For many adults, it’s been decades since they’ve been to summer camp—playing games, making craft projects, drinking “bug juice” and eating s’mores, and creating lasting memories with lifelong friends.

The Children’s Museum of Cleveland (CMC) will help recreate those nostalgic camp memories on Wednesday, March 5 during the museum’s adults-only summer camp themed event, Camp CMC. 

Admission to Camp CMC includes two drink tickets for local beer and wine (for guests aged 21 and older) and a charcuterie display with an assortment of different meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads, and sweets.

Many of the snacks will be sourced from local vendors through The Home Pantry at the West Side Market. There will be a selection of gluten-free and nut-free options as well.

Camp CMC includes access to all of the museum’s open-ended play areas. Camp crafts and activities include designing custom badges, making friendship bracelets, lawn games, relay races, karaoke, and fort building. Guests will also receive blank tote bags that they can silkscreen at the event as part of a featured art activity. 

The $50 ticket proceeds help support the Children’s Museum’s Wonder Fund, which provides free and reduced admissions to the museum and events through two programs intended to make the CMC accessible for all families.

Guests experiment in the Wonder Lab at Camp CMCMuseum for All is a discount program CMC provides for families that use government assistance in the state of Ohio and reduces the normal $15 admission price to $2 per person.

Discounted Access Family Memberships are offered in underserved neighborhoods in the immediate area of the museum, including Central, MidTown, and AsiaTown, where families can access the museum for free.

More than 12,000 guests accessed CMC last year through the Wonder Fund. The impact is lasting and memorable, especially for young guests, museum officials say.

For instance, one local teacher recalls the positive experience her class had at the museum through the Wonder Fund—saying the students couldn’t stop talking about their visit.

CMC director of marketing and development Hattie Kotz says their programming is designed to make an impression on the students who visit.

“I always tell people, ‘If you can think back to your elementary school education, you could probably describe to me in great detail every field trip you ever went on [and] any special day you ever had,’” she says. “That just kind of underscores how meaningful those experiences are and how memorable they are for students.”

Kotz adds that museum officials want to help create memories that last a lifetime.

“You never know what experience you're going to have where you learn something that turns on a light bulb or makes something click, that inspires you to be more curious or excited to learn about a topic,” she says. 

Children’s Museum of Cleveland’s Camp CMC will take place on Wednesday, March 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the museum, 3813 Euclid Ave. The event is for guests 18 and older. Tickets are $50 per person. Ticket space is limited.