Delaware
Children’s Museum
Delaware History Center
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Fort Delaware
Hagley Museum
Historic Houses of Odessa
Iron Hill Museum of Natural History
Kalmar Nyckel
Lincoln Collection of the University of Delaware
Longwood Gardens
Nemours Mansion and Gardens
Old New Castle
Old Swedes Church
Rockwood Museum
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
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601 N. Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(800) 528-5240Features changing exhibits throughout Delaware.
Call for information and hours.
505 Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Under the red arch
(302) 655-7161
www.hsd.orgThe Delaware History Center offers something for every member of the family:
Delaware History Museum: Explore the "Distinctively DelawareSM" exhibit of Native-American life, the Underground Railroad, Chancery Court, and see contributions that powder mills, science, and shipbuilding have made to the first state. In addition to this permanent exhibit, Social history is brought to life in changing displays of art, costumes, toys, antiques and historic photographs.
Grandma’s Attic Kids museum: A hands-on experience. Children can play make believe in the old-fashioned corner store, the low- tech office or the 1940’s kitchen. Also includes a puppet theater, historic games and toys, and vintage clothes for dress-up.
Old Town Hall: In the 19th century, the town hall was the site of abolitionist meetings. It also served as the city jail, where fugitive slaves were once held. It is now open for tours and changing exhibits.
Research Library: The Delaware History Center is also home to a nationally renowned research library specializing in Delaware genealogy, history and photography.
Willingtown Square: An historic park in the heart of the city, bordered by six 18th — 19th century homes.
The site is also home to a gift shop that features fine collectibles, Delaware souvenirs and the "Book Nook" vintage corner.
Monday - Friday: Noon - 4 P
Saturday: 10 A - 4 P
Research Library and Willingtown Square Gallery
Monday: 1 P - 9 P
Tuesday - Friday: 9 A - 5 P
Delaware Museum of Natural History
Located on Route 52 between Greenville and Centreville
P.O. Box 3937
Wilmington, DE 19807
(302) 652-7600 (Recorded Message)
(302) 658-9111
www.delmnh.orgExplore the Plains of Africa; look beneath the seas; come face to face with a jaguar. The Delaware Museum of Natural History invites you to participate in an adventure of discovery. Through dioramas, exhibits, and special programs, the many facets of our natural world are explored and explained. And, if that’s not enough to get you to want to visit, you should also know that the museum is home to the largest bird egg in the world and a 500-pound clam.
Monday - Saturday: 9:30 A - 4:30 P
Sunday: Noon - 5 P
Closed New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.
Pea Patch Island, Delaware River
Delaware City, Delaware 19706
(302) 834-7941
www.del.net/org/fort/Civil War history comes alive as you explore the soldiers’ quarters, gun emplacements, parade grounds and ramparts. The fort was originally built to protect the Delaware River from invasion, it was later converted to house prisoners of war. Catch the ferry in Delaware City.
Hagley Museum: The original duPont mills
Off route 141 (south of US Route 202, north of DE Route 52)
P.O. Box 3630
Wilmington, DE 19807
(302) 658-2400
www.hagley.lib.de.usAs the DuPont Company approaches its 200th birthday, visit the site where it all began. Features the original du Pont powder mills, the first du Pont family home and gardens situated on 230 acres along the scenic Brandywine. Daily demonstrations and exhibits recreate life and work in the 19th Century.
In addition to the daily programs, Hagley hosts a number of special events thoughout the year.
Note: there’s a lot to see and do at Hagley so go early and allow yourself plenty of time. If you arrive in the afternoon, ask about a pass to return the following day (we discovered this during our last visit). We didn’t get to see everything we wanted to see, so our shuttle bus driver suggested that we ask for a pass to return the next morning. This policy wasn’t posted, ask about it before you buy your tickets. We had purchased our tickets at 1:53, seven minutes before the unpublished deadline, so we had to argue for our passes… despite this, we still had a good time and recommend a visit.
March 15 - December
Daily: 9:30 A - 4:30 P
Winter Hours: January - March 14
Weekends: 9:30 A - 4:30 P
Weekdays: Guided tour 1:30 P
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and December 31.
P.O. Box 507
Main Street
Odessa, DE 19730
www.winterthur.org/historic_houses/historic_houses.aspStep into the past with a visit to these charming early American homes and gardens built in a once thriving port town. Tour restored 18th and 19th-century houses. See living-history demonstrations of open hearth cooking and kitchen gardening.
House tours; Tuesday - Sunday, March - December:
Demonstrations; Friday and Saturday, March - October:
Annual Yuletide Tour; November and December
Iron Hill Museum of Natural History
1355 Old Baltimore Pike
Newark, DE 19702
(302) 368-5703Formerly a one-room school house, this museum houses a collection that includes native birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, fossils, minerals and prehistoric artifacts. Also includes exhibits depicting Colonial iron-making and Native Delaware tribes and three nature trails.
