The Girl Scout Museum Experience
Honoring the history of Girl Scouting in our local communities is a wonderful way to explore the evolution of one of the country’s oldest organizations dedicated to girls and women. Currently, our council historians and others are developing a plan to bring our history to life in a variety of ways that best serve the needs and interests of our girl and adult members.
GCNWI Historians Mission Statement
To acquire, organize, and preserve artifacts related to the Girl Scout Movement, to make the collection available to our membership, researchers, and the general public, and to programs and resources that promote an enduring understanding of the rich history of Girl Scouts.
~ Developed and envisioned by the GCNWI Council Historians - 2016
GSGCNWI Archive Collection
Our archive collection continues to grow thanks to Girl Scout alumnae and family members who generously donate uniforms they wore, badges they earned, camp gear they used, and other memorabilia from their days as Girl Scouts and leaders. Our collection also includes photographs and publications both from GSUSA and the previous Councils that merged into GSGCNWI.
Utilizing these items, we can answer your questions about:
- old uniforms, badges, official publications, and other items produced by Girl Scouts of the USA that were used nationwide; and
- troops, councils, and camps of the past that served girls in our Council’s geographic area.
Trained, volunteer historians care for archive items stored in the Joliet and Vernon Hills Gathering Places. Display cases in the Gathering Places are themed around the five worlds of Girl Scouting and WAGGGS and are changed often. We try to feature our favorite items from the past in these cases.
In addition, items from the archives are displayed during special events for members and alumnae, and throughout the year in public libraries and museums.
Activity kits are available to service units and troops who are interested in earning badges or learning more about Girl Scout history. There are currently five kits available:
- all the tableware you need for a Victorian-style tea party, as well as some suggested games and activities.
- vintage uniforms will help you stage your troop’s fashion show or dress up for a special ceremony.
- a mix of vintage books - handbooks from 1963 and 1986, songs, and games will provide activities for your troop meetings and beyond.
- learn about WAGGGS as you put together a World flag, play an action game and make a friendship knot
- play Kim's Game and learn all about Juliette Gordon Low
Contact your local Customer Care manager to reserve and check out any of these kits.
We will loan archive materials to adults who are interested in doing a local display or program. This is a wonderful opportunity to involve the girls in your troop in a project and share Girl Scout history with your community.
We welcome you to our Girl Scout History Center - a display and program area - in Vernon Hills. This area is open for visitors, scheduled tours and programs. An activity binder will guide you around the space and offers several activities to make your visit fun and educational.
Once a month, one of our team members writes a history related story for the Council’s Blog. We’ve covered troop trips, cookie and fall product programs, some history of WAGGGS, and highlighted items from the archives collection.
Short-term or long-term volunteers are always welcome. We would love to introduce older girls to our work, and our collection.
Activities and Resources
- Historian Activity Kit - WAGGGS & Kim's Game | PDF
Have Girl Scout items you would like to donate to the GCNWI Historians? Please contact customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org to be connected. for how to information. We must have a signed Deed of Gift to accept your donations. Download a copy of the Deed of Gift here.
