Things to do in Delaware, United States: The Best History Museums

September 6, 2021 Malia Yoakum

Delaware offers vacationers miles of discoveries, like cleanest-in-the-nation beaches, opulent du Pont family mansions and the opportunity to shop sales-tax-free. Size and location also work to Delaware’s advantage. Within a few hours’ drive, visitors can stroll through quaint Colonial-era towns, savor full-flavored culinary adventures without the big-city prices, or cheer their favorite band at the annual Firefly Music Festival.
Restaurants in Delaware

1. Milford Museum

121 S Walnut St, Milford, DE 19963-1955 +1 302-424-1080
Excellent
75%
Good
25%
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5.0 based on 4 reviews

Milford Museum

2. Delaware Aviation Museum

Excellent
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5.0 based on 5 reviews

Delaware Aviation Museum

Delaware Aviation Museum is a non-profit organization that provides flight adventures in WW2 and Vietnam Era aircraft, guided tours by appointment and educational flight opportunities for qualified pilots. There is something for all ages. To schedule a flight adventure and/or guided tour of the museum, call 443-458-8926.

3. Belmont Hall

217 Smyrna Leipsic Rd, Smyrna, DE 19977 +1 302-264-9048 http://www.belmonthall.org/
Excellent
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5.0 based on 2 reviews

Belmont Hall

4. Lewes History Museum

101 Adams Ave Inside the Margaret H. Rollins Community Center, Lewes, DE 19958-1401 +1 302-645-7670 ext. 101 [email protected] http://leweshistorymuseum.com
Excellent
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Lewes History Museum

5. Dutch House Museum and Gardens

32 E 3rd St, New Castle, DE 19720-5006 +1 302-322-2794 [email protected] http://www.newcastlehistory.org/houses/dutch.html
Excellent
54%
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8%
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4.5 based on 24 reviews

Dutch House Museum and Gardens

This house dates back to the late 1600s and is documented to be the oldest structure in town, and the second oldest in the state. The Dutch House is a rare example of an early Colonial-era middle class family home.

Reviewed By shawnh777 - Washington DC, United States

We enjoyed visiting the Dutch House on a double tour with the Amstel House, shortly after we toured the Read House, and you should visit all three. the Dutch and Amstel House can be booked through a tour at the Arsenal, while the Read House is a separate price charged at the house itself. The Dutch House is the oldest of the three, built in the 17th century. On the tour, you get to see the three rooms on the lower level, and get an interesting history of the home and the people who have lived there, including the mistakes made about the home's history over time. The tour guide was exceptional and brought the home alive.

6. Hagley Museum And Library

200 Hagley Creek Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807 +1 302-658-2400 [email protected] http://www.hagley.org
Excellent
77%
Good
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4.5 based on 773 reviews

Hagley Museum And Library

Hagley is the former industrial site of the original black powder works of the DuPont Company founded in Delaware in 1802 and powered by the natural resources that surrounded it. Today, it is 235 acres of wooded rolling hills along the rushing Brandywine River dotted with hundreds of stone ruins of the black powder industry, dozens of restored buildings associated with the business, and the first du Pont family home built in America. Here, for more than 200 years, the DuPont Company and family experimented, innovated, and pursued the American Dream. Hagley has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1972. The site is a National Historic Landmark, National Recreation Trail, and a Historic Engineering Landmark.

Reviewed By JPGPhilly - Worcester, United States

Hagley is a gem and definitely worth a visit, even during the abbreviated winter tour schedule. our tour was memorable in large part due to the wit and wisdom of our tour guide / interpreter - Rodney. the tour encompasses two parts - the beginnings of the DuPont fame and fortune as black powder makers and their first manor house on site. honestly Winterthur and Nemours are more impressive, but it all began here at Hagley and the black powder making process is unique. there is a restored and working 19th century water powered machining building on site that is fascinating

7. Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, DE 19735-1819 +1 800-448-3883 [email protected] http://www.winterthur.org/
Excellent
71%
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4.5 based on 998 reviews

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Once a Du Pont family country retreat, this estate's spectacular gardens surround a 175-room mansion housing the world's finest collection of American decorative arts from 1640-1860.

Reviewed By orioles833 - West Chester, United States

We visited to see the wonderful exhibit for The Crown series and also walked the peaceful grounds and enjoyed an excellent, informative, and interesting house tour. The DuPont family had superb taste and sense enough to preserve history, and so much of it is on display here. It's very beautiful and ornate here, much like a smaller scale version of something like the Biltmore estate in Asheville North Carolina.

8. Nemours Estate

1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803 +1 302-651-6912 [email protected] http://www.nemoursestate.org/
Excellent
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4.5 based on 673 reviews

Nemours Estate

Opening April 1st, 2021 Owned and developed by our founder, Alfred I. duPont (1864-1935), Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur's Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles used on the Estate, and nearly 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.

Reviewed By rochelleforster - Randolph, United States

We had a few hours before our return home and stopped at this museum. Given the cold weather, we toured the house. It is worth taking a guided tour as we learned so many interesting facts about the family, their possessions and the history of the estate. The furnishings are intact to the time when the family lived here which makes it so neat. And Alfred DuPont was way ahead of his time in so many ideas he created for the house and the things he put into it, like a back up generator; controls in his bathroom to make sure tings were working properly; bottling his water, 2 tanks with 1 for back up and so on. Fascinating to hear the stories too.

9. Biggs Museum of American Art

406 Federal St, Dover, DE 19901-3615 +1 302-674-2111 [email protected]
Excellent
48%
Good
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4.5 based on 103 reviews

Biggs Museum of American Art

This museum, named after a local art collector, features American painting and crafts from Colonial portraiture to 20th-century Impressionism, with a special focus on the work of local artists from the Colonial and Federal periods.

10. Amstel House Museum and Gardens

2 E 4th St, New Castle, DE 19720-5014 +1 302-322-2794 [email protected] http://www.newcastlehistory.org
Excellent
37%
Good
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4.5 based on 19 reviews

Amstel House Museum and Gardens

The Amstel House is the first mansion in Delaware and was home to an early Governor. Originally known as "The Corner," this was the most important home in the late 1700s. High society came to this house, including George Washington, who attended a wedding here.

Reviewed By shawnh777 - Washington DC, United States

The Amstel House fills the gap between the Dutch House and the Read House in telling the story of New Castle's history. The architecture is brought alive by excellent tour guides, who share the homes surprising connection to George Washington. It's incredible to be able to walk through history across three homes that takes you from the early 17th century to the present day.

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