Pretty fun place to stop by. The woman at the front desk was very well informed. There was a cute…read morelittle art area for the kids to color. The merman was weird, but in a fun way.

Created for the 300th anniversary of the first European settlement in Delaware, the museum looks…read morejust like one the "house" I got on my last KLM flight. Yes, I've been to Amsterdam and this looks just like them. That's because the Zwaanendael Museum was designed to honor the city hall in Hoorn, Netherlands. The museum exhibits the history and settlement of the southern coast of Delaware. I thought the train lines were very interesting as well as the Delftware on display. Perhaps you missed that Lewes was bombarded by the British during the War of 1812 (there's a house with a cannonball not far away). The museum is free but definitely accepts donations. [Review 18199 overall - 116 in Delaware - 1721 of 2022.]

We did the one hour walking tour of Lewes today and had a great time! Our tour guide was so funny…read moreand engaging! We walked around to a few different houses, graveyards, and buildings on the tour. You don't have to walk all that far, but keep in mind the tour is standing and sometimes in the sun. We enjoyed learning more about the history of Lewes and think the tour was well worth the $10 fee. We will be back again soon!

Most of the markers in the US point out events of the Colonial Era, the Revolutionary War or the…read moreCivil War. So it was interesting to spot a marker that points out the history of the War of 1812, which was caused by differences not resolved in 1776 and escalated in 1807 after the Royal Navy began enforcing tighter restrictions on American trade with France. This marker stands next to the Lewes Historical Society and reads, "The War of 1812 had a major impact on the town of Lewes and surrounding area. The naval blockade that was initiated by the British in March of 1813 lasted for most of the next two years. With maritime commerce limited, the local economy suffered. The regular presence of troops resulted in the use of many structures in the town for military purposes, and a camp for militia and U.S. Army Regulars was established near Blockhouse Pond. During the bombardment of Lewes on April 6th and 7th, 1813, numerous homes and businesses were damaged by naval fire from the British squadron. Known today as the Cannonball House, this structure still bears visible traces of the engagement including an iron cannonball that is lodged in its foundation. Built circa 1760 and enlarged in the 1790s, the house was then the residence of the McCracken family. Owner Gilbert McCracken and his son Henry were among the many bay and river pilots who served in Delaware militia companies that provided important service in the successful defense of Lewes during the war." "The Cannonball House was purchased by the Lewes Historical Society in 1963. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places." This is marker number SC-168 and was erected by the Delaware Public Archives in 2003. It is outside and therefore, there is no charge to view it. There is an admission charge for the Historical Society. [Review 18207 overall - 121 in Delaware - 1729 of 2022.]

Located on the 2nd floor of a gift/shell shop. Free. Some parking in front…read more Glass cases of many found items, from different shipwrecks. Just enough to keep my attention and interest (but not for everybody, so I sent part of our group ahead to check out the shop downstairs).

What an amazing Surprise!!!!! ABSOLUTELY WELL WORTH SEEING. My daughter and I happened to find…read morethis beautiful museum. Ming China and gold. Thank you so much for showing us around and giving my little girl and I a memory we won't forget. Laura Jean Heizer and audryanna laurajeanheizer55@gmail.com

Wonderfully fully air conditioned museum to stop by and beat the beat for a little. They do a…read morewonderful job telling the story of the area and it's history along with countless artifacts and photos of the time. They have an interactive treasure hunt for the kids as well as a small adjacent kids playroom. There's no admission fee suggested entrance is five dollars per person. Front desk person was wonderful and extremely helpful. There is also a playground a few yards away for the kids.

It was a sweet little museum and the price of admission is zero, so there's that. But it's small,…read morea bit boring and what is in it I didn't find particularly interesting. The AC was incredible though and the people there were super informative and cordial.

Date of Visit: July 30, 2025…read more This was an unplanned stop on my road trip from Florida and what a surprise this place was. As I was going from Rehoboth Beach to New Castle I was wanting to take RT 9 north off the beaten path. As I was coming to the RT1/9 split I had traffic in front and behind and they seem to be in a hurry, Neil wasn't. So I pulled off the road at this place to let everyone by. As I came in thru the entrance the sign read "Free Museum" I says to myself "FREE" I need to check it out and glad I did... As I walked inside you have a really nice gift shop that you need to explore and support. The volunteers working were the best. Not sure where to start but as you enter the main area it is just loaded with WWII, Korean and Vietnam displays. Ever wonder how those belly and tail gunners worked, there is a display for that. I know I could not have done it. There is even a mock-up control tower to explore and listen to the base tower giving commands. On my visit I was able to see a C130 take off from the tower. If your ever in the area this is a must stop, especially if your a history buff. And at the end, please give these people a donation for a job well done. Peace.

