Top 50 Museums in Delaware - Complete List, Map & Guide

Written and Fact-checked by | Updated On: July 10, 2026

Delaware's museums trace almost entirely back to one family. The du Ponts built their gunpowder fortune into Winterthur's 175-room estate, the Hagley Museum on the site of their original mills, and Nemours' 300-acre French-style gardens — three of the state's biggest draws, all within a few miles of Wilmington. The state government also runs five free museums through its Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an unusually generous setup for a state this size.

Delaware Museums Map

The Delaware Museums Map highlights the locations of museums across the state, including art museums, history museums, science centers, and cultural heritage institutions. Use this interactive map to explore popular museums in Winterthur, Wilmington, and other destinations throughout Delaware.

Here's an expanded list of Delaware's museums, most within a short drive of Wilmington and several tied directly to the du Pont family's history.

List of Museums in Delaware

Museum Name City Category Admission Best For Official Website
Winterthur Museum, Garden & LibraryWinterthurDecorative ArtsPaidAmerican decorative arts & gardenshttps://www.winterthur.org
Hagley Museum and LibraryWilmingtonIndustrial HistoryPaidDuPont history & innovationhttps://www.hagley.org
Delaware Art MuseumWilmingtonArtPaidAmerican art & Pre-Raphaelite workshttps://delart.org
Delaware Museum of Nature and ScienceWilmingtonNatural HistoryPaidNature & science exhibitshttps://www.delmns.org
Delaware Children's MuseumWilmingtonChildrenPaidInteractive STEM learninghttps://www.delawarechildrensmuseum.org
Delaware History MuseumWilmingtonHistoryPaidDelaware history & culturehttps://dehistory.org
Rockwood MuseumWilmingtonHistoric HousePaidVictorian mansion & gardenshttps://www.rockwood.org
Nemours EstateWilmingtonHistoric HousePaidFrench-style mansion & gardenshttps://www.nemoursestate.org
Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard & Maritime CenterWilmingtonMaritimePaidTall ship & colonial historyhttps://www.kalmarnyckel.org
Marshall Steam MuseumYorklynTransportationPaidVintage automobiles & steam carshttps://www.auburnheights.org
Auburn Valley State Park MuseumYorklynTransportationPaidHistoric vehicle collectionshttps://destateparks.com
Iron Hill Museum & Science CenterNewarkSciencePaidGeology & natural historyhttps://ironhillsciencecenter.org
University Museums at the University of DelawareNewarkArtFreeUniversity art collectionshttps://sites.udel.edu/museums
Air Mobility Command MuseumDoverAviationFreeMilitary aircraft collectionhttps://amcmuseum.org
Biggs Museum of American ArtDoverArtPaidAmerican fine arthttps://biggsmuseum.org
Johnson Victrola MuseumDoverHistoryFreeRecorded sound historyhttps://history.delaware.gov
Old State HouseDoverHistoryFreeColonial & state historyhttps://history.delaware.gov
John Dickinson PlantationDoverHistoric HouseFreeFounding Father homehttps://history.delaware.gov
Delaware Agricultural Museum & VillageDoverAgriculturePaidFarm life & rural historyhttps://www.agriculturalmuseum.org
New Castle Court House MuseumNew CastleHistoryFreeColonial courthousehttps://history.delaware.gov
Amstel House MuseumNew CastleHistoric HousePaidGeorgian architecturehttps://www.newcastlehistory.org
Dutch House MuseumNew CastleHistoric HousePaid17th-century Dutch homehttps://www.newcastlehistory.org
Read House & GardensNew CastleHistoric HousePaidFederal-style mansionhttps://www.newcastlehistory.org
Fort Delaware MuseumDelaware CityMilitaryPaidCivil War fortresshttps://destateparks.com/FortDelaware
Cooch's Bridge Historic SiteNewarkHistoryFreeRevolutionary War historyhttps://history.delaware.gov
Zwaanendael MuseumLewesHistoryFreeDutch colonial historyhttps://history.delaware.gov
Lewes Historical Society MuseumLewesHistoryPaidHistoric Leweshttps://www.historiclewes.org
Lewes Life-Saving StationLewesMaritimePaidU.S. Life-Saving Service historyhttps://www.historiclewes.org
Cannonball House Maritime MuseumLewesMaritimePaidWar of 1812 historyhttps://www.historiclewes.org
Rehoboth Beach MuseumRehoboth BeachHistoryPaidCoastal heritagehttps://www.rehobothbeachmuseum.org
DiscoverSea Shipwreck MuseumFenwick IslandMaritimePaidShipwreck artifactshttps://www.discoversea.com
Nanticoke Indian MuseumMillsboroNative American HistoryPaidNanticoke tribal heritagehttps://nanticokeindians.org
Milford MuseumMilfordHistoryFreeLocal historyhttps://www.milforddemuseum.org
Marvel Carriage MuseumGeorgetownTransportationFreeHorse-drawn carriage collectionhttps://www.marvelmuseum.com
Seaford MuseumSeafordHistoryFreeRegional historyhttps://www.seafordhistoricalsociety.com
Laurel Heritage MuseumLaurelHistoryFreeLocal heritagehttps://laurelhistoricalsociety.org
Delaware Aviation MuseumGeorgetownAviationPaidHistoric aircrafthttps://delawareaviationmuseum.org
Rehoboth Art League GalleriesRehoboth BeachArtFreeRegional art exhibitionshttps://www.rehobothartleague.org
Johnson Heritage MuseumBridgevilleHistoryFreeCommunity historyhttps://www.bridgevillehistoricalsociety.com
Selbyville MuseumSelbyvilleHistoryFreeTown historyhttps://selbyvillemuseum.org
Claymont Stone School MuseumClaymontHistoryFreeHistoric schoolhousehttps://www.claymonthistoricalsociety.org
Delaware Sports Museum & Hall of FameWilmingtonSportsPaidDelaware sports historyhttps://desports.org
Pencader Heritage MuseumNewarkHistoryFreeLocal historyhttps://www.pencaderheritage.org
Fort Miles MuseumLewesMilitaryPaidWorld War II coastal defensehttps://destateparks.com/FortMiles
Old Swedes Historic SiteWilmingtonHistoric HousePaidSwedish colonial heritagehttps://www.oldswedes.org
Delaware Public Archives GalleryDoverHistoryFreeState archives & exhibitshttps://archives.delaware.gov
First State Heritage Park Welcome CenterDoverHistoryFreeDelaware heritage exhibitshttps://history.delaware.gov
Bellevue Hall MuseumWilmingtonHistoric HousePaidVictorian estatehttps://destateparks.com
Historic Odessa Foundation MuseumsOdessaHistoric HousePaidColonial & Federal architecturehttps://historicodessa.org
Cooch-Dayett Mill MuseumNewarkIndustrial HistoryPaidHistoric grist millhttps://newarkhistory.org

