Did you miss Brunch at The Branch? The Branch Museum had 150 people and 22 sponsors for their inaugural event where they awarded the first Virginia by Design Awards. Visit their Virginia by Design Event Album on Facebook.

Architecture Camp: Summer 2018

The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design’s mission is to elevate awareness of the transformative power of architecture and design throughout Virginia; we do this through exhibits, lectures, and educational programming. This summer, our newest programming initiative is Architecture Camp. Starting June 25, we are pleased to offer five sessions of Architecture Camp with the city of Richmond as our backdrop!

Architecture Camp’s schedule includes exciting field trips and building challenges in which students will investigate approaches to real-world problems. Campers will become acquainted with The Branch House and Richmond’s many neighborhoods through interactive tours and activities. Throughout the week campers will be introduced to architects, designers, and other building systems professionals. Campers will practice observing, sketching, presenting, and building at various scales. They will use these new abilities in design challenges that relate to our built environment and our city. Students will complete camp with a new understanding of and appreciation for the built environment around them, and the understanding to know they can influence it. Architecture Camp will culminate in an exhibit of camper work Fall 2018 at The Branch Museum.

Architecture Camp is aligned with STEM and STEAM initiatives, asking campers to not only learn about their city but interpret and apply their skills and knowledge to new situations. Highlights for the week-long camp include a full day learning about the engineering and design of bridges and their practical application around Richmond; getting messy and hands-on with building materials from concrete and plaster to wood and plexiglass; examining the ins and outs of significant structures in Richmond, from the newly-completed Institute of Contemporary Art to the Maggie Walker Statue; observational drawings and map-making; and tracing the process of an idea to completed building.

This spring, we hosted a Spring Break session of Architecture Camp, a preview of the summer camps! Look at the photos from this inaugural session below.

Registration for summer camps are open to elementary and middle school students, and space is limited! Sign-up on our website. Through a generous donation from The Rotary Club of Richmond, VA camp scholarships are available to those qualifying for the free lunch program.

Questions? Want more information? Contact us at mloustaunau@branchmuseum.org

photos courtesy of Manon Loustaunau.

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