List of museums in Delaware facts for kids

The beautiful Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library

Welcome to a guide about the amazing museums in Delaware! Museums are special places where cool objects from the past, art, science, and history are kept safe. They help us learn about the world and how things used to be. You can see everything from old airplanes to dinosaur bones and beautiful paintings. Delaware has many different kinds of museums, so there's something for everyone to explore!

Awesome Museums to Explore

Delaware is home to many fantastic museums. Here are some of the most exciting ones you can visit:

Air Mobility Command Museum

• Location: Dover Air Force Base
• What you'll see: Get up close with huge military airplanes! This museum shows off aircraft used for carrying supplies and refueling other planes in the air. It's a great place to learn about aviation history.

Amstel House

• Location: New Castle
• What you'll see: Step back in time at this historic house from the 1730s. It's a beautiful Georgian mansion that belonged to important families in colonial times. You can imagine what life was like hundreds of years ago.

Biggs Museum of American Art

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Discover incredible American art, from paintings to decorative items. This museum is part of the First State Heritage Park and features many different styles and artists.

Blue Ball Barn

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: This unique barn holds a state collection of folk art. Folk art is often made by regular people, not trained artists, and tells stories about everyday life. It's located in Alapocas Run State Park.

Cannonball House Maritime Museum

• Location: Lewes
• What you'll see: Explore the history of the sea! This museum has artifacts from ships and the ocean, telling tales of sailors and the coast. It's run by the Lewes Historical Society.

Coverdale Farm Preserve

• Location: Greenville
• What you'll see: Visit a working farm from the 1800s! You can see how farms operated long ago and meet heritage livestock. It's a fun way to connect with nature and history.

Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Learn all about farming in Delaware. This museum has old farm equipment and tools. It also features Loockerman Landing Village, which looks like a rural village from the 1890s, complete with a store, farmhouse, and schoolhouse.

Delaware Art Museum

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: With over 12,000 artworks, this museum focuses on American art from the 1800s to today. It also has a special collection from the English Pre-Raphaelite movement.

Delaware Aviation Museum

• Location: Georgetown
• What you'll see: If you love planes, this is the place! Located at Delaware Coastal Airport, it features artifacts, souvenirs, and displays about World War II aviation.

Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: This museum showcases modern art from artists all over the world. They have nearly 30 new exhibitions every year, so there's always something fresh to see.

Delaware Children's Museum

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: Designed just for kids, this museum on the Wilmington Riverfront has interactive exhibits where you can play and learn at the same time.

Delaware History Museum

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: Operated by the Delaware Historical Society, this museum tells the story of Delaware. You can see everyday objects, old costumes, toys, and art from the region.

Delaware Museum of Nature and Science

• Location: Greenville
• What you'll see: Explore the natural world! This museum has collections of seashells, birds, and bird eggs. You can also see exhibits about dinosaurs, mammals, and the famous scientist Charles Darwin.

Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: Celebrate Delaware's sports heroes! This museum covers over 150 years of sports history in the state and is located at Frawley Stadium.

Delaware State Police Museum

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Learn about the history of the Delaware State Police. You can see old badges, uniforms, and even police vehicles.

Discover Sea Shipwreck Museum

• Location: Fenwick Island
• What you'll see: Dive into the world of shipwrecks! This museum displays artifacts recovered from sunken ships, both from the local area and around the globe.

Fort Delaware

• Location: Pea Patch Island
• What you'll see: Visit a historic fort with live history demonstrations. You can experience what life was like for soldiers during the Civil War.

Governor Ross Mansion & Plantation

• Location: Seaford
• What you'll see: Tour a beautiful Victorian mansion from the 1850s. It's operated by the Seaford Historical Society and gives you a glimpse into the past.

Hagley Museum & Library

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: This museum tells the story of American business and industry. It's built on the site where E.I. du Pont started his gunpowder factory in 1802.

