Explora offers a variety of week-long summer camps that inspire excitement amongst learners of all grade levels about science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). At Explora, campers preK-12th get engaged and keep their brain cells buzzing by investigating STEAM topics in materials-rich, creative environments. Registration is by grade the camper most recently completed.
Financial assistance is available for all summer programs on request. We don’t want anyone to miss out on summer camp! Contact reservations@explora.us for more information.
Week 1: June 1-5, 2026
Renewable Energy - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 for members/$30 for non-members
Join us for an unforgettable journey into the realm of renewable energy! This transformative experience offers hands-on learning and exploration of various renewable resources. Engage in exciting experiments as you gain insights into how resources such as water, solar, and wind can be used to generate electricity.
Offered in Collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories Water Power Organization.
Great Explora Bake-Off - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 members/$195 non-members
Ready, Set, Bake! Learn new skills in chemistry, calculating, baking, and building. Then use your skills to participate in a final bake-off challenge! What will you create?
Intro to Trades: Build Your Own Skateboard - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-3 pm: June 1 - June 12 (2 weeks M-F)
Materials Fee only camp: $30 members/$45 non-members
Join CNM for a two-week introduction to trades where you create a skateboard from scratch! In week one, design and press a deck, then in week two, machine the trucks and hardware. You will walk away with a hand-built project and a taste of carpentry and machine tool technology.
This two-week camp will be held on-site at Central New Mexico Community College Skilled Trades and Arts Department, and support is generously provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Week 2: June 8-12, 2026
Intro to Architecture - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials Fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Design your way into the world of architecture and creativity! Explore architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and other design fields through creative studio projects and design challenges. Think like designers as you imagine, sketch, build, and problem-solve. Learning how spaces and places are shaped by people, culture, and the environment. If you are curious about design, creativity, and how the built world comes together, this camp is for you!
Offered in Collaboration with School of Architecture + Planning: University of New Mexico
Art Redux - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Ready, set, create! Let's get making! Dive into a world of hands-on art where you'll engineer tracing machines, design unique stamps, experiment with colorful sprays, and turn sunshine into amazing shadow masterpieces.
Intro to Architecture - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials Fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Design your way into the world of architecture and creativity! Explore architecture, landscape architecture, planning, and other design fields through creative studio projects and design challenges. Think like designers as you imagine, sketch, build, and problem-solve. Learning how spaces and places are shaped by people, culture, and the environment. If you are curious about design, creativity, and how the built world comes together, this camp is for you!
Offered in Collaboration with School of Architecture + Planning: University of New Mexico
Week 3: June 15-19, 2026
Sparkle Tech - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Imagine spending your days surrounded by a rainbow of LEDs, soft fabrics, and buzzing circuits as you bring your fashion design ideas to life. Interact with different electronic components as you make cards, toys, jewelry and/or wearables. During the camp, you will learn about the science of circuits, switches, and basic electronics with daily design projects. Discover how technologies like semiconductors and microelectronics are made and how we can use them to make a better future world. And don't worry if you've never picked up a soldering iron or a sewing needle before. Our instructors will be by your side every step of the way, guiding you through the process of making, design thinking, and helping to let your creativity shine!
Presented in partnership with BSCS Science Learning.
Science of the Super Small - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials Fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Come explore nanoscience. Nanometer-sized objects are too small even for ordinary microscopes to see them! Investigate how scientists can work with items that are this small, explore products that use nanotechnology, and discover how nanotechnology gives ordinary materials special properties.
Presented in partnership with the Cavallo Research Group at the University of New Mexico with support from the National Science Foundation (Award No. 2144944)
Intro to Engineering with NM Tech - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials Fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
What in the world is engineering? A short course will be offered at Explora this summer describing five of the lesser-known engineering departments at New Mexico Tech. Almost everyone has heard of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, but what are Materials, Civil, Cybersecurity, Chemical, and Mineral Engineering? Why would civilization collapse if these disciplines were to disappear?
This engineering short course will show examples of different types of engineering. Each morning will showcase a different department with demonstrations, hands-on experiments, and projects.
