Merit Badges

Cranbrook Institute of Science offers Merit Badges in Archaeology, Astronomy, Electricity, Environmental Science, Geology, Indian Lore, and Sustainability. All our Merit Badge programs emphasize active investigations and hands-on experiences that draw on the exhibits, holdings, staff, and resources of the museum.

Need a different day or time? We offer custom programs for groups of 10 or more! Contact our Reservations Office or call (248) 645-3210 for more details!

Archaeology
Explore archaeology! Examine artifacts from the museum’s Collections, then get hands-on with pelts, tools, clothing and more to learn about the lifestyles of Michigan’s first residents. Use experimental archaeology to investigate pottery techniques and try a skill from the past. Next, explore the nuances of finding, dating, recording, and excavating a site. Recover artifacts from a simulated multi-era dig site and determine the stories they tell.

This program will cover Requirements 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7A, 8.
This program does NOT cover Requirement 4 or 9. Please complete them before the workshop and be ready to present your archaeological site (4B) so we can sign your blue card!

April 5 – 1:00-4:00pm

Astronomy
Look toward the stars! Visit the Acheson Planetarium for a live-narrated show about the night sky. Dive deep into the Sun, Moon, stars, planets, and constellations, and make a tool to help you track the stars throughout the year. Set up and use telescopes and other viewing devices and focus them on night sky objects. Finally, head to the Observatory to peer through research-grade telescopes and chat with an astronomer.

This program covers Requirements 2, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6C, 6D, 7, 8A.
This program does NOT cover Requirements 1, 6B and 9. Please complete them before the workshop so you can discuss them with a counselor, and we can sign your blue card!
PLEASE NOTE – The Observatory is open even on cloudy days, but with poor viewing conditions we may or may not be able to complete 4A, 4B and 5D.

January 17 – 6:30-9:30pm

Electricity Power up!
Create a working battery out of common items and build an electric motor to take home. Design and experiment with an electric circuit kit, then make a floor plan wiring diagram. Play an unexpected tug-of-war game with an electromagnet and then make one of your own. Finally, experience the lightning produced by Cranbrook’s million-volt Tesla coil!

This program covers Requirements 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9B, 11A and 11B.
It does NOT cover Requirements 2, 9A and 10. Please complete these before the workshop so you can discuss them with a counselor, and we can sign your blue card!

March 22 – 1:00-4:00pm

Environmental Science
Investigate Environmental Science! Build a food web, follow pollution on a groundwater simulator, and explore acid rain with Phenol Red. Hold a real Ice Age fossil tooth of a mammoth and mastodon, then experiment with oil spill cleanup, soil erosion and packing materials. Hunt for invasive species and touch a live sea lamprey, then test for biodiversity and generate an Environmental Impact study.

This program will cover Requirements 3A(3), 3B(3), 3C(2), 3D(1), 3F(3), 3G(1), 3H(2), 4A and 5.
It does NOT cover Requirements 1, 2, 3E(1 or 2) and 6. Please complete them before the workshop so you can discuss them with your counselor, and we can sign your blue card!

November 2 -- 1:00-4:00pm

Geology
Survey the earth beneath our feet! Investigate the rock and mineral resources of Michigan and the dynamic processes that created them. Explore plate tectonics on our oversized topographical globe. Dive deep into the fossilization process, touch real bones from dinosaurs and Ice Age mammals, and uncover a marine fossil to take home. Finally, learn how fossils are stabilized, preserved, and prepared for display.

This program covers all requirements (Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4B, 5D and 6A).

February 15 – 1:00-4:00pm

Indian Lore
Explore the lifestyles of Native Americans through a series of hands-on activities and games. Pound corn and make an Anishinaabeg craft, then try your hand at Double Ball and Sneak Up. Examine authentic artifacts from the Collections vaults and identify their meaning or purpose. Explore the interaction between Native Americans and European settlers and how that influence lingers today.

This program will cover all requirements (Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5A).

February 1 – 1:00-4:00pm

Sustainability
Investigate Sustainability! Join an interactive game about household water usage, then consider things your family could do to increase sustainability at home. Design a sustainable community and consider the role of waste both locally and globally. Build a food web and use pond macroinvertebrates and other insects to investigate species decline.

This program covers Requirements 2A, 3B, 4A, 5C, 6C,7B, 7E,8B, 8C.
This program does NOT cover Requirements 1, 8A and 9. Please complete them before the workshop so you can discuss them with your counselor, and we can sign your Blue Card!

March 2 – 1:00-4:00pm

Merit Badge Workshop Fee Details

Price includes museum admission.

  • Scouts $40/person, no charge for Scout leaders
  • Cranbrook Institute of Science membership does not apply to Scout workshop fees.
  • Registration cutoff occurs 10 calendar days before the workshop.
    • Programs with less than 10 total attendees may be canceled and refunds issued.

Guest Cancellations

  • There are no refunds for Scout workshops. Any cancellations made at least 10 days prior to the event date may request a one-time transfer credit to another event prior to May 10, 2025, pending availability.

Scouts under 16 must be accompanied by a Scout leader, parent, or other adult. Scouts ages 16 and up may attend without an adult.

Questions? Email us at cisreservations@cranbrook.edu or call (248) 645-3210.