Missouri History Museum

The year 2002 marked the ninetieth anniversary of Girl Scouting in the United States. St. Louis plays a vital role in the organization's rich history. The Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis, founded with a single troop in 1918, serves more than 56,000 girls and 15,000 adult volunteers in the greater metropolitan area. The largest Girl Scout council in the country, the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis influences the lives of one in three girls locally. The Missouri History Museum celebrated the Girl Scouts' milestone, and the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis' many achievements, with this exhibition. Today's Girls, Tomorrow's Women: Girl Scouts in Greater St. Louis, 1918 to Today explored the world of Girl Scouting and the organization's evolution as seen through the eyes of St. Louis-area Girl Scouts.

The exhibition offered oral histories and a rich assemblage of uniforms, equipment, books, photographs, and other historical artifacts, many provided by the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis, to highlight the adventure, pride and impact of being a Girl Scout. More than 200 artifacts and historic images illustrated the changing roles of women and issues of desegregation and diversity.