Offered in Collaboration with NM Tech Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Raspberry Pi® - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Develop your programming skills using a Raspberry Pi®, a computer the size of a credit card. Explore how code can power sensors, systems, and simple AI-driven behaviors as you experiment, test, and iterate. The best part is you will take home your Raspberry Pi® so you can continue writing code, exploring AI concepts, and developing new software. What will you program your Raspberry Pi® to do next?
Raspberry Pi® is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi® Foundation. Funding assistance for this camp has been provided by Van Dyke Software.
Week 4: June 22-26, 2026
Crafty & Creative Creations - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Unleash your inner artist in this hands-on camp designed for makers and DIY enthusiasts! Design custom jewelry, master the art of junk journaling with upcycled materials, and experiment with density to create mesmerizing sensory bottles. By combining various mixed media techniques, you will walk away with a unique collection of handmade treasures and the skills to keep creating at home.
Digital M3Dia - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
TV and social media advertising, 3D printing and modeling, animation, and game development are just some of the things you can create all with today's computers. Explore different digital media and develop your inner entrepreneur as you shift from consumer to creator!
Week 5: June 29 - July 3, 2026
Intro to AI and Machine Learning - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
How would you teach a machine to learn? Learn the basics of machine learning as you build your AI model to teach a computer how to classify whether a bird species is a pigeon using image recognition techniques (no prior programming experience required).
Pathways to Medicine - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Interested in medicine but not sure what the job is really like? Get an early look at various healthcare roles and meet local healthcare professionals. Get hands-on with activities as you learn some basics about the human body and explore how medical teams work. It’s a simple way to start exploring what a career in healthcare might involve.
Offered with the generous support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
New Mexico Prehistory and Volcanic Exploration - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-3 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Discover the incredible story written in the rocks of New Mexico! Explore the state’s unique geological landscape through real-world experiences at some of its most fascinating sites. In this hands-on camp, you will visit ancient volcanoes, lava flows, fossil beds, and other geological landmarks to learn how Earth’s forces have shaped New Mexico over millions of years.
This camp is field-based. Students will need:
- Lunch
- Plenty of Water
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Appropriate hot-weather and hiking clothing
Week 6: July 6-10, 2026
Art Redux - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Ready, set, create! Let's get making! Dive into a world of hands-on art where you'll engineer tracing machines, design unique stamps, experiment with colorful sprays, and turn sunshine into amazing shadow masterpieces.
Crafty & Creative Creations - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Unleash your inner artist in this hands-on camp designed for makers and DIY enthusiasts! Design custom jewelry, master the art of junk journaling with upcycled materials, and experiment with density to create mesmerizing sensory bottles. By combining various mixed media techniques, you will walk away with a unique collection of handmade treasures and the skills to keep creating at home.
Biotech - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Would you like to create medicines, clean up pollutants, or protect crops from pests? These are just some of the work that you can do as a biotechnologist! Build biotech skills with scientists from UNM as you run experiments that control cells using engineered DNA! You could be starting your career in biotech!
Presented in partnership with and with funding assistance from Lakin Labs of UNM.
Science of the Super Small - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials Fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Come explore nanoscience. Nanometer-sized objects are too small even for ordinary microscopes to see them! Investigate how scientists can work with items that are this small, explore products that use nanotechnology, and discover how nanotechnology gives ordinary materials special properties.
Presented in partnership with the Cavallo Research Group at the University of New Mexico with support from the National Science Foundation (Award No. 2144944)
Week 7: July 13-17, 2026
Digital M3Dia - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 members/$195 non-members
TV and social media advertising, 3D printing and modeling, animation, and game development are just some of the things you can create all with today's computers. Explore different digital media and develop your inner entrepreneur as you shift from consumer to creator!
Pathways to Medicine - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Interested in medicine but not sure what the job is really like? Get an early look at various healthcare roles and meet local healthcare professionals. Get hands-on with activities as you learn some basics about the human body and explore how medical teams work. It’s a simple way to start exploring what a career in healthcare might involve.
