Majid and Elizabeth recently participated in Architecture Merit Badge Day at the Kansas City Museum (Corinthian Hall).  The Architectural merit badge was one of the original 57 merit badges issued by the Boy Scouts of America in 1911.  Approximately 70 boy scouts and 30 parents toured Corinthian Hall and participated in an architecture tour of homes surrounding the Museum, all as part of an effort to learn more about the design and creation of buildings.  Even though the Museum is currently under construction, it allows its visitors to see what has been hidden behind its walls.

As the Architect’s of Record for the renovations and restoration occurring at the Museum over the past 18 years, Both Majid and Elizabeth assisted in presenting historical data on the Museum, outlying buildings and grounds, and the Long family history.   The scouts were able to review design and construction drawings as well as a physical model of Corinthian Hall.  While Elizabeth assisted in touring of the Museum and explaining the detailing and the Beaux Arts Architecture, Majid aided interactive activity, demonstrating how scale works and how to approach field measuring a room within the adjacent Carriage House.

In order to earn the architecture merit badge, each scout must fulfill 5 criteria:

1. Tour the community and list the different types of buildings seen, while identifying association with a specific ‘period of history’ or ‘style of architecture’.
2. Research and learn about sustainable architecture, pledging to be conservation-minded; Discuss differences between renewable building materials and recycled building materials and how each is  used in construction.
3. Arrange to meet with an architect and visit a construction site, seeing a scale model and the drawings that a builder would use to construct a building.  The scouts are able to look at the details in the drawings and the model to see how the materials and components are attached to each other during construction.
4. Measure a room, making an accurately scaled drawing of the room’s floor plan.
5. Lastly, find out about 3 career opportunities in architecture, finding out what education, training, and experience is required for the profession.  The scouts discuss with their counselor why this profession is of interest.