August 7-8, 2026
$50 non-member/$45 museum member, scholarships available
Looking for a unique experience for your child this summer? The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum is excited to present its hands-on History Camp. Children ages 10-18 will spend two full-days immersing themselves in the rough and tumble lifestyle of a 19-century woodhick. Campers will try activities like using a crosscut saw, rolling on a log, and peeling bark. They’ll play games like horseshoes, seed spitting, and model log raft racing. They’ll help prepare their own breakfast on a wood-fired cookstove , watch horses skid logs, and learn different survival methods of making fire.
2026 History Camp Description Schedule
Advanced Registration is required. Download registration form below and return to the museum by July 15.
2026 History Camp Reservation & Contact Forms
Scholarships covering the $50 registration fee are available for a limited number of campers. Interested campers must submit a 200-250 word essay explaining “Why I want to go to History Camp,” to be judged by the museum’s Event Committee for content. Essays must be submitted by June 27 and can be emailed to palumbermuseum@gmail.com or mailed to: PA Lumber Museum PO Box 239 Galeton, PA 16922. Scholarship recipients will be notified by July 1.
Daily Schedule:
- Friday, August 7: Camper should be dropped off promptly at 9am at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum. They will assist in the preparation of their own breakfast just like woodhicks used to eat. Activities for the day will include a tour through the museum and training in the use of a crosscut saw, log rolling in the pond, log peeling, board drilling (the old fashion way), axe throwing, sunflower seed spitting contests, and model log raft racing. Campers will also learn about the transportation of lumber from the forest and watch a demonstration of log skidding using real horses.
- Saturday, August 8: Camper should be dropped off promptly at 9am at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum. Meals will not be provided so campers should have already eaten breakfast and bring a bag lunch with them. Campers will discover the important role bees play in our ecosystem and sustainable practices of beekeeping with a presentation from Kettle Creek Apiary. Art Dawes of PA Wilderness Skills will lead campers through a variety of methods for making fire and discuss the numerous mammals that call Pennsylvania home.
What to bring and wear: Campers should dress comfortably. Hats, hiking boots, sunscreen, and insect repellent are highly recommended. To get into the immersive spirit, campers can choose to wear their own logger style clothing. Swimming gear and a towel are required for Friday.
Questions: Contact Jennifer Haines, Museum Educator, at jenhaines@pa.gov