Offered with the generous support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Renewable Energy - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Join us for an unforgettable journey into the realm of renewable energy! This transformative experience offers hands-on learning and exploration of various renewable resources. Engage in exciting experiments as you gain insights into how resources such as water, solar, and wind can be used to generate electricity energy.
Offered in Collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories Water Power Organization.
Layer by Layer: 3D Design Lab - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Explore the world of 3D printing by learning how layers of plastic transform into physical objects. Move from physical modeling with blocks to creating your very own digital designs using Tinkercad. By the end of the session, you will use the fundamentals of additive manufacturing and make digital creations come to life through slicing and printing.
Week 8: July 20-24, 2026
NMT's Mayhem Robotics:
Middle School Arduino Basic Circuits and Programming - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Learn more about robotic and programming fundamentals with students from New Mexico Tech! Middle school students will be guided through basic LED circuits and programming on Arduino microcontrollers. Understand how electricity powers the world around us, program proximity sensors, build invisible musical instruments, and understand larger robotic systems. Students need no prior electronics or coding experience to get started in the world of robotics.
Offered in Collaboration with NM Tech Mechanical Eng Robotic STEM Outreach Programs
Raspberry Pi® - X Studio
5th-8th grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Develop your programming skills using a Raspberry Pi®, a computer the size of a credit card. Explore how code can power sensors, systems, and simple AI-driven behaviors as you experiment, test, and iterate. The best part is you will take home your Raspberry Pi® so you can continue writing code, exploring AI concepts, and developing new software. What will you program your Raspberry Pi® to do next?
Raspberry Pi® is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi® Foundation. Funding assistance for this camp has been provided by Van Dyke Software.
Biotech - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-12 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Would you like to create medicines, clean up pollutants, or protect crops from pests? These are just some of the work that you can do as a biotechnologist! Build biotech skills with scientists from UNM as you run experiments that control cells using engineered DNA! You could be starting your career in biotech!
Presented in partnership with and with funding assistance from Lakin Labs of UNM.
NMT's Mayhem Robotics:
High School Machine Learning Image Processing - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Want to learn about programming in Python? Interested in how computers "see" the world around us? Confused about why Machine Learning is regarded as such a useful tool? Join New Mexico Tech in Machine Learning and Image Processing. Dive into Python programming and learn about how machines understand human instructions. Build your own code and modify large Machine Learning models. Even identify objects through your computer's camera!
Offered in Collaboration with NM Tech Mechanical Eng Robotic STEM Outreach Programs
Week 9: July 27-31, 2026
NMT's Mayhem Robotics:
Middle School Robot Combat Bot Design and Testing - X Studio
5th-8th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Bring a competitive spirit as you program, wire, design, and build your very own combat robot. Learn about programming and electronic fundamentals using Arduino microcontrollers as students build their skills to create a function, battle-ready robot. Students will combine their mechanical and electrical skills as they compete against their peers in a mini robot combat tournament led by New Mexico Tech students.
Offered in Collaboration with NM Tech Mechanical Eng Robotic STEM Outreach Programs
Great Explora Bake Off - X Studio
5th-8th grades
1 pm-4 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Ready, Set, Bake! Throughout the week you will learn new skills in chemistry, calculating, baking, and building. Then use your skills to participate in a final bake-off challenge! What can you create?
Great Explora Bake Off - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
9 am-12 pm
$170 for members/$195 for non-members
Ready, Set, Bake! Throughout the week you will learn new skills in chemistry, calculating, baking, and building. Then use your skills to participate in a final bake-off challenge! What can you create?
NMT's Mayhem Robotics:
High School Drafting and Rockbot Excavator Attachment Design - X Studio
8th-12th Grades
1 pm-4 pm
Materials fee only camp: $20 members/$30 non-members
Learn about mechanical design and modeling with New Mexico Tech as students design their own robotic excavator system. Students will get introduced to basic paper and digital drafting, building simple paper flat patterns, and drawing. Elevate your design to the real world and combine craft and 3D printed elements with simple motors to create your very own Rockbot attachment, an NMT construction robot.
Offered in Collaboration with NM Tech Mechanical Eng Robotic STEM Outreach Programs
