Hunter House Victorian Museum

Annually, hundreds of Girl Scouts tour the Hunter House Victorian Museum as they complete the necessary requirements to earn Brownie Scout Try-Its, Junior Girl Scout Badges and patches.

Seasonally, the museum offers a selection of age-appropriate programs designed specifically for scouts. As a museum of Victorian architecture and decorative arts, all programs are inspired by Victorian social history and culture. For example, the “Manners” program for Brownie Girl Scouts includes a tea party. “Friends are Fun” explores the bonding and friendship experienced between Victorian girls and women and offers activities and crafts based upon those sentimental and nostalgic ideas. A walking tour of the Freemason Historic District is included in activities to complete the Brownie Try-It “Building Art.” A tour through the family’s living rooms to view examples of toys and pastimes is helpful to Junior Girl Scouts working on their “Toymaker” badge. Our history’s heritage is evidenced in “Listening to the Past: An old Fashioned Thanksgiving” as well as the most popular “Listening to the Past: A Victorian Christmas.”

Below is the listing of upcoming special programs for the autumn and winter offered at the Hunter House Victorian Museum and designed especially for Daisy Girl Scouts, Brownie Girl Scouts, and Junior Girl Scouts. (check for Spring programs in January)

for Brownie Girl Scouts …

Happy Birthday Daisy
November 2, 2002 10 AM – 3 PM
Imagine growing up in the 1850’s and 1860’s as did Juliette Gordon Low.
Stories, song and activities fill your program offered in honor of the birthday of the founder of Girl Scouts. Programs begin on the hour and half hour throughout the day; please allow one and one half hours for your tour.
Leaders: Resource packages which include activities to use both before and after
your visit are available; please ask for one!
$5 per scout/advance reservations required

Listening to the Past: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving
November 23, 2002 10 AM – 3 PM
The heritage of our national holiday is celebrated in this program of stories,
crafts and activities. Programs begin on the hour and half hour throughout the day; please allow one hour for your program.
Leaders: Resource packages which include activities to use both before and after
your visit are available; please ask for one!
$5 per scout/advance reservations required

Listening to the Past: A Victorian Christmas
December 7, 2002 10 AM – 3 PM
Relive the enchantment and excitement of a family holiday at the turn of the last century.
This program is offered amid the elegantly adorned rooms of the Hunter House Victorian Museum, dressed for Christmas. Stories, songs and activities are included. Tours begin on the hour and half hour throughout the day. Please allow one and a half hours for your tour. This is the most popular tour of the season, please reserve early!!
Leaders: Resource packages which include activities to use both before and after
your visit are available; please ask for one!
$5 per scout/advance reservations required

Manners
January 11 and 18, 2003 10 AM and 1 PM
A variety of activities, complete with refreshments in the parlor of the Hunter House Victorian Museum help you fulfill the requirements for this Try-It. Please allow one hour for this program.
$5 per scout/advance reservations required

Friends are Fun
February 15 and 22, 2003 10 AM and 1 PM
Celebrate friendship as the women of the Victorian Era did; stories and crafts highlight this program. Please allow one hour for the program. $5 per scout/reservations required

NEW THIS SEASON!!

Octavia’s Journey
March 22, 2003 10 AM – 2 PM
Based upon the historical fiction novel of the same name, celebrate the founding of Girl Scouts with this new program of stories and activities! Programs begin on the hour and half hour throughout the day; please allow one and one half hours for the program.
$5 per scout/advance reservations required

and for Daisy Scouts…

Story Time
Seasonal story times are offered through the year;
enjoy classics such as Peter Rabbit and The Ugly Duckling.
Please call for seasonal offerings: 623-9814
Please allow one hour for the story time.
$3 per person/advance reservations required

and for Junior Girl Scouts…

Fulfill your historical site visits at the
Hunter House Victorian Museum
for a variety of badges:

Local Lore Arts in the Home Toymaker

and available for scouts of all ages …

Historic Freemason District Scavenger Hunt
This self-guided tour through the Historic Freemason District has you looking up and down and all around for unique architectural details and surprises. It may be used alone just for fun, or may be used while working on several Try-Its and badges: Explore Norfolk, Listening to the Past or Local Lore. It is fun and easy. Each scouts receives a prize for completing the hunt! Please allow at least one hour for this program.
Schedule your Scavenger Hunt throughout the year, however, weather should be a consideration.
$3 per scout/ advance reservations required

To Make Reservations For All Programs…

To make reservations, please contact the museum at 757-623-9814
and ask to speak to the Director concerning Girl Scout programs. Most programs require a minimal deposit with the balance of the fees being paid at the time of your visit. Registration and confirmation forms are mailed to scout leaders for each program. As our programs are vary popular, they fill quickly; please reserve early.

A Souvenir of the Day …
The Hunter House Victorian Museum has a lovely little gift shop that you are welcome to visit with each program (click here). There are many reasonably priced items beginning at just $1.00.
Additionally, the museum shop can make ahead goody bags
for your purchase at $2, $3 and $4; each contains a variety of small activity and/or reading books. Please order these by phone when making your tour reservations, or order on the bottom of your registration forms.
The bags will be waiting for you upon your arrival.
Please send along a separate check when ordering and paying for goody bags.

Hunter House Victorian Museum Patches

Look for the NEW Hunter House Victorian Museum patch in the Council Shop!!

“This Old House…”
Through the years girl scouts have always been our best friends, but the Hunter House Victorian Museum is indeed an “old house” and therefore there are some restrictions and limitations due to its age, its construction and our preservation efforts.

Here are some helpful tips for you and your troop so that you may fully enjoy and appreciate the Hunter House Victorian Museum:

Preservation is our reason for being, therefore, we must insist that nothing in the museum be handled; no furniture will be used for seating. Please help your scouts understand the reasoning for this.

Food, drink, candy and gum are not allowed in the museum. You are welcome to use the small garden for a snack if it is not being used for another function. Please stay in the grassy area as the maintenance of the flowering borders is quite a job for our volunteer gardeners and its neat appearance is necessary for garden activities.

Please plan to take your group photos in the garden or on the cobblestones street in front of the museum as interior photography is not permitted
There are two staircases that must be maneuvered and they are not handicapped accessible. Please call the museum if you have special needs or concerns.

Again, our limitations insure the on-going preservation efforts which are necessary for historic sites.

Finding Us…

The Hunter House Victorian Museum is located at 240 W. Freemason Street in the Historic Freemason District in downtown Norfolk. The museum is easily accessible from all entrances into downtown Norfolk.

For additional details and to register, please call 757-623-9814.

We look forward to seeing you soon!