Scout programming at the Rochester Museum & Science Center provides scouts with hands-on experiments and activities centered on the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of America badge requirements and the museum’s mission to broaden the community’s understanding of science and technology. Experience instructor-led classroom activities and experiments and museum exhibit exploration. Join us with your Den, Pack or Troop here at the RMSC!
Schedule an Experience
To schedule, call 585.697.1942. Non-refundable payment in full is required upon registration. There is NO day-of registration.
Program Minimum: 10 scouts (Can be a combination of different groups; Must be met by two weeks prior to program date, or it will be subject to cancellation)
Program Maximum: 20 scout
Information for Scout Leaders
Scout program time are prompt, please be at RMSC or Cumming Nature Center 15 minutes prior to the program start for check-in.
Scouts should follow the scout to adult ratio required by their scouting organization. Space in the classroom is limited, so be mindful of the number of adults that will stay in the classroom. Parents are more than welcome to explore the museum and enjoy the café.
Explore Boy Scout and BSA Programs
Cub Scouts: Bear
Robotics
Discover the world of robotics! Explore a robot’s function in the workplace. Learn about animatronics and investigate the similarities and differences between robots and humans. Try your hand at building and programming a robot. (Participants will be using Lego NXT Model robot kits)
Super Science
Become a scientist for the day! Create static electricity and learn why things sink or float. Try your hand at mixing colors and make a sun catcher to bring home.
Cub Scouts: Webelos
Engineer
Design, build and test! This program explores all aspects of engineering. Learn about the different types on engineers and the jobs they perform. Practice the engineer design process as you try your hand at different challenges. Get hands-on in our Inventor Center exhibit.
Earth Rocks
Step back in time as you explore the Earth’s geology. Learn about how the Earth was formed, discover its rocks, minerals and fossils, and explore fascinating Earth events like volcanoes and geysers. Take a look at our extensive geological collection and discover Rochester’s geology as you experience our Expedition Earth exhibit.
Adventures in Science
Explore the many different fields in science including astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology and engineering with hands-on activities and projects. Delve deeper into the areas you are interested in. Create an experiment using the Scientific Method and experience our Museum’s interactive exhibits.
Into the Woods
This program takes place at Cumming Nature Center. Take a hike to discover local plants and animals and learn how they make up an ecosystem. Learn how to determine a tree's age and create your own “Tree Ring of Life.” Explore all that the Nature Center has to offer both inside and out! (Program will run rain or shine, so come dressed for the weather.)
Into the Wild
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. Nature is all around us. Take a hike to discover local animals, learn about wetlands and other ecosytems and make a mini terrarium. Explore all that the Nature Center has to offer both inside and out! (Program will run rain or shine, so come dressed for the weather.)
Scouts BSA: Merit Badges
Sustainability
What can you do to “go green”? Learn all about sustainable practices being used today with water, food, energy and with everyday items that can help preserve the Earth’s natural beauty. Discuss the controversial side of the sustainability conversation, while you get hands-on with some sustainable practices. Explore our interactive exhibits and have the option of creating your own rain barrel (Barrel pre-order required upon registration).
*Please note prerequisites are required for this class. Download the Sustainability Merit Badge prerequisite information here and input the results of your projects here.
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Sunday, November 17, 2019 | 10am-5pm
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Sunday, March 29, 2020 | 10am-5pm
Indian Lore
Explore the museum’s extensive collection related to the culture of local Native Americans. Learn the history about the Haudenosaunee, their way of life, traditional dwellings, tribal government, religious beliefs, language, clothing style, games, warfare and other customs. Create and play traditional Native American games. Build a mini model of a traditional Native American dwelling. Discover how Native Americans live today.
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Sunday, November 10, 2019 | 10am-5pm
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Saturday, March 7, 2020 | 9am-4pm
Nuclear Science
Discover the wonders of nuclear science. Learn about radiation and its harmful effects on humans, wildlife and the environment. Explore the benefits of nuclear science and how nuclear energy is produced. Experience energy concepts hands-on with the Museum’s Energy Trail.
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Sunday, December 1, 2019 | 10am-5pm
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Sunday, January 26, 2020 | 10am-5pm
Robotics
Discover the world of robotics! Explore a robot’s function in the workplace. Learn about animatronics and investigate the similarities and differences between robots and humans. Try your hand at building and programming a robot. (Participants will be using Lego NXT Model robot kits)
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Saturday, January 18th, 2020 | 9am-4pm
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Sunday, March 22, 2020 | 10am-5pm
Geology
Become a geologist! Learn about how the Earth was formed, discover its rocks, minerals and fossils, and explore fascinating Earth events like volcanoes and geysers. Take a look at our extensive geological collection and discover Rochester’s geology as you experience our Expedition Earth exhibit.