This is a gem. Rarely do I give a place 5 stars, but this museum is a must. People into aviation…read moreand military history, will find a home here. Thank you to the staff here, as so friendly, knowledgeable, and great service all around. Inside the World War 2 planes are phenomenal. Skytrain. Aviation fans will know that. You can walk in several planes, including a former Air Force 2, C130 Hercules, and C141 Starlifter. Soon they will have an A10 Warthog. The F101 and F106's were great to see, and will admit sensory overload. So many great planes, and also the former air traffic control tower were top notch. You'll want to go here. Donations appreciated but no admission cost!

I absolutely lose my mind over historical gems such as the Physick Estate that have the entire…read morehouse to peruse! The tour guide was fantastic & really went through every possible detail on the family & the history. Came with my friends on the first day of our CM vacation on a weekend. Pretty easy enough to purchase tickets ahead of time at the gift store. All in all a perfect way to spend a few hours learning about the local history! Highly recommend!!!!

Whenever I'm traveling I do my best to look up if there are any museums or historical points of…read moreinterest I can check out. Even though Cape May is known mostly as a Jersey Shore resort community, there's a lot of eye candy in the form of Victorian architecture - including some historic estates. One of these is the Emlen Physick Estate, and since they offer tours of the house I thought it would be a great way to spend part of my afternoon. Located on Washington St slightly away from the main hustle and bustle of CM, the Emlen Physick Estate sits on a sizeable piece of land somewhat inward from the street. The property contains the main house, a carriage house which now holds the gift shop and a restaurant, and another building used for administration. The estate is run by Cape May MAC, who worked to restore the house back in the 70s. In addition to the standard estate tour, they also offer trolley tours and evening "haunted" tours on the property. The Estate was built for Dr. Emlen Physick, who came from a prominent family. I won't give away the details of the tour, but they did a really good job discussing the history of the property, Physick and his family, as well as all of the architecture and decor of the estate. Our tour guide did a great job with every aspect of the tour, including answering our questions. One thing I noticed was that the promo pictures here on Yelp show historical interpreters guiding the tour, but we didn't have that. Our guide was great, but a historical interpreter would have been a funner touch. The tour took about 45 minutes to an hour, and afterwards we were given free-reigns to explore the carriage house which had merch and a small self-guided tour area. Overall, I enjoyed my time at the Emlen Physick Estate; it's definitely worth taking the time to explore and a welcome contrast to the typical beach things to do in the area.

I visited a few times when my child was young. I miss this place as this place is super cool…read more Tons to see and do.. Love the history They also have beer stuff .. if you're into that ... I'll be back

I visited Historic Cold Spring Village after I saw they were dog friendly. I was traveling with my…read morepet and finding pet friendly places/activities was a big priority. The entry to see the village is $16. I paid the fee and began to walk around the village. At the second building we were turned away and said dogs could not go into the buildings. This upset me as the person at the entry gate didn't mention this and seemed excited to see a dog. Not being able to explore inside any of the buildings this ruined the experience of the village. I returned to the gate and asked for a refund. The girl was really nice and issued a refund right away. I am grateful for this customer service. They are not pet friendly as previously marketed. My experience at the village may have been different with a higher score but this detail really put a damper on the experience.

Have visited twice - nice collection of aircraft all under one roof & not overwhelming. Staff…read moreon-site were very friendly and helpful. Also nice is the fact that you can get close (sometimes even inside) to the displays, as compared to some of the larger museums. A lot of local history and the NAS's contribution during WWII. There is also a cool little gift shop at the end (isn't there always) where you can pick up memorabilia. I would plan on spending an hour or so minimum - more if your really want to dig in to the displays & videos available. Great for the family & history/aviation buffs. PS - if you're there earlier in the day - check out the Flight Deck Diner for some good comfort food and displays of patches/aircraft models..

Such a great place to visit! I came with 4 kids under the age of 10, and they all really enjoyed…read moreit. There are airplanes to climb into, boats to explore, and cockpits to take great photos in. There is a lot to read and learn about for adults too. Admission is reasonable, and so where the airplanes that my sons HAD to have before we left the gift shop :) Great rainy day activity, or, when you just need a break from the heat of the day.