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 includes photographs and publications, both from GSUSA, as well as the former Councils in our current geographic area.
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.
Bins of program materials are available to service units and troops who are interested in earning badges or learning more about Girl Scout history.
- We currently have Tea Party Bins which contain all the tableware you need for a Victorian-style tea party. Included are some suggested games and activities.
- Interested in Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts? Our Founder’s Bin contains items pertaining to her life, photos, books and games to help you and your troop learn more about her life.
- Bins of historic uniforms will help you stage your troop’s fashion show.
These materials are currently stored in Vernon Hills. Arrangements can be made to deliver them to your local Gathering Place.
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 are in the process of setting up a display and program area in the Atrium at Vernon Hills. This area will be open for visitors, scheduled tours and programs.
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, to name a few posts.
Short-term or long-term volunteers are always welcome. We would love to introduce older girls to our work, and our collection.
Have Girl Scout items you would like to donate to the GCNWI Historians? Please contact customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org to be connected.
Download a copy of the Deed of Gift to turn in with your donation.
