The Georgian-style Old State House, completed in 1791, served as the headquarters of both the Delaware state and Kent County governments. The first floor contains an 18th-century style courtroom, and the second floor presents the former chambers of the state legislature. Artworks displayed include paintings by Denis A. Volozan (1765-1820) and Thomas Sully (1783-1872).
The house offers tours. Reservations are required for large groups.
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the history and accomplishments of athletes throughout the state of Delaware. The hall of fame was completed in 2002, and is located along the Wilmington waterfront.
The museum offers exhibits, guided tours, and special events. The website offers biographies of all inductees and visitor information.
The Zwaanendael Museum works to preserve and present military, social, and maritime history in the Lewes area of Delaware. From the museum website: "Modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, the museum commemorates the founding of Delaware's first European settlement by the Dutch in 1631."
The museum offers guided tours, exhibits regarding local history, and field trip programs catered to specific grades from kindergarten through fifth grade. The website offers visitor information.
Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves, and interprets the unfolding history of American enterprise. Hagley is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E. I. du Pont in 1802. This example of early American industry includes restored mills, a workers' community, and the ancestral home and gardens of the du Pont family.
The museum offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, research library access, demonstrations, and recreational and educational events (including living history events).
The 1801 Read House, a mansion located on the Delaware River, is a fine example of the Federal architectural style. Most of the house is preserved in its original early 1800s state. However, some rooms have been redecorated in the style of the home during the 1920s.
The home offers visitors guided tours and exhibits year-round. Visitors can also explore the Read House Gardens, which are the oldest surviving gardens in New Castle. Group tours complete with costumed interpreters and demonstrations are available by appointment. The website offers a brief history of Read House as well as visitor information and an events calendar.
From Captain Kidd and the eternal rhythms of the tides to the salty courage of the Delaware pilots and the nationally recognized architecture of the Lewes historic district, Lewes's past is colorful, unique, and proud. The Lewes Historical Society began in 1961 as local residents identified a need to preserve Lewes' architectural heritage and for an organization to act as a steward for Lewes's past, which stretches back to humble Dutch origins in 1631. The society runs 12 museums, all of which are historic house and living history museums.
The society offers access to all historic house museums, a variety of educational events and resources, including guided tours and sample curriculums, and seasonal events. The site offers information about all above activities and resources, including visitor information and brief historical information on all museums operated by the society, as well as information regarding educational programs.
The Delaware Archaeology Museum is located in Dover, Delaware, and highlights more than 11,000 years of human habitation in the state of Delaware from the original Native American residents to the present day. The museum offers group tours, which are available by appointment, as well as a variety of special events and presentations, including an interactive archaeological excavation. The museum is housed in the historic Old Presbyterain Church of Dover.
The site offers visitor information, a small photo gallery featuring photographs of current exhibits, a 360 degree panorama of the museum, and a brief history of the building in which the museum resides.
The Delaware Historical Society is the statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and appreciation of Delaware history, heritage, and culture for the benefit of the public. The society's projects include the Delaware History Museum, the Old Town Hall, Willingtown Square, the Reed House, and a historical library.
The site offers library access, full online exhibit archives and information about the society's various projects.
For the child who believes milk comes from the grocery store instead of a cow, for the woman who remembers using a cornsheller on her grandmother's farm, or the family who takes 20th-century technological advances and the farmer for granted, the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village offers a memorable and educational experience. By preserving the quickly fading agricultural heritage of Delaware and the Delmarva Peninsula, the Museum stands as an important legacy for future generations. A main exhibit building and 15 historic structures associated with a 19th-century farming community bring the fascinating story of agriculture to life. More than 4,000 artifacts are displayed in the main exhibit building—from butter churns to threshers, from an 18th-century log house to the first broiler chicken house.
The site offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, demonstrations, research library access, and occasional recreational and educational events.
In the 19th century, Americans wanted more land and settlement moved west. For countless Indians, the American thrust for land meant the end of their traditional way of life. The Shawnee Mission was one of many missions established as a manual training school attended by boys and girls from Shawnee, Delaware, and other Indian nations from 1839 to 1862. Visitor to this 12-acre National Historic Landmark can learn the stories of those who lived there.
The site offers exhibits, a short film, and occasional educational and recreational programs.