Youth Programs

Learn with Smithsonian
Teen Council NPG

The Smithsonian offers fun and challenging experiences for K–12 kids interested in science, nature, technology, art, design, history, culture, or all of the above. These programs build confidence and skills of self-expression, communication, leadership, and provide college and career preparation in extraordinary museum environments.

Individuals are on a boat with binoculars in hand looking out at the river
Anacostia Community Museum

Academy for Community and Environment

Each year, the Academy, engages youths living in communities in and near the Anacostia Watershed in explorations of the intersections of community and the environment.
Youth ages 14–18 from communities in and along the Anacostia River and its tributaries 

Learn more aboutAcademy for Community and Environment
students holding a bone
National Museum of Natural History

Natural History Investigations

Explore the world of natural history science in a fun and interactive way in these after school programs! Learn from museum scientists and educators, gain natural history science and tech skills, and visit exclusive behind-the-scenes areas of the museum.
Grades 9–12

Learn more aboutNatural History Investigations
student
National Museum of Natural History

Natural History (NMNH) High School Internship Program

The NMNH High School Internship Program is a career immersion program for youth who are currently enrolled in high school in the Washington, D.C., region. The program runs from June to August and provides interns with practical experience through a hands-on internship with NMNH staff. By participating in the program, interns will also have access to behind-the-scenes tours, field trips, workshops, and college preparatory information. 
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors ages 14–19

Learn more aboutNatural History (NMNH) High School Internship Program
youth volunteers
National Museum of Natural History

Q?Crew Teen Volunteer Program

Are you interested in science? Do you like talking to people? Are you a teen? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you might be a good fit for the all-teen volunteer squad—the Q?Crew Program at the National Museum of Natural History.
Grades 9–11

Learn more aboutQ?Crew Teen Volunteer Program
teen explainer
National Air and Space Museum

Explainers Program

The NASM Explainers Program hires high school and college students to help visitors better understand the Museum’s collection, making person-to-person connections with our iconic artifacts and stories about the science and technology that make innovation possible. Explainers work at either the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., or at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
16 years and older

Learn more aboutExplainers Program
fun teen group photo in the Kogod Courtyard
National Portrait Gallery

Teen Museum Council

Teen Museum Council is an intensive year-long program for D.C. Metro area teens who would like a role making teen programs at the Portrait Gallery! Throughout the  academic year, TMC members work on a variety of activities for other DC-area teens, such as creating a teen art exhibition, organizing a teen night out, collaborating on social media projects, initiating a video project, or offering a special teen-led tour of the Portrait Gallery. Come help us make history!
Ages 14–18

Learn more aboutTeen Museum Council
group of 2013 ambassadors
National Museum of the American Latino

Young Ambassadors Program

The Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a national program for graduating high school seniors, fostering the next generation of Latino leaders in the arts, sciences, and humanities via the Smithsonian Institution and its resources. Students with an interest in and commitment to the arts, sciences, and humanities as it pertains to Latino communities and cultures are selected to travel to Washington, D.C., for a week-long seminar at the Smithsonian.
Graduating high school seniors

Learn more aboutYoung Ambassadors Program

Workshops

A diverse group of students
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

DesignPrep Scholar

Get a head start on a future in design! Teens in New York City can apply to be a DesignPrep Scholar, a free program that features hands-on workshops with professional designers, design studio visits, and college tours.​
Rising High School Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors

Learn more aboutDesignPrep Scholar
Teens standing in front of wall that reads Hirshhorn The National Museum of Modern Art
Hirshhorn Museum

Hirshhorn Teens

Are you a teen creator or maker looking to build your skills? The Hirshhorn Museum offers creative arts programs for teens ages 13 to 19. Since 2011, the Hirshhorn has given teens free access to the latest technology and art-making materials with programming from working artists. 
Ages 13–19

Learn more aboutHirshhorn Teens

Camps

smiling young campers
Smithsonian Associates

Smithsonian Summer Camp

There's no more exciting place to spend the summer than Summer Camp at the Smithsonian. Where else can campers blast into space or take center stage, create a masterpiece or invent a fantasy world, relive history or learn to shape the future of the planet? The rich and exciting world of the Smithsonian Summer Camp program offers plenty of great fun and experiences that spark the imagination!
Entering Kindergarten through 9th grade

Learn more aboutSmithsonian Summer Camp
YTAs with kids
Smithsonian Associates

Smithsonian Summer Camp Youth Teaching Assistants

The Youth Teaching Assistant (YTA) Program for Smithsonian Summer Camp provides an extraordinary way for teens to get involved with the Smithsonian while earning community service credits. YTAs  are introduced to the world of teaching while supporting Summer Camp instructors. YTAs befriend, help, and act as role models to young campers. A wide range of programs offer YTAs the opportunity to experience and learn about new subject areas or increase and share their understanding of a more familiar subject such as art, science, or theater. This volunteer position is available on a weekly basis June–August when Summer Camp is in session. Smithsonian Summer Camp takes place on the National Mall in the S. Dillon Ripley Center, unless otherwise stated.
Ages 15 and older

Learn more aboutSmithsonian Summer Camp Youth Teaching Assistants
nature campers
Smithsonian's National Zoo

Camps at the National Zoo

Explore the lives, habitats and conservation of animals around the world. Camps are offered throughout the year!
Grades K–7

Learn more aboutCamps at the National Zoo

Young Learners

preschool children

Preschool and Homeschool Classes at the National Zoo

Looking to make science come to life for your young animal lover? Friends of the National Zoo runs weekly classes for children ages 2-13.  Bring your toddler to learn about a new animal friend each week or enrich your homeschooler’s science curriculum with our unique 5-week class series.  All classes include age-appropriate hands-on activities and explorations, craft projects, and walks through the Zoo.  
Ages 2–13

Learn more aboutPreschool and Homeschool Classes at the National Zoo

Travel

students making pasta

Smithsonian Student Travel

Curious to explore more and dive deeper into your passions? Expand your horizons with Smithsonian Student Travel! Developed for students completing 8th through 12th grade, our immersive programs provide opportunities to explore an interest along-side a community of peers, get inspired by unique experiences, and gain the tools necessary to help impact our future. A Smithsonian Student Travel Expert will accompany a portion of each trip to share their knowledge, insights, and passion about the regions and the trip themes.
Completing grades 8–12

Learn more aboutSmithsonian Student Travel

Upcoming Teen Events

High school interns in a science lab

Internship Opportunities

List of current internship opportunities at the Smithsonian. Ages 14 and up.