- Saturday, February 29th, 2020 | 9am-4pm
Soil & Water Conservation
Conservation is not just for those whose work focuses on environmental issues, it’s everyone’s responsibility to learn more about conservation practices and what they can do today to help protect and maintain our natural resources. Get hands-on with soil, erosion, water pollution and alternative energy sources. Explore museum exhibits and view an Enviroscape demonstration.
- Sunday, April 19, 2020 | 10am-5pm
Chemistry
Explore how substances react with each other, how they change, how certain forces connect molecules, and how molecules are made— it’s all parts of chemistry. Stretch your imagination to envision molecules that cannot be seen—but can be proven to exist— and you become a chemist.
- Saturday, January 11, 2020 | 9am-4pm
Inventing
Learn about the inventing process and inventions you use every day. Become an inventor as you complete the RMSC’s Inventor Center challenge and see if you can improve your invention. Learn about an inventor that works here at the RMSC!
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Sunday, December 8, 2019 | 10am-5pm
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Saturday, February 8, 2020 | 9am-4pm
Explore Girl Scout Programs
Girl Scouts: Daisies
Robotics
Complete all three Daisy Robotics badges in one session! Learn what robots do, how robots move and design your own robot in this hands-on class.
Science Space Explorer
Explore the sun, moon and stars as we look up to the sky and learn about what we see.
Girl Scouts: Brownies
Home Scientist
Get into some kitchen chemistry! Learn about chemical reactions that you can do with everyday house hold items. Try hands-on activities, explore the museum’s interactive exhibits and enjoy a Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Social.
Hiker
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. Head out on the trail! Learn about how to prepare for your hike, to spot trail signs, what to wear and pack, and the do’s and don’ts of hiking safely. Check out all that the Nature Center has to offer both inside and out! (Program will run rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.)
Inventor
Design, build, test! Discover the building blocks of becoming an inventor. Learn the design process and test your skills as you complete a design challenge. Get hands-on in our Inventor Center.
Outdoor Art Creator
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. Use your five senses to explore nature and practice your art skills. Go on a nature detective walk and make a leaf rubbing. Brush up your painting skills to make a landscape painting.
Program will run rain or shine—come dressed for the weather!
Bugs
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. What’s the difference between a spider and an insect? Become a junior entomologist and explore a bug’s life through the museum’s collection of creepy crawly critters. Learn all about what makes a bug a bug, where they live and what they eat.
Program will run rain or shine—come dressed for the weather!
Outdoor Adventurer
Have an outdoor adventure at Cumming Nature Center! Go for a hike, play a game and learn a new outdoor skill while learning about the environment around you.
Programming Robots
Experiment with simple machines and robot senses. Learn about programs and algorithms in order to code your own robot.
Designing Robots
Learn the steps of the Engineering Design process while you make your own bug-bot.
Space Science Adventurer
Make a mini-planetarium and a pocket solar system as you learn about space and the night sky.
Girl Scouts: Juniors
Geocacher
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. “Geo” meaning Earth, “cache” meaning hiding place, “geocaching” is a hiding place on Earth that you can find using a GPS unit. Learn the safety and the do’s and don’ts of geocaching. Test your skills out on the Nature Center’s geo hunt! (Program will run rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.)
Detective
Become a super sleuth! Discover what it takes to be a detective and learn the skills and techniques used in the field to solve crimes. Test your memory and try your hand at fingerprinting. Solve a mini museum mystery!
Flowers
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. Learn all about flowers as you dissect a flower and go on a flower identification hike at the Cumming Nature Center. Make your own flower bookmark to take home!
Program will run rain or shine—come dressed for the weather!
Outdoor Art Explorer
Get inspired by nature at the Cumming Nature Center. Explore and how and nature interact as you create art inspired by the outdoors and even make your own terrarium to bring home.
Programming Robots
Get to know how robots work, program a Mars Rover and try your hand at coding your own robot.
Designing Robots
Learn about the future of robotics and sse the Engineering Design Process to create a prototype of a robot to solve a problem.
Space Science Investigator
Learn about our Solar System and explore the Strasenburgh Planetarium as you become a Space Science Investigator. Make a star wheel to take home and a scale model of the Solar System.
