Cub & Girl Scout Events

Upcoming Events

Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and members of other organized youth groups are invited to visit the National Building Museum during our scout days, family festivals, or to attend a family program. A visit to the Museum teaches scouts about architecture, building, urban planning, engineering, how to recognize and solve design problems, and how to "read" the buildings around them. Activities also help fulfill Try-it and Badge requirements.

An Explanation of "Event Types"

Girl Scouts sketch the National Building Museum.

Scout Activity Days are designed specifically for Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Girl Scouts or Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Cub Scouts. Cadette Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are welcome to attend, but the days are not specifically designed for those scout levels or badges. Attendance is limited to 225 scouts per session, plus their parents and group leaders. Each day includes a morning and an afternoon session. Scouts may attend with their families or with their troop, pack, or den. Online prepaid registration for scouts is required by the Thursday prior to the event. Tickets must also be purchased for siblings who participate in the activities.  Walk-in day-of registration is based on availability. Some scout Try-it and Badge requirements will be met by the days' activities. The list of these requirements may not be available until the day of the event. Scouts will receive a Museum patch and admission to the Museum's exhibitions as part of the their scout day fee.

Family Festivals are FREE for all and filled with hands-on activities and demonstrations. Festivals are designed for families (not specifically for scouts) and are most appropriate for ages 5-13. Please note that attendance at festivals is often several thousand people. Scouts should register in advance for the Festival of the Building Arts (FOBA), but do not need to register for the Engineering or Cherry Blossom festivals. For FOBA and the Discover Engineering Family Day, the Museum provides scouts with a list of badge requirements that will be met by the days' activities. The list of these requirements and activities may not be available until the day of the event. To receive copies of this worksheet, scouts should check in at the Scout Table, near the Museum's fountain. A list of scout badge requirements is not available for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

A Cub Scout builds an airplane-shaped egg drop container.

Family Programs are two-hour workshops led by Museum staff or special guests. Workshops are usually limited to 30 child participants and focus on creating or building one project. These programs are open to all area families, including scout groups. For additional family programs, please visit the Families & Kids section. Please keep in mind each workshop's age restrictions.

Custom Discovery Carts are 30 minute hands-on activities led by Museum docents. Discover your inner engineer with these private programs designed for youth groups, elementary school classes, and scouts! Most appropriate for ages 5 and up. Fees apply. For a more complete description of the two different cart activities visit the Custom Tours section.

  Summer Camp are two-week sessions for campers entering grades 3-5 in fall 2012. Attend one, two, or three unique sessions of two week, full-day summer camp at the National Building Museum. Enjoy design challenges, crafts, field trips, and more! Fees apply. For a more complete description visit the Summer Camp page.

Questions? Contact the School and Youth Groups staff by email at scouts@nbm.org.