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Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE

Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffFamily Favorite

Hagley Museum and Library

200 Hagley Creek Road · Wilmington, DE

Why you should go…

Hagley covers 235 acres along Brandywine Creek where E.I. du Pont founded his black powder mills in 1802. In the historic powder yard you walk among the old mill buildings and watch demonstrations, then take a guided tour of Eleutherian Mills, the first du Pont family home in America. The Nation of Inventors exhibition displays more than 120 patent models from the 1800s. A shuttle links the main stops, and paths are gravel and uneven, so wear comfortable shoes.

  • #industrial history
  • #du pont
  • #historic site
  • #gardens
  • #patent models

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Hagley Museum and Library, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Nemours Estate

    Under $25

    Tour Alfred I. du Pont's 77-room mansion, stroll French formal gardens, and see vintage cars in the Chauffeur's Garage.

    0.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Delaware Museum of Nature & Science

    Under $25

    Natural history museum near Wilmington with dinosaur, shell, and bird exhibits plus a planetarium.

    1.1 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Delaware Art Museum

    Under $25

    See Pre-Raphaelite paintings, Howard Pyle illustrations and John Sloan works, then walk the sculpture garden and labyrinth outside.

    1.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

    $25–$50

    A former du Pont estate holding the world's top collection of American decorative arts, set in a 1,000-acre naturalistic garden.

    1.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley

    Free

    Delaware's largest city and the du Pont family's Brandywine Valley estates, gardens, and museums.

    2.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Longwood Gardens

    $25–$50

    One of the world's great gardens: 1,100 acres of fountains, conservatories, and seasonal spectacle in the Brandywine Valley.

    8.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor