The Original 57 Merit Badges Of The Boy Scouts Of America

Merit badge Subject matter Original Logo Status
Agriculture Agriculture Plow Merged into Plant Science, 1975
Angling Angling, Fishing Fish Renamed Fishing in 1952
Archery Archery Bow and Arrow
Architecture Architecture Arch Logo used continuously for 100 years
Art Art Palette Logo used continuously for 100 years
Astronomy Astronomy Star
Athletics Athletics Wingfoot Logo used continuously for 100 years
Automobiling Automobile safety Red Wheel Exists today as Traffic Safety
Aviation Aviation Airplane
Bee Farming Beekeeping Bee Discontinued 1995
Blacksmithing Blacksmithing Anvil Discontinued
Bugling Bugling Bugle Logo used continuously for 100 years
Business Business Crossed quills Renamed American Business in 1966.
Camping Camping Tepee
Carpentry Carpentry Plane Partially replaced by Woodwork, 1952. Carpentry introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge.
Chemistry Chemistry Retort flask Logo used continuously for 100 years
Civics Citizenship Ceremonial Ax Renamed Citizenship, later split into Home, Community, Nation, and World
Conservation Conservation Forest Exists today as Fish and Wildlife Management and Environmental Science
Cooking Cooking Kettle
Craftsmanship Artisan Calipers Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges
Cycling Cycling White Wheel
Dairying Dairy farming Butter Churn Merged into Animal Science, 1975
Electricity Electricity Lightning Bolt Logo used continuously for 100 years
Firemanship Fire safety Crossed noozles Renamed Fire Safety in 1995
First Aid First aid Cross Logo used continuously for 100 years
First Aid to Animals Veterinary medicine Cross w/Dog Renamed Veterinary Medicine
Forestry Forestry Pine Cone
Gardening Gardening Ear of Corn
Handicraft Handicraft Hammer and Plunger Split into various Building and Handicraft merit badges
Horsemanship Equestrianism Horseshoe
Interpreting Interpreting Handshake Discontinued 1952
Invention Inventing Gear Discontinued 1915
Leatherworking Leatherworking Leather Stamp Renamed Leatherwork
Lifesaving Lifesaving Life preserver Logo used continuously for 100 years
Machinery Machinery Wrench Discontinued 1995
Marksmanship Shooting Target Split into Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting
Masonry Masonry Trowel Discontinued in 1995
Mining Mining Shovel Renamed Geology
Music Music Lyre Logo used continuously for 100 years
Ornithology Ornithology Hummingbird Was originally required for Eagle, replaced by Bird Study
Painting Paint Paintbrush Logo used continuously for 100 years
Pathfinding Orienteering Indian Head Replaced by Orienteering. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge.
Personal Health Physical Fitness Heart Replaced by Personal Fitness in 1952
Photography Photography Camera
Pioneering Pioneering Ax and Pickax
Plumbing Plumbing Faucet Logo used continuously for 100 years
Poultry Farming Poultry Rooster Merged into Animal Science, 1975
Printing Printing Printing Press Merged into Graphic Arts, 1987
Public Health Public Health Torch Logo used continuously for 100 years
Scholarship Scholarship Torch & Book Logo used continuously for 100 years
Sculpture Sculpture Head
Seamanship Boating Anchor Split into Motorboating and Small Boat Sailing, 1964
Signaling Semaphore Semaphore Flags Discontinued in 1992. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge.
Stalking Tracking Raccoon Discontinued 1952. Introduced again in 2010 as historic merit badge, and renamed Tracking
Surveying Surveying Telescope
Swimming Human swimming Man Swimming
Taxidermy Taxidermy Talon Discontinued in 1952