Scout Day Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are the different scout levels separated from each other during the day?
A: No, the activities are appropriate for a range of ages. They can be made more complex for the older scouts and can be simplified for the younger scouts. All the activities will start in the same area, the Great Hall of the Museum.

Q: Can boys attend Girl Scout Day? Can girls attend Cub Scout Day?
A: Yes! We encourage both girls and boys to participate in either of our Scout Days. Activities and worksheets at Girl Scout Day will be geared towards Girl Scout badges and journeys. Activities at Cub Scout Day will be geared towards Cub Scout badges.

Q: Can I bring my non-scout children to Scout Day? Can I bring younger or older siblings to Scout Day?
A: All children are welcome to attend and participate in the Museum’s Scout Days, you do not need to be a part of an organized scout group. All non-scout children over the age of 7 years-old who wish to participate must purchase a Scout Ticket.

Q: Do you have scout days or programs for Boy Scouts?
A: While we do not currently offer programs geared specifically towards Boy Scouts, we do have a number of family programs during which Boy Scouts can work towards merit badges. Activities at our annual Discover Engineering Family Day may help towards completing the Boy Scout Engineering Merit Badge. Activities at the Big Build may help towards completing the Boy Scout Architecture Merit Badge.

Q: Will the activities happen on a schedule? Are they timed?
A: There will be a number of activities that happen continuously throughout the period of the session (10:00 am to 1:00 pm or 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm). You can move by yourself or with your scout group from one activity to the next at your own pace. We suggest about 20 to 30 minutes at each activity.

Q: The Museum had a LEGO® exhibition; is entrance to this exhibition included in the scout day?
A: The LEGO exhibition closed on September 3, 2012. Entrance to the other exhibitions is not included in the scout day fee. You are welcome to visit the exhibitions for an additional $5 fee.

Q: Where can we eat lunch?
A: We have a small café at the Museum. You are welcome to purchase food, snacks, and coffee at the café. You are also welcome to bring a bagged lunch from home and picnic on the carpet of the Museum’s Great Hall.  There are a variety of restaurants within walking distance of the Museum. Museum staff are happy to guide you to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

Q: What badge will this day meet? Will we get a badge for participating?
A: A number of requirements for different badges may be met while participating in the Scout Day activities. You can find a link to a worksheet which outlines these on each Scout Day event page. All scouts will receive a National Building Museum patch for participating in a Scout Day; these will be provided upon check in at the Museum.

Q: Where can we park?
A: We encourage you to consider traveling by Metro to the Museum for Scout Days as parking can be a challenge. The Museum is conveniently located near the Judiciary Square Station on the Red line, and the Gallery Place/Chinatown Station on the Red, Yellow, and Green lines.  Metered two-hour street parking is available on all sides of the museum. There are also several parking garages within walking distance of the museum.