1124 E. 7th Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 429-7447
www.kalnyc.orgAmerica’s newest tall ship–ten stories high and 139 feet long–is a magnificently detailed re-creation of the ship that brought settlers to Delaware’s shores, on the bank of the Christiana River in 1638. The ship was built by volunteers, trace their story during a visit to the adjacent shipyard.
Lincoln Collection of the University of Delaware
University of Delaware - Goodstay Center
2600 Pennsylvania Avenue (DE Route 52)
Wilmington, DE 19806
(302) 573-4419
The private life and public career of Abraham Lincoln is chronicled here. Collection includes more than 2,000 items pertaining to one of our most celebrated presidents.
Open Tuesdays, October - May
US Route 1
PO Box 501
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Information: (610) 388-1000
Recorded info: (800) 737-5500 (CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA only)
Group Visits Office: (610) 388-1000, ext. 513, 512
Terrace Restaurant: (610) 388-6771
www.longwoodgardens.org
Something is always blooming at Longwood. Originally, the home of Pierre and Alice du Pont–today, it’s one of the world’s finest gardens. People come from around the world to visit the 1,050 acre site’s 20 outdoor gardens, 20 indoor gardens (housed within 4 acres of greenhouses), 11,000 different types of plants and spectacular illuminated fountains (a must see!).
The exhibits are continuously changing. If you live in the area, Frequent Visitor Passes are a must.
Open everyday of the year
Outdoors: 9 A — 5 P (until 6 April-October)
Conservatory opens 10 A.
Longwood remains open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings during the summer’s Festival of Fountains and every night during the Christmas Display.
Rockland Road (Between DE Route 141 and US Route 202).
P.O. Box 109
Wilmington, DE 19899
(302) 651-6912The former home of Alfred I. du Pont. This 300 acre country estate features du Pont’s Louis XVI-style chateau, see the European antiques, vintage cars and formal French Gardens.
(800) 758-1550
(302) 322-2794
www.visitnewcastle.com/about.htmlStroll through Historic New Castle–our state’s first capital. See where William Penn first came ashore. Visit the Amstel House, and early Georgian mansion interpreting 18th-century history. The charming Dutch House exhibits early Dutch furniture from colonial times. Follow the footsteps of our founding fathers on the Heritage Trail. Enjoy the many outstanding homes, museums, shops, eateries, B&B’s and public parks.
Old
Swedes Church -
Holy
Trinity Church and the Hendrickson House Museum
606 Church Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 652-5629
www.oldswedes.orgIn 1638, Swedish settlers endeavored to create Colonial New Sweden. Today, the beautiful Old Swedes Church and graveyard stand as a memorial to those brave souls. Hear tales of their survival in museum, housed in an adjacent 1690 farmhouse.
Monday - Saturday: 10 A - 4 P
Rockwood Museum / Rockwood Park
610 Shipley Road
Wilmington, DE 19809
(302) 761-4340
www.co.new-castle.de.us/commserv/RockwoodPark/index.htmlHistoric Rockwood, built in 1851, is a fine example of Rural Gothic architecture. This Victorian mansion and estate tells the story of a wealthy turn-of-the-century family and the luxurious lifestyle of America’s Golden age. The estate features a collection of American, English and continental decorative arts from the 15th-19th centuries.
In the late 1960’s-early ‘70’s, the home was rescued by volunteers who have continued to preserve and maintain it as a museum. Recently, New Castle County took over operations and began renovation and development of the site as a multi-use park and house museum.
Winterthur Museum, Garden, Library
DE Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington.
Information and Tours Office
Winterthur, DE 19735
Open Monday - Friday: 8:30 A - 4:30 P
(302) 888-4600
(800) 448-3883
www.winterthur.org
Henry Francis du Pont, collector and horticulturist, created an unrivaled collection of decorative arts objects that were either made or in use in America between 1640-1860. At Winterthur, these treasures are displayed in period settings amidst a beautiful, naturalistic garden. Mr. du Pont also developed an extensive research library, rich with art and history, which is open to the public.
The galleries feature exhibitions on two floors, complete with "please touch" displays, interactive computers, phone sets and a video.
Winterthur is pronounced "Winter-ter." (Don’t worry, most locals aren’t sure how to say it either. If you include the "h" when you say it, only the real, native upper-crusties are likely to correct you).
Monday - Saturday: 9A - 5 P
Sunday: Noon - 5 P
Last tickets sold 3:45 P
Last period room tour departs 4 P
Garden open until dusk
Closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
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