What happens to Scouting Heritage MB requirement 4B during National Scouting Museum relocation?

Scouting Heritage merit badge requirement 4B asks Scouts to write or visit the National Scouting Museum in Texas.

As the museum prepares to relocate to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the procedure for completing this requirement has changed.

Effective April 1, 2017, Scouts seeking information for this requirement should send correspondence to Philmont at the address below. Alternatively, counselors might guide Scouts to one of the other options for completing requirement 4.

The National Scouting Museum in Texas will remain open for visitors through Sept. 4, 2017. It is scheduled to open at Philmont Scout Ranch in 2018.

Scouting Heritage merit badge requirement 4

Requirement 4 is a fun and hands-on way for Scouts to learn about the BSA’s rich history. A Scout has three options, each involving keeping a journal or writing a report.

  • A: Attend a BSA national jamboree, world Scout jamboree OR a national BSA high-adventure base
  • B: Write or visit the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas
  • C: Visit an exhibit of Scouting memorabilia or a local museum with a Scouting history gallery or visit with someone in your council who is recognized as a dedicated Scouting historian or memorabilia collector

How to complete requirement 4B during the transition

Previously, Scouts followed the instructions outlined in this post. As of April 1, 2017, they should mail requests to the address below.

Note: This address is for requests for information about the museum. It is not where Scouts send their actual report to complete the requirement. That report goes to the young man’s merit badge counselor.

Scouting Heritage Merit Badge Request
Philmont Museums
17 Deer Run Road
Cimarron, NM 87714

Or by email to: philmont (dot) museums (at) scouting (dot) org.

Consider requirement 4C instead

Counselors might want to guide Scouts toward requirement 4C during the museum’s transition.

This requirement option connects Scouts with their local community. It gives them a sense of the history of Scouting in their area. If they meet with a Scouting historian or memorabilia collector, they’ll benefit from that personal interaction, too.


About Bryan Wendell 3282 Articles
Bryan Wendell, an Eagle Scout, is the founder of Bryan on Scouting and a contributing writer.