Aga Khan Museum Summer Camps are Filled with Art and Exploration!

Aga Khan Museum Summer Camps return for another year of creativity and wonder with a new exciting program at one of Toronto’s top cultural landmarks! Located in the heart of North York, the Aga Khan Museum is North America’s first museum dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of Muslim arts and culture and their connection with other cultures. In these creative day camps, kids aged 6-12 can learn more about the Museum’s artworks and artifacts as they explore their artistic talents, have fun, and make new friends along the way!

This year’s camps are inspired by the Museum’s upcoming exhibition, As the Sun Appears from Beyond: 20 Years of the Al Burda Award, as well as the Aga Khan Museum Collections, which feature Islamic calligraphy, illumination, contemporary artistic expressions, and poetry. Campers will go on exciting artistic adventures, exploring diverse mediums and creating their own artworks. Each week, the participants fuel their imagination through creative experiments as they learn about the captivating exhibition. Meanwhile, they will spark their creativity and gain fresh insights through various rotating themes that reflect the Museum’s unique artistic and cultural perspectives, fostering meaningful connections through the arts.

Aga Khan Museum — Summer Camps 2025

Aga Khan Museum Summer Camps run weekly sessions for six weeks (July 7-August 15, 2025) in two separate age groups, Junior (ages 6-8) and Senior (ages 9-12). Each week, the camps will explore new themes based on the upcoming exhibition, As the Sun Appears from Beyond: 20 Years of the Al Burda Award, as well as the Aga Khan Museum Collections. (Activities may be subject to change.)

Junior Camp (Ages 6–8)

In this exciting six-week summer camp, young artists discover the beauty of shapes, words, and patterns in art. Campers will develop their fine motor skills as well as their creative thinking through storytelling, painting, and crafting. At the end of each camp week, participants will bring home a collection of their own artistic creations, including calligraphy, patterns, and geometric design.

Week 1 — July 7-11
Express Yourself: Words as Art
Campers will explore how words become art using a combination of painting, drawing, and printmaking. In addition, they will also create bold, colourful, and imaginative symbols and decorative letterforms to tell a story.

Week 2 — July 14-18
Writing with Beauty: Calligraphy and Lettering
Campers find out how different cultures turn writing into art as they explore the beauty of calligraphy. By experimenting with different techniques and using artistic lettering techniques, they will practice calligraphy writing and create personalized artwork.

Week 3 — July 21-25
Framing Words: Geometric Art and Patterns
Patterns can tell us a lot about the world, so campers will spend this week exploring geometry in art. As they learn how patterns can frame and enhance designs, they will make mosaics, tiles, and borders to discover the power of symmetry and precision.

Week 4 — July 28-August 1
Illuminating Art: Adding Light and Colour
Inspired by the tradition of illuminated manuscripts, campers will bring their art to life and make their work shine through layered designs, vibrant colours, and gold accents. Furthermore, they will experiment with contrast, light, and metallic details to add depth and brilliance to their artwork.

Week 5 — August 5-8 (Four-day camp week)
From Paper to Masterpiece: Crafting with Traditional Materials
This week, campers will find out how artists made books before modern technology. They will learn about traditional materials like printmaking, handmade paper, and natural pigments, turning raw materials into beautiful works of art.

Week 6 — August 11–15
My Art Book: A Collection to Treasure
In the final week, campers will learn simple bookbinding techniques, decorating the cover with their own unique design and filling the pages with original artwork.

Senior Camp (Ages 9–12)

Older kids get the opportunity to develop their artistic skills and explore how artists have created breathtaking works of art by transforming words and patterns using calligraphy, geometry, and illumination. Through creative exploration and technical skill-building, each participant will develop their own portfolio of original work.

Week 1 — July 7-11
The Art of Beautiful Writing: Calligraphy and Lettering
In the first week, campers will ponder the meaning of words and how they can be turned into works of art. Inspired by the beautifully written texts of the Museum’s temporary exhibition and Collections, campers will create their own calligraphy masterpieces.

Week 2 — July 14-18
The Power of Patterns: Geometry in Islamic Art
This week, campers will discover that shapes are everywhere in Islamic art, exploring the mesmerizing world of patterns, symmetry, and repeating designs.

Week 3 — July 21-25
Light, Colour, and Detail: The Art of Illumination
Using gold, deep colours, and fine details, campers will make their work shine as artists have done throughout history. Creating glowing and decorative pages, campers will explore how light and colour bring art to life.

Week 4 — July 28-August 1
Art in Architecture: Bringing Designs to Life
Campers will discover how patterns and calligraphy are woven into architecture because Islamic art is found in buildings, tiles, and decoration, not just in books. Then, they will bring these ideas to life in their own art!

Week 5 — August 5-8 (Four-day camp week)
Ancient Techniques, Modern Creations
This week, campers will explore how ancient artists made their own materials, like paper, ink, and pigments. Then, they will use those techniques to create their own designs.

Week 6 — August 11-15
The Artist’s Portfolio: Bringing It All Together
Finally, in the last week, campers work to bring all of their knowledge together and create a personal portfolio of artwork. They will also take inspiration from diverse artists to bring traditional techniques into their modern art.

Daily Camp Schedule

8:45-9:00 AM: Drop-off (15-minute parking is free during pick-up and drop-off only)
9:00 AM: Camp day begins
10:30 AM: Snack break (15 mins.)
12:00 PM: Lunch break (1 hour) (Please note: lunch is not provided. The Museum encourages campers to bring their own packed lunch, plus two snacks.)
2:30 PM: Snack break (15 mins.)
3:45 PM: Pick-up (Guardians MUST present ID for pick-up)
4:00 PM: Camp day ends (Extended care is not available)

Aga Khan Museum Summer Camps — Prices

Five-day week: $300 ($270 Sibling Discount); $270 Friends and Patrons ($243 Sibling Discount)
Four-day week: $240 ($216 Sibling Discount); $216 Friends and Patrons ($194.40 Sibling Discount)
All prices are per person per weekly session.

Register your camper for a brilliant summer full of expression and creativity here!