THINGS TO DO IN DELAWARE - NORTHERN REGION ATTRACTIONS

Attractions

Hagley Museum and Library - Located along the Brandywine River on the site of the first du Pont powder works, Hagley provides a unique glimpse into American life at home and at work in the nineteenth century. Set amid more than 230 acres of trees and flowering shrubs, Hagley offers a diversity of restorations, exhibits, and live demonstrations for visitors of all ages.

Delaware Theatre Company - The Delaware Theatre Company is a cultural, educational and community-service organization whose purpose is to create theatre of the highest professional quality in Delaware and thereby enrich the cultural life of the area.

Little Italy - Little Italy is a friendly, welcoming neighborhood with a mix of rich cultures and a fine selection of restaurants offering ethnic foods and wonderful flavors and atmospheres. Its many specialty shops and businesses offer a wide variety of products and services.

Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard - Home of Delaware's Tall Ship Ambassador, Kalmar Nyckel, which is an authentic re-creation of the historic vessel that brought the first settlers to the Delaware Valley. The ship offers everyone the chance to share the historic significance of a voyage that had as its purpose not merely exploration, but colonization.

Delaware Museum of Natural History - The museum features dioramas, exhibits and special programs present nature from the wilds of Africa to the local area. Permanent exhibits include Delaware's only dinosaurs, a walk across the Great Barrier Reef, and a 500-pound clam. Interactive Discovery Room offers families new worlds to explore.

Museum of the American Road - Harley-Davidson-themed attraction complete with full-service dealership and located next to Mike's Famous Roadside Restaurant. Museum traces the history of motorcycles and roadside Americana.

Mineralogical Museum - The University of Delaware Mineral Museum has a systematic collection of minerals on permanent display. The permanent display is broken up by chemical associations of the minerals. The collection has 16 such associations. Also available are non-permanent displays addressing particular areas of interest. These displays change every few weeks.

Nemours Mansion & Gardens - Set among the 300-acre country estate of the late industrialist and philanthropist Alfred I. duPont, the mansion contains 102 rooms furnished with fine examples of antique furniture, rare rugs, tapestries and outstanding works of art. The mansion and gardens are open for tours from May 1 to November 30. Reservations recommended.

Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts - The Center features seven galleries showcasing innovative national and regional artists, private artists' studios, education programs, artist services, auditorium, café and unique gift shop.

Delaware Center for Horticulture - The Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) is a non-profit horticultural resource organization dedicated to promoting knowledge and appreciation of gardening, horticulture and conservation. The center offers educational programs for children, teens and adults, and community gardens, public landscaping, roadside beautification, tree programs, and community events.

Delaware Art Museum - The Delaware Art Museum is dedicated to developing an awareness, understanding and appreciation of the visual arts and their impact on culture and to enriching lives by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting the visual arts for a diverse audience.

Candlelight Music Dinner Theatre - Located in historic Ardentown Candlelight Music Dinner Theatre combines fine dining with superb musical theatre entertainment.

Brandywine Zoo - The Brandywine Zoo is Delaware's only zoo. Located in Wilmington, the zoo sits on 180 acres of Brandywine Park across from the Brandywine River. The zoo itself covers 12 acres of land.

Grand Opera House - The Grand is an 1,190-seat Victorian opera house which has been meticulously restored to its original grandeur and outfitted to serve Delaware as a performance facility. It features a proscenium stage, orchestra pit, loading lift and additional seating at floor level. The facility is able to accommodate full operas and major dance companies.

University Gallery - The University Gallery is a collecting museum which houses over 6000 art objects and ethnographic artifacts spanning the ancient period through the present, thus providing an invaluable resource to students, faculty, visiting scholars, colleagues and institutions in the museum field, and the general community.

Wilmington & Western Railroad - Climb aboard the Wilmington and Western Railroad, Delaware's oldest steam tourist railroad, for fun and exciting adventures through the historic Red Clay Valley. Journey with Wilmington & Western for family fun, romantic evenings, holiday celebrations and 120 years of living railroading history.

Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library - An American country estate filled with Henry Francis du Pont's collection of antiques made or used in early America. 60-acre garden features color throughout the year. Activities include tours, exhibitions, special events, programs for both families and collectors, a garden tram, shopping and dining.

Delaware History Museum - The Delaware History Museum, located in a renovated art-deco Woolworth store, features three galleries of changing interactive exhibits on Delaware history, including displays of rare items of everyday life, costumes, children's toys, regional decorative arts, and paintings.

Christina Cultural Arts Center - Christina Cultural Arts Center exhibits concerts and special events such as dance, theater, and acappella gospel music.

Ashland Nature Center - Visitors can explore four self-guiding nature trails on 200 acres of meadow, marsh, pond and forest. A native plant garden showcases a variety of plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife. Inside, visitors will find exhibits focusing on habitats and a children's discovery corner, and murals depicting changes in the landscape during the past four centuries.

Grand Opera House - The Grand Opera House is an 1,190-seat Victorian opera house which has been meticulously restored to its original grandeur and outfitted to serve Delaware as a performance facility. The Grand presents in excess of 100 performances which range from full symphony orchestras, dance and opera to stand-up comedians, jazz, world culture, events, and programs for young people.

Delaware Toy & Miniature Museum - The Delaware Toy & Miniature Museum is a historical reference of antique and contemporary dollhouses, miniatures and sample furniture as well as dolls, toys, trains, boats, and planes, both European and American, from the 18th to 20th centuries.

New Castle Court House Museum - Located in the historic district of New Castle is the New Castle Court House Museum. Administered by Delaware State Museums, it is one of the oldest surviving courthouses in the United States and a registered National Historic Landmark Site. The original 1732 court was built over the remains of Delaware's first courthouse of 1689, with additions and modifications throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Northern Region