Girl Scouts: Cadettes
Special Agent
Become a special agent and explore the world of forensics. Practice your observation skills and try out fingerprinting. Be a forensic biologist and extract DNA. Make some blood and see how it spatters! Test out your skills at being a sketch artist.
Trees
This program takes place at the Cumming Nature Center. Learn about the importance of trees and go on a tree identification walk. Check out the Maple Sugaring house at the Cumming Nature Center and try a tree treat. Become a citizen scientist and help our trees!
Program will run rain or shine—come dressed for the weather!
Outdoor Art Apprentice
Go outside and see how art is inspired by nature at the Cumming Nature Center. Make your own seed paper and learn about nature sounds.
Girl Scouts: Seniors
Sky
Visit the Strasenburgh Planetarium to learn about our night sky and constellations. View the stars through our telescope and learn about the layers of the atmosphere. Experiment with air pollution and launch a rocket!
This night at the museum (6pm to 9am the following day) provides scouts with an opportunity of hands-on experiments and science fun! Scouts will experience two classroom activities, an Electricity Theater performance, a planetarium show, free time for exploring the museum’s three floors of exhibit galleries, a pizza dinner and sleeping in the museum exhibits! Overnight will not cover all requierments for Badge achievement.
Cost: $55 per scout; $20 per adult (A 50% non-refundable deposit is due at registration)
Attendance Requirements: 40 scout miniumum; 150 scout maximum
The overnight experience includes:
- Classroom experiences
- Electricity Theater
- Museum exhibit free time
- Pizza dinner (Sheet pizzas, 2 pieces per student/adult)
- Light evening snack
- Continental breakfast
Boy and Cub Scout Overnights
Adventures in Science | Friday, January 10th at 6pm
Learn all about science in this program. Explore different fields in Science such as astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering with hands on activities and projects. Have the chance to explore deeper into the fields you are interested in. Create an experiment using the scientific method and spend some time exploring the museum’s interactive exhibits.
Girl Scout Overnights
Brownie Home Scientist | Friday, February 7th at 6pm
Get into some kitchen chemistry! Learn all about chemical reactions that you can do with everyday household items. Try hands-on activities and explore the museum’s interactive exhibits and enjoy a liquid nitrogen ice cream social.
Scout Planetarium Overnight
Spend a night at the most unique sleepover you’ll ever experience- under the stars at the Strasenburgh Planetarium! Scouts will spend the night (from 6pm to 9am the following morning) completing two super space activities, exploring the Strasenburgh Planetarium, and experiencing two of our amazing Planetarium shows. The night will end with falling asleep under the stars on the Planetarium dome. The overnight includes a pizza dinner, light evening snack, and continental breakfast.
Cost: $75 per Scout (ages 3-18), $30 per adult
Attendance minimum: 40 Scouts
Dates:
Private Planetarium Overnight Experiences are also available! Please call 585.697.1942 for available dates and more information.
Private Group Overnights
Private Science Museum Overnight
Bring your group to enjoy our overnight experience at the Science Museum! Overnights can be scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights, but are subject to museum availability. The date must be scheduled at least 1 month in advance.
Cost: $55 per student; $20 per adult (A 50% non-refundable deposit is due at registration)
Miniumum: 40 students
Maxiumum: 150 students and adults
Private Planetarium Overnight
Bring your school group, youth group, community group or special needs group for the most unique sleepover you’ll every experience- sleep under the stars at the Strasenburgh planetarium! Spend the night (from 6pm to 9am) completing some super space activities, exploring the Strasenburgh Planetarium and experiencing two of our amazing Planetarium shows. The night will end with falling asleep under the stars on the Planetarium dome. The overnight includes a pizza dinner, light evening snack, and continental breakfast.
Please call 585.697.1942 for availability and pricing.
Scouting in the Summer
Are you looking for a facilitated experience at the Rochester Museum & Science Center or Cumming Nature Center for your Scout group this summer? We can help with that! Please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to set up a personalized experience for your group. Looking to plan for next school year? Please check for updates in August.
Costs
Daisy, Bear, Webelos, Brownies and Junior Programs
$15 per scout
Merit Badge, Cadette and Senior Programs
$25 per scout
Adults are free to all scout day programs.
Non-refundable payment in full is required at registration.
In the Community
Explore these resources for additional scout volunteer opportunities in your community.
Be an H20 Hero in Your Neighborhood