Delaware Museums Facts

Fact Details
StateDelaware
Approximate Number of MuseumsMore than 80 museums and historic sites
Largest Art MuseumDelaware Art Museum, Wilmington
Most Visited MuseumWinterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Winterthur
Largest Science MuseumDelaware Museum of Nature and Science, Wilmington
Most Popular Aviation MuseumAir Mobility Command Museum, Dover
Largest Natural History MuseumDelaware Museum of Nature and Science, Wilmington
Official State History MuseumDelaware History Museum, Wilmington
Most Popular Art MuseumDelaware Art Museum, Wilmington
Popular Free MuseumsAir Mobility Command Museum, Johnson Victrola Museum, Old State House, Museum of Connecticut History-style State Museums (Delaware State Museums)
Largest Museum DistrictGreater Wilmington Museum District
Major Museum CitiesWilmington, Dover, Lewes, New Castle, Newark
Popular Museum CategoriesArt, History, Aviation, Natural History, Maritime, Historic Houses, Agriculture, Children's Museums
Historic Landmark MuseumHagley Museum and Library, Wilmington
Best Time to VisitSpring (April–June) and Fall (September–November) offer the most pleasant weather for museum visits.
Top Family MuseumsDelaware Children's Museum, Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, Air Mobility Command Museum, Winterthur Museum
Presidential MuseumsDelaware does not have a U.S. Presidential Library or Presidential Museum.
Specialty MuseumsWinterthur Museum, Hagley Museum and Library, Air Mobility Command Museum, Johnson Victrola Museum, DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum
Annual Museum VisitorsDelaware museums attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
Top Museum RegionsGreater Wilmington, Central Delaware, Brandywine Valley, Delaware Beaches, Historic New Castle
US Museums by State

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