What Is the North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting and What Can You Do There?

The North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting is a museum in North St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to collecting, preserving, sharing, and interpreting the history and significance of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting in the upper Midwest. You can visit its collections, attend merit badge or Girl Scout workshops, book an escape room or summer program, spend a night at the museum, or support it through membership, volunteering, or donations. Visits are by appointment Monday through Friday, with open Saturday hours from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

What the Museum Is and What It Holds

The museum's stated mission is to collect, preserve, share, and interpret the history and significance of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting in the upper Midwest. Its vision is to inspire current and future generations by sharing those histories and their lasting influence on society.

Its collections are organized around:

• Girl Scouting
• Boy Scouting
• Scouting artifacts

This makes it a resource for anyone researching Scouting history in the region, as well as for current Scouts and families looking for program opportunities.

Visiting: Hours and How to Book

To schedule a weekday appointment, email the museum or leave a voicemail at 651-748-2880. The museum notes it looks forward to welcoming visitors, so if you need a specific weekday time, contact them in advance rather than arriving without a booking.

Programs and Events You Can Join

The museum runs a range of programs beyond a standard gallery visit:

• Merit Badge Workshops — offered throughout the year for Boy Scouts
• Girl Scout Workshops
• Escape Room
• Summer Programs
• Spend a Night at the Museum
• Building Rental
• 2026 Derby Night at the Museum — Saturday, October 24, 6–9:30 p.m., with registration required

Merit Badge Workshops in Detail

The museum continues to offer a variety of Boy Scout merit badge workshops throughout the year. Registered merit badge counselors lead the sessions.

Two things to know before signing up:

1. Prerequisites — counselors outline what participants must complete beforehand.
2. Final approval — the counselors serve as the final authority in assessing whether badge requirements have been satisfactorily met.

Fees:

• $15 for museum members
• $20 for non-members

All classes take place at the museum unless otherwise specified. Registration is handled through the museum's Merit Badge Workshops page.

How to Get Involved Beyond Visiting

The museum offers several ways to participate or support its work:

• Membership — multiple membership levels are listed; members pay the reduced workshop fee
• Volunteer — open to those who want to contribute time
• Make a Donation — direct giving is accepted
• Our Wish List — an alternative way to support specific needs

If you are deciding how to engage, membership makes sense if you plan to attend multiple workshops, since the $5 per-workshop difference adds up. Volunteering or donating suits those who want to support the collection and programs without attending regularly.

A Note on Media Coverage

For Women's History Month, KSTP Channel 5's Lauren Andrego took viewers inside the Girl Scout half of the museum. The segment is available to watch through the museum's site if you want a preview of that part of the collection before visiting.