Delaware, despite its diminutive size as one of the smallest states, is home to a delightful array of versatile museums. Varying venues boast a wide range of interests, from explorations into historical settlements from long ago to concentrations on a particular person or group of people who played a significant role in one of many Delaware state milestones. Museum pickings are plentiful, wherever you’re destined for throughout the state. It’s just another thing for touring beachgoers in Sussex and Kent Counties to consider when weighing the options for alternate day trip detours. To help readers better navigate the immediate area and garner a more accurate understanding of what’s in store at every site, I’ve compiled this list of awesome museums to check out in the southern part of the state.
Delaware Aviation Museum
Located onsite at the Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown, a visit to the Delaware Aviation Museum is an absolute must for any vintage aircraft enthusiast. Made possible by the Delaware Aviation Museum Foundationand started in 2004 by Sean Carroll, Larry Kelley, and John Kenny, the 10,000-square-foot hangar boasts a profuse holding of antique aviation artifacts, exhibits, and actual aircraft. Highlights even include the B-25J Mitchell “Panchito”, Aeronca L-16, U-78 Bobcat, DH-82C Tiger Moth, DHC-1 Chipmunk, L-19/O-1 Bird Dog, and the L17A Navion. In addition to offering guided tours, visitors can go on actual rides in three of the Foundation’s onsite planes. Flight training is also conducted here. The museum also hosts the Wings & Wheels Fall Festival every year. Visit the Delaware Aviation Museum website for all the latest details and updates.
Dinker-Irvin Museum
Located in pristine Bethany Beach, this may be a newer museum setup, but the historic cottage that serves as its housing is one of the oldest in the community. It dates back to 1904 when it was built by William A. Dinker. Between 1922 and 1925, it also served as the area post office. It remains the only public-use building still standing from that era and was even moved twice! Visitors today will find it situated on Garfield Parkway.
Exhibits largely contain documents, photographs, and memorabilia from Bethany Beach’s past. Admission is free and the site is open year-round, making this an ideal stop to learn more about the surrounding area. Visit the official website link for more information.
DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum
You’ll find this small-scale seasonal museum operation located right upstairs at one of Fenwick Island’s favorite longtime shops—Sea Shell City. Having first opened to the public in July 1995, the DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum features a fabulous display of more than 10,000 recovered artifacts from the localized coastal region.
Exhibitions are on a rotating basis and, despite its more condensed format in comparison to other museums, there’s always something enriching, eye-catching, and new, whenever you visit. Because admission is freely included with store visits, this makes for a fabulous guest stop for anyone looking to get an informative, concise education all about Delaware coastal shipwrecks, lore, and legends. You can learn more about current exhibits and seasonal hours of operation by visiting the official DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum website.
Fort Miles Museum
Discover Delawarean World War II history with a trip to the Fort Miles Historical Area on Cape Henlopen in Lewes. At the center of it all is Fort Miles Museum, a 15,000-square-foot underground chamber providing a comprehensive collaborative holding of featured artifacts and exhibits all about the state’s role in national coastal defense practices between the 1940s and the 1970s. Learn the reasoning behind the Fort’s construction, along with other stories that include personal civilian accounts, submarine encounters, hometown hero features, and so much more. Highlights to behold here include Battery 519, a fire control tower, six barracks buildings, an orientation building, and the Fort Miles Artillery Park. Learn more about the museum, including exhibits and hours of operation at the Fort Miles Museum website.
Historic Shipcarpenter Street Campus
This vast complex of neighboring historic sites in Lewes offers a nine-in-one touring opportunity to visitors. The different buildings comprising the Shipcarpenter Street Campus all stand as emblematic representations of the area’s nautical and regional past, dating as far back as the 18th and 19th centuries. All sites are free and open to the public seasonally and include the Burton-Ingram House, Wiltbank-Watts House/Hiram Rodney Burton House, Stockley-Street House, Plank House, Thompson Country Store, the Ellegood House, Blacksmith Shop, Doctor’s Office, and Midway School #178. Go to the Lewes Historic Society website to learn more about dates and times when the site is open.
