About

Scouts have been a part of the Australian community for over one hundred years.

Born during Edwardian times in England, the Scout Movement was operating globally by the start of World War 1. Australia was an early adopter, with a number of Boy Scout patrols active in Sydney by the close of 1908 and in country New South Wales not long after. The Scouts learned leadership, initiative and a love of the great outdoors. Fast forward to the Swinging Seventies and major change was in the air – girls could now join and the Boy Scouts became, simply, Scouts. But the fundamentals remained the same and today, forty years on, we find ourselves embarking on a major review of Scouting's ethos and program.

Most visitors to the museum are parents with their kids. The adults enjoy the nostalgia – That was the uniform I used to wear, or I got that badge when I was in Venturers. The kids are there for some fun – in that respect nothing much has changed over the years. On the second and fourth Sundays of each month we run Escape the Museum games combining a search for objects in the museum with unusual activities outside. Often the parents join in with their kids. Entry is free.

Families usually combine a visit to the museum with some of the other activities Sydney Olympic Park has to offer. There's the unique playground in Blaxland Riverside Park, the Armory train that runs every half hour on Sundays, Birdlife Australia's Discovery Centre, the Armory Gallery, bicycle and Segway hire, frisbee golf, geocaching and several clue trails around the heritage precinct. And there's also a great cafe down by the Parramatta River only three minutes from the museum.

The Australian Scout Museum is located at the end of Jamieson Street, Newington, just inside the Armory gates.

A great place for young and old alike!