At 3 p.m. on Monday, April 18, the North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting became the proud owner of its own building.  The purchase was closed with Ramsey County and for the first time in its nearly 30-year-history, the Museum has a home of its own.  This is a significant change for the Museum.  From its earliest days a building has been on the agenda.  The Museum has shown its collection in the Northwestern State Bank in St. Paul, the Dakota County Historical Society in South St. Paul, space at the Midwest Plastics factory in West St. Paul, and at scores of Boy Scout and Girl Scout community events over the years.

Now, this 10,500 square-foot building will allow us to offer programs, develop exhibitions utilizing some of our larger artifacts, develop a corps of volunteers to work with the public and the collection, and care better for the large collection we have.  We may be able to offer the Museum to the Boy Scout and Girl Scout community for special events, like ceremonies.  With office and workroom space, and a large community room, the Museum can carry out its functions as it wishes.  Museum staff will begin moving collections and fixtures into the building during the summer, and plan to open with a limited program in the fall of 2005.  A grand opening celebration will be scheduled for the spring, after the Museum has fully occupied its new space.  In addition to guided tours, the Museum will offer special programs, access to the collection by researchers, volunteer opportunities, especially for youth, and a museum shop.  Museum Director Claudia Nicholson says that, "the Museum will be a lively place, filled with people, where intergenerational learning, reflection, and new understanding can take place.  And it will be fun."

In addition, the Museum now becomes a part of a community of its own, with the North St. Paul Historical Society across the street, and a group of concerned citizens all around.  We expect to be good neighbors and an important part of the North St. Paul community as well.

This is a very exciting time for all of us associated with the North Star Museum, and we expect the building to significantly change our program.  Stay tuned to this website, because in coming weeks, we will further acquaint you with our plans, and the Museum.

Click here to see more pictures of the new building.