Cultural Attractions

World-renowned museums, music, amazing architecture and more! With Delaware's Choice Hotels you'll be a stone's throw away from it all. Take a peek at the cultural attractions the state of Delaware offers.

In Northern Delaware

Amstel House
2 E. Fourth St
New Castle, DE   19720
302-322-2794

Be sure to visit the Amstel House in New Castle. This 1738 Georgian mansion interprets 18th and 19th century life in New Castle and displays town artifacts and antiques. An early governor's home, the Amstel House was host to George Washington in 1784.

Delaware Art Museum
2301 Kentmere Parkway
Wilmington, DE   19801-3080
302-571-9590

With rotating exhibits ranging from photography to stained-glass windows, the Delaware Art Museum plays host to travelling exhibitions from the world's top art museums. On display permanently are a giant sculpture garden and an extensive collection of turn-of-the-century American illustrations. If that's not reason enough, you'll definitely want to find out what the mysterious exhibit entitled "Labyrinth," installed in 2007, has to offer.

Grand Opera House
818 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE   19801
302-652-5577
800-37-GRAND

A fixture in Wilmington since 1871, you'll want to discover the Grand Opera House during your visit. This historic opera house is known to host a wealth of diverse performances ranging from the strictest pre-century European opera to the most contemporary of performers. Whether it's Puccini or pop you're after, you're sure to find something to please your musical palate.

New Castle Courthouse
211 Delaware St
New Castle, DE   19720
302-323-4453

Built in 1732, this building served as Delaware's first court and state capitol. It was here that in 1776, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties declared their independence from Pennsylvania and England creating the Delaware State. See where the Declaration of Independence was signed in Delaware in the New Castle Courthouse. Built in 1732, the New Castle Courthouse served as the meeting place of the colonial and state assemblies. Tours are conducted throughout the day; large groups are required to provide reservations. Visitors to the New Castle Courthouse Museum will learn about Delaware colonial history, early system of law and government, and how the state's legislative and judicial decisions affected the lives of its citizens. Featured at the museum are exhibits on Delaware's colonial court and assembly, Delaware's Underground Railroad and abolitionists, and a special focus exhibit, We the People... The Right of Trial by Jury.

Delaware History Center
504 North Market Street
Wilmington, DE   19801
302-656-0637

Where better to display the dense history of Delaware than at its own historical center? Spanning a central block of downtown Wilmington, this museum sports three galleries of rotating interactive exhibits, creating educational opportunities for wondrous children and history enthusiasts alike. As if that's not enough, its location in a renovated brick art-deco Woolworth store declares its history to be self-evident.

Wilmington and Western Railroad
Greenbank Station
2201 Newport Gap Pike
Wilmington, DE   19808
302-998-1930

A visit to Delaware's historic Red Clay Valley will take you back to a simpler time when water-powered mills dotted the landscape and served as the livelihood by which our ancestors made their living. Nestled in north-central New Castle County, the isolated attractions of Red Clay Valley are juxtaposed to the nearby yet out-of-sight metropolis of Philadelphia. After riding the antique train, tour a restored mill, walk through acres of historic gardens and spend the night in a quaint bed and breakfast. All of this and much more await you on a weekend getaway to the Red Clay Valley.

In Central Delaware

Delaware Public Archives
121 Duke of York Street
Dover, DE   19901
302-744-5000

The capital city of Dover in the central region of the state is home to many of Delaware's historical landmarks and points of interest. The Delaware Public Archives has been dedicated to preserving Delaware's public records since 1905. Here, you'll learn about the history and culture of the so-called First State.

Harrington Historical Society Museum
108 Fleming St.
Harrington, DE   19952
302-398-3698

The town of Harrington is rich in history, and what better place to celebrate this than at its own Historical Society Museum? Learn about the role Harrington played in the Delaware economy and commerce. Preserved at this historic location are a railroad tower, caboose and watchman's hut. Curious large groups can book a tour with 24 hours' notice. Learn about Harrington, and you just might learn a little about Delaware and even yourself.

Parson Thorne Mansion
501 N.W. Front St.
Milford, DE   19963
302-422-3115

Open May through October, the Parson Thorne is one of the many mansions which hold their majestic seats throughout the stunningly historical state of Delaware. But the Parson Thorne is truly a glimpse into the past, as one of the oldest structures not only in Delaware but also in the U.S. Built in 1735, it was later purchased by Sydenham Thorne, a principal founder of the town of Milford. Home to several Delaware statesmen, including Gov. William Burton, it has survived three centuries of dense history and been preserved intact for your viewing pleasure.

In Southern Delaware

Possum Hall
Old Laurel Rd.
Georgetown, DE   19947
302-856-3460

Home of the Possum Point Players, a play production group that puts on different performances each year. Located in the southern part of Delaware is the town of Georgetown, where you'll enjoy small-town culture and wonderful hospitality. Visit Possum Hall and enjoy live comedies in the spring and summer, a drama in the fall, a musical during the holiday season, and dinner theater in the winter.

Zwaanendael Museum
102 Kings Highway
Lewes, DE   19958
302-645-1148

A showcase of Lewes-area maritime, military, and social history. Modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, the museum commemorates the founding of Delaware's first European settlement by the Dutch in 1631. Delaware's history, from past to present, is featured in the interactive exhibit Lewes: The First Town in the First State.

Maull House
542 Pilot Town Rd.
Lewes, DE   19855
302-645-7670

Do you remember when houses sold for $90? That was a long time ago. Now think back even further, to when people bought houses for £90 (that's 90 British pounds). If you're not sure when that was, picture yourself buying a state-of-the-art woodwork house in southern Delaware in 1741. Your name is Luke Shields Sr., and although you are £90 poorer, you are rich in location, a mansion that will not only house you and your family, but eventually thousands of visitors who will marvel at its authentic preservation well into the 21st century.

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