Girl Scouts of the USA will celebrate its centennial anniversary in 2012, and a new exhibit at the N.C. Museum of History, in Raleigh, commemorates this major milestone.

"At the Speed of a Girl - Celebrating 100 Years of Girl Scouting" opened Friday, Nov. 18, and continues through July 29. Focusing on the history of Girl Scouts in North Carolina, this small exhibit developed by Girl Scouts-North Carolina Coastal Pines brings the past to the present. Admission and weekend parking are free.

Juliette Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout meeting on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Ga. Two years later, North Carolina's first troop met in Eden. By the 1920s, troops were springing up across the Tar Heel State. Today, nearly 70,000 North Carolina girls participate in Girl Scouts, the premier leadership organization for girls, with 3.2 million girl and adult members worldwide.

"'At the Speed of a Girl' will stir up fond memories for former Girl Scouts, inspire current members and give museum visitors a glimpse of our organization's past," said Rusine Mitchell Sinclair, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts-North Carolina Coastal Pines. "You'll find wonderful, fun facts; historic artifacts and uniforms; videos; and fun, interactive displays."

Exhibit items range from Girl Scout badges (circa 1912 to 1928) and uniforms to canteens and the Knife and Axe Skills Book (circa 1953). Other objects include an official Girl Scout box-type camera from the 1950s, and a bugle that was advertised as a "must" for every troop in the 1920s and 1930s.

Of special note is a 1942 thank-you letter from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to Girl Scouts whom she met while visiting Raleigh. Mrs. Roosevelt came to the capital city when serving as one of the first honorary presidents of Girl Scouts. A photograph of the First Lady with Girl Scouts appears in the exhibit.

"At the Speed of a Girl" explores several Girl Scout themes and activities. From collecting World War II rations to present-day Girl Scout award projects, community service has been a core value in Girl Scouting. Abundant opportunities await today's members, whether it's camping, sailing, volunteering, exploring, or creating scientific projects, to name a few.

"We continue to give every girl access to life-changing experiences that inspire her to achieve her dreams," Sinclair says.

The exhibit also highlights a delicious topic. Find out how Girl Scout cookie sales have helped build self-esteem, sustain troops and create camps. There's even an early cookie recipe to copy.

Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. To schedule a reservation, call the Capital Area Visitor Center at (919) 807-7950 or toll-free at (866) 724-8687.

For further information, call (919) 807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org.

The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol, in Raleigh.