CSI Camp for Kids at Vancouver Police Museum: March 14-16, 21-23

Photo credit: Mercury24

Hats off to the Vancouver Police Museum.  They’ve taken what could be a dry theme – a museum about policing – and turned it into one of the city’s most exciting cultural offerings.  (Haven’t been on their Sins of the City tour or checked out the old coroner’s office upstairs?  You should.).

This spring break, the museum is offering something really neat: Hiest!, a six-session CSI camp for kids focused on the ins and outs of police detective work (offered March 14-16 and March 21-23).  This sounds so fun that I’m jealous non-kids can’t join in.

Here’s the basic premise:  A priceless painting has been stolen from the local art gallery.  Teams of junior forensic investigators (kids 8-13) are tasked with gathering clues, tracking down the culprit and finding the painting.

The investigation unfolds over the course of six separate workshops held on three consecutive days.  And these workshops are the real deal.  Each one hour and forty-five minute session looks in-depth at a different aspect of police investigative work.

On day one, start off with a primer on crime scene photography.  Then try your hand at collecting evidence and analyzing fingerprints.

Day two gets into the real juicy stuff.  Learn how to analyze footprints and tire impressions.  Then take a crack at ballistics, the science of studying bullets.

On day three, all the pieces come together.  You’ll find out how to track suspects with the dog squad and then conclude with a session on analyzing fakes, forgeries and counterfeits.

The idea is that over the course of the three-day camp, you gather more and more evidence and – in the end – crack the case of the stolen painting.

Kids ages 8-13 can be enrolled in individual workshops ($25 each); by the day ($40 for two workshops); or for the entire three days ($100 for six workshops).  One installment of the camp runs from March 14-16.  Another runs March 21-23.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit the Vancouver Police Museum website.

Article source: http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2012/03/09/csi-camp-for-kids-at-vancouver-police-museum-march-14-16-21-23/