Cultural Attractions

The magnificent museums, mansions, gardens, and historic sites of Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley attract visitors year-round. Their cultural and historical significance is considerable, but there’s more: our world-class attractions are surrounded by the rolling hills, lush colors and beautiful landscapes that make this region a truly special place to explore (and write about). 

Historic New Castle, Delaware’s hidden colonial gem, is second only to Williamsburg, Virginia in the number and authenticity of historic structures. The Read House & Gardens is a beacon of inspiration for interior and garden design, while the New Castle Court House Museum is not only one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the United States, but also a significant site in Underground Railroad history.  

Wilmington, Delaware’s museum landscape is considerable for a city of its relatively small size. The Delaware Art Museum holds the most significant collection of Pre-Raphaelite art outside the United Kingdom. The Delaware History Museum and its affiliated Mitchell Center for African American Heritage traces the fascinating, diverse history of the First State all the way back to pre-colonial times. The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science invites visitors to immerse themselves in local ecosystems.  

The Brandywine Museum of Art displays the work of three generations of the Wyeth family of artists in a 19th-century grist mill overlooking the scenic banks of the Brandywine River. The museum’s collection of American illustration, still life and landscape paintings is internationally renowned.  

The cultural attractions associated with the du Pont family could inspire an entire book’s worth of stories. Hagley Museum and Library, the site of the du Ponts’ original gunpowder mill, also displays a collection of 5,000 patent models. Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library has been transformed from a du Pont family property into America’s foremost museum of the decorative arts.  At Nemours Estate, explore one of the largest and finest examples of a formal French garden or tell the stories of the vintage automobiles in the chauffeur’s garage.  

New Castle Court House Museum

The New Castle Court House, located in the heart of the historic City of New Castle, Delaware, is one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the United States and a registered National Historic…

Delaware Art Museum

Explore reimagined art galleries, a spacious sculpture garden and labyrinth, and spectacular special exhibitions. The Delaware Art Museum is best known for its large collection of British…

Delaware History Museum

Come explore the many stories of the First State at the Delaware History Museum, which also includes the Jane and Littleton Mitchell Center for African American Heritage. The Delaware History Museum…

Hagley Museum and Library

Hagley is a large, indoor-outdoor museum experience with hundreds of years of history. Explore the new Nation of Inventors exhibition celebrating diverse stories of American innovation. Join…

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Please note: Winterthur is closed to the public from January 8-March 1. Members can continue to enjoy daily dawn to dusk access to explore the grounds. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Brandywine…

Nemours Estate

Please note: Nemours Estate is now closed for the season and will reopen on April 2, 2024. Explore the elegance of a 77-room Mansion, a Chauffeur's Garage with vintage automobiles, and 200-acres of…