Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Announces 2024 Discovery Camp Registration

Jan 08, 2024

NANTUCKET, MA – The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), your portal to Nantucket’s natural world, announces its 2024 Discovery Camp schedule and registration is now open to children ages five through sixteen. The MMA will offer age specific weekly sessions this summer full of science education, research, and exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island.


The MMA’s award-winning Discovery Camps kick off on June 17 and continues for ten weeks of curiosity, wonder, and exploration. The popular camps featured include, “Animal Signs & The Five Senses,” “Aware in the Wild,” “Underwater Explorations,” “Exploring Art in the Ecosystems,” “Marine Biology Boot Camp,” “Cosmic & Climate Connections,” “Green Guardians,” “Junior Historians - A Walk Through Nantucket,” and “Junior Astronomers – Reaches of the Universe.”


Visit https://www.mariamitchell.org/camp-programs to check enrollment availability and to register. Island Families Registration began January 8, and open registration for All Members begins January 15 at 6am.


Camp registration is open to MMA Members only. Membership can be activated or renewed at https://www.mariamitchell.org/membership. Membership gives you many benefits including unlimited free admission to the Aquarium, Natural Science Museum, Loines Observatory, and the Historic Mitchell House, discounts on programs and merchandise, and much more.


Thanks to a generous gift from EGCF, a non-profit foundation, the MMA offers scholarship opportunities for eligible Nantucket Island residents and visitors. This financial aid program provides an 80% discount off the price of camp sessions. Any family who can demonstrate a need is encouraged to apply. To learn more, visit https://www.mariamitchell.org/scholarships-discounts.


Please review the camp programs webpage at https://www.mariamitchell.org/camp-program

to learn about the variety of camps offered for each age level and come explore with us!


The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the

first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages.

                            ####

For Immediate Release

January 8, 2024

Contact: Molly Mosscrop, Marketing Director

mmosscrop@mariamitchell.org

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I have written of my love for sea glass and pottery shards in the past and the recent replacement of the sewer and water lines on Vestal Street created a small shard collection over the last month. Since the work required the asphalt to be completely removed (all twelve inches of it!) and the road to be dug up multiple times as they worked to remove pipe, relay new pipe, hook up the water meters, and install drainage and manhole covers, this resulted in the earth in the street being tossed about quite a bit. And, with that, came the shards! Some of these likely came from the sewer line (yes, yuck) but others came from being simply in the dirt of the road – which was not paved until 1946/1948. Pieces were likely tossed out at times, made to act as filler in holes, or simply tossed. So I found all sorts of pieces I will keep here at the Mitchell House. They included: a lovely piece with a red floral, many pieces of plates, glass, the top of a late nineteenth or early twentieth century (medicine) bottle, glass shards, a flattened spoon, a brass knob (found by a neighbor) some nails, a spike, pieces of a larger container or two based on the size and curve and coloring of the shards, and possibly a Wampanoag stone tool. One person’s trash is another one’s treasures! JNLF
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