Our one-day skill centers are designed for scouts to work on merit badges with Garden professionals who are certified merit badge counselors.
Pricing and Details
- Cost per scout: $15/public; $12/member
- Chaperone ratio—Each scout may bring one chaperone, only. If registering multiple scouts, there must be at least one chaperone per five scouts. Chaperones are free with registration.
- Garden memberships do not apply to groups, only to members of that household.
- Merit badge pre-requisites (requirements not covered during the skill center) are required for registration. The counselor will sign off on partials but is NOT available after the skill center to assist with badge completion. Scouts must find another counselor after the skill center if they do not complete the pre-requisites prior to the skill center.
- Scouts must bring neat and organized evidence that pre-requistes have been completed in order for the merit badge counselor to sign off on those requirements (photos, tidy paperwork, etc.).
Scheduling and Registration
- Registration is online only and will appear beside skill center date around 9 a.m. on the day that registration opens. See below for opening dates.
- Gift cards without addresses are not accepted by the registration software.
- Scouts MUST pre-register.
- Skill centers are offered a few times per year, so check back for new ones!
- Program fees are due immediately upon registration.
- There are no wait lists for skill centers.
- Refunds can only be granted until the Wednesday before the skill center before 5 p.m.
Badges and Pre-requisites:
- Plant Science at Missouri Botanical Garden — #8
- Plant Science at the Butterfly House — #8
- Gardening — #1, 2, 4 and 8
- Environmental Science at Missouri Botanical Garden — #1, 3f, 4–6
- Environmental Science at the Butterfly House — #1, 3c-g, 5
- Insect Study — #5, 9
Please bring:
- The appropriate merit badge workbook
- Blue or white card
- Something with which to write
- Water bottle
- Comfortable shoes for walking
For questions regarding the skill centers at the Missouri Botanical Garden, please email scoutprograms@mobot.org.
"[The Instructor's] knowledge and enthusiasm kept our boys interested and engaged. [The Instructor] made the topic of environmental science applicable to their daily lives and helped us all see ways that we take better care of our natural resources."
—Boy Scout parent