Visit Dumbarton with Your Girl Scout Troop
Step back in time at Dumbarton House during one of our Girl Scout programs!
Programs are geared towards Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Cadette Girl Scouts badges/petal requirements. All programs include a live interactive tour and a Dumbarton House patch! In-person programs include a craft and virtual programs include a craft PDF.
Program Costs
Programs are open to troops and individual Girl Scouts. Choose from our set schedule (below) or schedule a private program just for your troop! Virtual and in-person options are both available.
In-Person Programs:
- Saturday & Sunday starting between 9:30am-12:30pm. Programs last between 2-2.5 hours.
- All badge requirements are met during the program and materials are included in the cost.
- The cost is $15 per Girl Scout and $5 per adult (one adult per troop required) for most program. There is a $100 minimum for these programs. At Ease with Etiquette includes a full tea lunch and therefore is $25 per Girl Scout and $15 per adult, with a $215 minimum.
- Maximum capacity: 40 Girl Scouts.
Virtual Programs:
- Any day of the week. Programs last between 1-1.5 hours on Zoom.
- All badge requirements are met when the tour is paired with the supplementary craft PDFs emailed to the registrant. Although not all crafts will be completed together, all will be discussed during the program.
- The cost is $10 per Girl Scout. There is a $80 minimum. Maximum capacity: 30 Girl Scouts.
Private Programs: Pick a program and date of your choice just for your troop!
2023-2024 Schedule
Spring Schedule
April 21, 2024: At Ease with Etiquette (Brownie, Junior) FULL
Registration
Registration for 2023-2024 programs is now available!
To register for a Girl Scout program, first register below. After receiving your registration, a member of our staff will contact you to confirm and collect your payment. Refunds are not possible 2 weeks or less before an in-person program or 1 week or less before a virtual program.
During all of our in-person programs, Girl Scouts meet all the badge requirements. Badges can be purchased through the Girl Scouts. Dumbarton House patches are provided to program participants.
All of our virtual programs are designed to meet badge requirements through our time spent touring the house virtually together and through the supplementary activities emailed to the registrant in a PDF.
Please contact the Education Department if you have questions about our Girl Scout programs!
Badge Workshops
Participate in one or a few of our Badge Workshops related to the history and culture of Dumbarton House! (Virtual programs include a live, interactive tour on Zoom followed by discussion of craft activities that should be completed on the Girl Scouts’ own time by following instructions in a PDF emailed to the registrant. These activities can be completed with materials found at home. We do not mail materials. All materials are included in the ticket price for in-person programs.)
Courageous & Strong This program will explore examples of how to be courageous and strong! Listen to Tula’s story, then explore the museum as we look for examples of courageous and strong women throughout history. This program will cover all 3 steps to earn the Courageous & Strong Petal.
Respect Myself and Others Listen to Gloria’s story, then explore the museum as we learn about ways we can respect ourselves and others from George Washington! Last, practice how to respect yourself and others by having a short tea party and playing some historic games. This program will cover all 3 steps to earn the Gloria Petal.
Inspired Painter Armed with artistic inspiration from the various 18th-19th century art forms at Dumbarton House, Brownies expand their art vocabulary and create their own artwork! Explore how to express yourself in a self-portrait and share a story by painting a mural. This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Painting Badge.
At Ease with Etiquette Learn the essentials of etiquette and how it has evolved overtime. From table manners to polite conversation, Girl Scouts will get to practice the basics. After, they’ll be able to put what they’ve learned to the test during an afternoon tea party! This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Making Friends Badge and Social Butterfly Badge.
Drawing Dumbarton Using 200 year-old objects from the museum, Girl Scouts will explore various methods and techniques of drawing including still life, shading, perspective, and even cartoons. During this program specific to art, Juniors will expand their art vocabulary and make a portfolio of their creations. This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Drawing Badge.
Playing the Past Learn how girls lived during the Federal Period. Juniors will tour the historic house to “research” their role, then it’s time to pretend you’re a young woman living in the new capital city. After the program, your Girl Scout will be able to write a story, play games, and have a tea party! This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Playing the Past Badge.
Flower Power Juniors will learn about the science and language of flowers by exploring Dumbarton House’s museum and garden! Juniors will learn about the parts and uses of flowers during the Federal period, make their own paper flowers, and learn about floriography or the secret language of flowers. This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Flowers Badge.
Growing Gardeners* By learning about seasonality, the labor of planting seeds, and how gardens were depicted in the Federal period, Girl Scouts will appreciate where their food comes from and recognize the importance of gardens in the past and the present. Registration includes a tour of the house, a garden activity booklet, and a real planting to take home! This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Gardener Badge.
*Offered seasonally in spring, summer, and early fall.
Book Artist Explore the art of bookbinding. Cadettes will tour the museum and historic books in our collection. After learning the process of bookbinding they will marble paper and design their own book. This program will cover all 5 steps to earn the Book Artist Badge.