Historic Houses of Odessa

• Location: Odessa
• What you'll see: Explore a collection of buildings from the 1700s and early 1800s. These include the Corbit-Sharp House and the Brick Hotel, showing how people lived long ago.

Indian River Lifesaving Station Museum

• Location: Rehoboth Beach
• What you'll see: Learn about the brave people who rescued sailors from shipwrecks. This museum is located in Delaware Seashore State Park.

Iron Hill Museum

• Location: Newark
• What you'll see: This museum, once a one-room schoolhouse, has collections of rocks, minerals, plants, animals, and historical displays. It's a mix of history and natural science.

John Dickinson Plantation

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Visit the 18th-century home of John Dickinson, an important figure in American history.

Johnson Victrola Museum

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Discover the history of recorded sound! This museum is about Eldridge Reeves Johnson, who founded the Victor Talking Machine Company. You can see old phonographs and learn how music was played in the past.

Lewes Historical Society Complex

• Location: Lewes
• What you'll see: This complex has nine historic buildings, including a Life-Saving Station Museum and an Early Plank House. It's like a whole village from the past!

Lightship Overfalls

• Location: Lewes
• What you'll see: Step aboard a historic lightship! This floating museum shows what life was like for the crew who helped guide ships safely.

Marshall Steam Museum

• Location: Yorklyn
• What you'll see: Part of Auburn Valley State Park, this museum has amazing Stanley Steamer cars, electric cars, and even a miniature railroad. It's a dream for anyone who loves transportation.

Marvel Carriage Museum

• Location: Georgetown
• What you'll see: See a collection of antique carriages and restored buildings. You can also find old Victrolas, telephones, and furniture, showing life in Georgetown long ago.

Nanticoke Indian Museum

• Location: Millsboro
• What you'll see: Learn about the rich history of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe. The museum displays jewelry, pottery, spears, and other artifacts.

Nemours Mansion and Gardens

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: Explore A.I. duPont's grand mansion and its beautiful French chateau-style gardens. It's like stepping into a fairy tale.

New Castle Court House Museum

• Location: New Castle
• What you'll see: This is one of the oldest court houses in the United States! It has exhibits about Delaware's colonial court, early laws, and the Underground Railroad.

Old State House

• Location: Dover
• What you'll see: Visit Delaware's original state capitol building, restored to look like it did in the 1700s.

Read House & Gardens

• Location: New Castle
• What you'll see: Tour an impressive 1801 mansion with 22 rooms and beautiful gardens. It's operated by the Delaware Historical Society.

Rehoboth Beach Museum

• Location: Rehoboth Beach
• What you'll see: Discover the history of Rehoboth Beach, a popular coastal town. It's run by the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society.

Rockwood Museum and Park

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: Explore a restored mansion from the Gilded Age and its historic gardens. It's located in Rockwood Park.

Seaford Museum

• Location: Seaford
• What you'll see: Learn about the local history of Seaford, operated by the Seaford Historical Society.

Star Hill Museum

• Location: Camden
• What you'll see: This former church was a site on the Underground Railroad. It features inventions by African Americans, African artifacts, and tools used in daily slave life.

Treasures of the Sea Exhibit

• Location: Georgetown
• What you'll see: See amazing artifacts recovered from shipwrecks, including treasures from the famous Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha.

University of Delaware Mineralogical Museum

• Location: Newark
• What you'll see: Part of the University of Delaware, this museum has a fantastic collection of minerals, petrified wood, meteorites, and gemstones.

Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library

• Location: Wilmington
• What you'll see: This huge estate has 950 acres of gardens and a mansion with 175 period-room displays. You can also see museum galleries filled with American furniture, silver, textiles, and ceramics.

Zwaanendael Museum

• Location: Lewes
• What you'll see: This museum celebrates the 300th anniversary of Delaware's first European settlement in 1631. It has exhibits about local history.

Images for kids

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  The beautiful Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library