From a dangerous beginning manufacturing gun powder along the banks of the Brandywine River to the company's world-wide operations today, the DuPont family has fueled the growth and development of Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley over the course of centuries.
Hagley is where the du Pont story begins. Set on 235-acres along the Brandywine, Hagley Museum and Library includes the original DuPont Company gunpowder mills and the first DuPont family home in America.
Founded by Henry Francis du Pont, Winterthur is the premier museum of American decorative arts. Its 60-acre naturalistic garden is among the country's best, and its research library serves scholars from around the world.
Nemours is the grandest residence ever constructed in Delaware, a full one-acre of space under a roof. It is furnished with an eclectic collection of rare furniture and great art. Nemours is also arguably North America's finest formal French garden and includes a centerpiece reflecting pool with 157 jets at the center shooting water 12 feet into the air.
Known to many as the world's premier horticultural showplace, Pierre Samuel Du Pont's Longwood Gardens offer breathtaking displays year-round. Set on 1,077 acres just minutes from neighboring HISTORIC KENNETT SQUARE, Longwood's offerings go far beyond horticulture and include fine dining, concerts, fountain displays, shows and more.
The DuPont Theatre, formerly The Playhouse Theatre, in Wilmington, Delaware, presents national touring productions of Broadway shows and is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theatre in the country. Located in the luxurious Hotel du Pont, the brightest stars of stage and screen have graced the lovely 1,252-seat Victorian theatre since 1913.
Exhibiting American art in a 19th-century gristmill, the Museum is internationally know for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and its outstanding collection of American illustration, still life and landscape paintings.
The DuPont Environmental Education Center at the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge is a four-story education center, featuring interactive exhibits, multi-media presentations, a marsh wet lab, and a multi-purpose space with sweeping views of the Christina river, marsh and city. Visitors can venture into the refuge on a quarter-mile boardwalk that surrounds a tidal pond, where education stations extend into the water for hands-on activities.
