Maymont Offers 100 Acres of Nature, Animals and History to Explore in Hands-on Summer Camps for Kids

 

Richmond, Virginia – Online registration opens on January 21 for this year’s line-up of Summer Camps at Maymont for preschoolers through eighth graders. The week-long sessions offer a mix of outdoor exploration, animal encounters and historical discovery through games, crafts and engaging activities, tailored to appeal to different age groups and interests.

Each camp is led by experienced staff and takes full advantage of Maymont’s 100-acre grounds and facilities. In 2026, as Maymont celebrates its 100^th anniversary as a public space, children will find even more to explore as two of the most popular features — Maymont Mansion and the Virginia Wildlife Trail — reopen this spring after extensive enhancements.

Some camps fill up early, especially the perennially popular “Maymont Explorers,” “That’s Gross!” and “Life on the Wild Side,” which tap into children’s natural curiosity about animal life cycles, plant adaptations and natural mysteries. “Donkeys and Dragons” and “Tales From the 100-Acre Wood” connect the worlds of fantasy games and literature with real-life encounters with bears, pigs, owls and donkeys. For students interested in STEM subjects, “Budding Biologists” as well as Animal Keeper Camps give them experience with the same tools wildlife biologists and animal keepers use.

“Our camps are designed around hands-on learning and a variety of activities that keep children engaged and stimulated,” said Krista Weatherford, Director of Programming and Community Engagement. “We are so excited to have the Maymont Mansion and expanded educational spaces along the Virginia Wildlife Trail that offer students up-close learning experiences that they’ll never forget with historic collections and rescued wildlife.”

Camps for preschoolers through second-graders are half-day sessions from 9am to noon, and full-day sessions for older campers run from 9am to 3pm. Maymont members starting at the Family level enjoy early access to camp registration, starting January 14, along with discounted enrollment. Membership details are here.

Parents seeking more information can visit maymont.org/camps, or call 804-358-7166, ext. 304.

About Maymont

Maymont, located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, celebrates its 100^th anniversary this year as a 100-acre public space where all are welcome to connect with history, nature, wildlife and each other. Built as a Gilded Age estate overlooking the James River, Maymont opened to the public in 1926 and today offers free admission to explore its miles of walking paths through rolling hills, beautiful landscaped gardens, with farm animals and the Virginia Wildlife Trail* with habitats for rescued native animals. In addition, Maymont offers staff-guided and self-guided tours of the 1893 Maymont Mansion*, historic estate buildings and gardens, plus The Robins Nature Center, with 30,000 gallons of aquaria showcasing the remarkable James River ecosystem. Since 1975, the nonprofit Maymont Foundation has been entrusted to care for this unique place, galvanizing community support around its mission to delight, educate and inspire. Maymont annually welcomes more than a million guests and is consistently ranked among the top regional attractions by travelers and locals alike.

*Maymont Mansion and the Virginia Wildlife Trail will reopen in spring 2026 after an extensive enhancement and expansion project. Learn more here.

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Note to editors: Images are available upon request to press@maymont.org.