Indian River Life-Saving Museum
Situated about halfway between Bethany Beach and Rehoboth and located just a mile and a half away from its namesake Inlet, you’ll find the Indian River Life-Saving Museum. Another optimal option for learning about local history, the exhibits here primarily focus on the region’s nautical past as it pertains to coastal rescue missions and the station’s history dating back to its 1876 establishment. Learn more, including admission prices, hours of operation, and even onsite events taking place here at the Indian River Life-Saving Museum website.
Lightship Overfalls
This very last of the once-operating lightvessels constructed for the United States Lighthouse Service now sits permanently docked at scenic Canalfront Park in Lewes. In addition to serving as an appealing symbol of maritime history, Lightship Overfalls itself operates seasonally as a museum and store. Guided tours are conducted here, taking guests above and below the decks of the refurbished, restored ship, and can even be arranged at off-season times upon request. Regular operations are from Memorial Day through mid-October (varying hours and days depending on the month). Visit the official website for Lightship Overfalls to learn more.
Milford Museum
This is by far one of the most versatile, profusely packed museums to visit for a fully comprehensive look into Delaware State history. Housed inside what was the original Milford Post Office Building, the vast collective of exhibits and more than 13,000 artifacts on display here cover nearly everything from the state’s past, beginning with the 18th century. Learn exciting and intriguing stories and garner a glimpse into fascinating tidbits of many different interests. General admission is free. Themed programs and events are also hosted here regularly, so there’s always something going on. More can be found, including directions and hours of operation on the Milford Museum website.
Nanticoke Indian Museum
Based in Millsboro, here is the only museum in all of Delaware exclusively highlighting the region’s unique Native American culture and heritage. Furthermore, the Nanticoke Indian Museum is a designated National Historic Landmark—making it one of 13 such Native American sites specifically.
Here visitors can learn firsthand about the Native American community in Delaware, both past and present. Many of the exhibits and artifacts on display have been directly passed down by tribe Elders specifically. The collection includes original artwork, beaded artistry, and even relics that go back to 8000 B.C. The onsite gift shop houses many crafts, Powwow memorabilia, books, and more. Visit the official Nanticoke Indian Museum site link for all additional information, including upcoming events.
Ryves Holt House
Here you have the oldest still-standing house in all of Delaware, constructed in 1665. Appropriately enough, it now serves as the Lewes Historical Society Visitor Center and Museum Gift Shop. Visitors to the site today can learn all about the state’s rich foundational history, including the early years between 1631 and 1787. Discover more about the first European settlement of Zwaanendael, the ratifying of the Constitution, the Mason-Dixon Line, and more. Go to the official website of the Lewes Historical Society for all other information.
Seaford Museum
Often toted as one of the best museums (if not the absolute best one) in all of Delaware, the Seaford Museum stands out as a full-fledged collective of state history and heritage. Chronicling milestones past, present, and prospectively geared toward the future, the museum opened in Seaford more than two decades ago and boasts thousands of artifacts and relics on display. From natural resource interests to agricultural developments, shipbuilding history to local textile industries, learn about anything and everything state-related. You can even learn all those darker, juicer bits from the state’s past, like those accounts about a notorious female mob boss who once lived in the area. You just can’t top this museum for the ultimate information overload. Visit the official website of the Seaford Historical Society to learn more.
Zwaanendael Museum
Here’s another standout edifice in Lewes, this one sure to grab your attention with all its showy appeal, modeled after the former City Hall in Hoorn, Netherlands. Established in honor of the 300th anniversary of Delaware’s first European settlement, the Zwaanendael Museum features a vast collective of local historical exhibits, relics, artifacts, and more. It is a uniquely rich treasure trove of nostalgia ranging in much more than just Zwaanendael-specific callouts and is an absolute rite of passage for any visitor to the Lewes area to attend at least once. Learn more at the official website, including directions, hours of operation, and all other general information.
This is just a sampling of the many great museums to check out in the southern part of the state. In addition to these, there are plenty of other museums, historic sites, and featured exhibits on display at surrounding venues. You will also find many other museum day trip possibilities located in Delaware destinations further north.
Just remember that all information provided is subject to change. So, before visiting any site, it’s always best to contact your intended destination in advance, staying updated and current on all exhibits and onsite happenings.