique behavioral, sensory, or cognitive needs, please include this information on the registration form and/or confer privately with our Camp Coordinator prior to the start of the camp so that you, your child, and the camp staff can work together to make the camp a rewarding and positive experience for all.
Discovery Gateway is not responsible for lost or stolen personal items. To keep personal items safe, leave all unnecessary items, toys, trading cards, etc. at home. We do ask that campers leave cell phones turned off and stored in backpacks.
Please notify the Discovery Gateway camp staff if your child contracts a contagious disease, such as whooping cough, measles, or COVID-19. We will notify the families of the other campers with discretion. Due to the contagious nature of some illnesses, campers should stay home if they have any of the following:
- Cold symptoms (sore throat, cough, sinus congestion, or runny nose)
- Elevated temperature (fever)
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Undiagnosed rash
- Sore or discharging eyes or ears, profuse nasal discharge
- Sore throat or cough
- Diagnosed contagious diseases such as COVID-19, strep throat, or chicken pox
Lunch and Snacks
Please send your child with a healthy lunch and snacks that do not require refrigeration or re-heating. Clearly label your child’s food with their name. Please send your child with a clean, refillable water bottle labeled with their name as it’s important for campers to stay hydrated. DO NOT send money as there is no place to purchase lunches.
Please make sure our staff is aware of any allergies, and that your child is sent with medications if needed. There will be a space on the registration form to list allergies and needed accommodations.