I'm a Delaware Art Museum member so I must say it is one of the best decisions that I have made in…read morerecent years joining. I have visited the museum many times over decades but in the last two years since joining, I've probably visited just as much as I did in all the time prior. There's quality diverse program on top of the standing exhibits in the galleries and visiting ones. I am a born Wilmingtonian and have always enjoyed culture and the arts, which again is why I have frequented this museum many times before, but I think it's a jewel that many locals neglect to appreciate. You don't have to go to the larger regional cities for acclaimed artists as many are here. The proximity to other places of interest in the area, can allow you to enjoy this and many others during a day or weekend trip if you're not local or live outside of the city. Join the mailing list and check the events because there is always something going; the images on my review are from a few of them. I keep saying I'm there so much I should join the team, but this is my way of supporting in sharing this review.

Decided to visit this museum this past Thursday as it was later in the day and a search revealed…read morethat they were open until 8pm on Thursdays (photo attached). Approximately an hour into our visit we were ushered out of one of the exhibits on the first floor and told that exhibit would be closing. Thought it was odd that a particular exhibit in the museum would be closing early, but we complied, simply moving on to other exhibits. At approximately 4:20 we were in a room on the second floor and the lights suddenly went out (pitch black, can't see your hand in front of your face, darkness). We were stunned for a moment before using our phone flashlights to safely exit. We were then met at the door by a confused staff member who stated that the museum had actually closed at 4pm. We began making our way toward the exit, explaining that the website listed that the hours were until 8pm on Thursdays. We were then stopped by a second employee who accused us of having entered the room *after* the lights had been turned off (because, as everyone knows, the best way to view art is in total darkness). She then said that we had already been informed that the museum was closing. ("Exhibit" and "museum" mean different things.) We explained once again that the website listed Thursdays' hours until 8pm. Rather than appreciate the confusion (much less apologize for the communication error), she insisted that we must have been looking at the hours for the following week (not true) and added a superfluous directive to leave (as we were literally stepping toward the exit). Up to this point, we had been enjoying our visit. However, this rude encounter certainly marred our experience

Delaware County Institute of Science is a fun and free way to spend a few very intriguing hours in…read moreMedia. Located on Vererans Square, adjacent to the DelCo courthouse, DCIS has been around to fascinate and educate for centuries. The institute was founded in 1833, and our guide told us the taxidermy bobcat was one of the original specimens in the collection. It was a wonder to me that taxidermy can last this long!!! Parents, prepare for a lot of taxidermy, and a way to explain this to kids (ahead of time). My 7yo was upset to hear our guide's stories about how to shoot the game so they weren't a bloody mess for the taxidermist. Our guide was a very kind long time DelCo senior, who meant well, and was very apt with his detailed knowledge, but today's kids watch Wild Kratts and have very different politics! I explained that many years ago we didn't respect animals as we do now, and taxidermy like this was the way to learn for most people, who didn't have TV, nor even the books to educate themselves. The most appealing part of this collection was that my son could touch a lot of it! They invite you to touch a whale rib bone, a sawtooth tusk, pangolin scales, petrified wood, and so much more! This is super exciting for kids! I love the petrified wood myself! DCIS is very proud of their minerals collection. We missed that this visit because they are renovating the first floor this summer and it will not reopen until September. I am very excited to go back and see it! My son is too! DCIS guides will proudly tell you more than once that they house the largest seashell collection in the state. It is not only a large (prolific) collection, but a varied and diverse one as well. And, some of the specimens are the largest shells I've seen (outside of some mammoth man-eating monster shell in a major city museum). I don't have a picture of the cabinet with those exact shells (looked like cowrie and welk, but I forget exact names) but they were as big as my head! The museum is three floors, and the top two floors are basically the periphery of an old 19thC theater and stage, with balcony acting as second floor. So not much floor space for this huge collection. But you can easily spend HOURS looking at everything. If you are into this stuff like we are, you could definitely visit the entire day's open hours. The volunteer guides make things come alive too! In addition to SO MANY taxidermy specimens, minerals, fossils, and shells, there is petrified wood, native tribal carvings, a collection of milk bottles from local DelCo dairies, old pharmacy bottles, and detailed collections of technology through the last 2 centuries. I never knew there were not only 4-leaf clovers, but 5-, 6-, 7-, and even 8-leafers, a bunch all pressed in a frame!!! They also have a pressed leaf piece with foliage (Holly and boxwood) from George Washington's tomb surrounding an old lithograph of him. Just so much interesting stuff! I am sure there is even more we didn't get to see. They let my son have a free shell at the end (a small one downstairs, not a display piece ;-) which he loves. This was a great afternoon treat for us, and we can't wait to return when the mineral collection reopens in September. Tips -- Only open Thursdays 10-3 (sometimes only 10-1) Free parking is available in residential streets if you're willing to walk a few blocks. There is no A/C in summer except on the first floor. Be prepared for heat! The view from the free law library at the top of the courthouse across the street is well worth the few minutes to walk over for a side trip. Just ask a guard when you enter the courthouse how to get to the law library.

A fascinating nugget of history in downtown Media. Much more of a "Natural Sciences" museum than a…read moretechnology museum, it is a place where you are not afraid to reach out and touch some of the history of Delaware County.

A very interesting museum located very close to the Brandywine River Museum and Brandywine…read moreBattlefield. An eclectic interpretation of local history, American History and Military History. Christian was a friend of N.C. Wyeth and several of Wyeth's paintings are on display in the Christian C. Sanderson Museum that you won't see at the Brandywine River Museum. The are also artifacts from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Ancient Native Americans, Sanderson's personal correspondence, his time as a teacher, musician, radio performer, etc.

Quirky and curious. A fascinating insight into "the collecting mind". The story of the museum is as…read moreinteresting as the museum itself.

This is the best small museum in the area. I learned a lot, and was able to check out tools,…read morewagons, and other things related to ice. I did not take pictures, because I was interested in the tour.

This was a delightful museum, an amazing collection by the "Ice Man". a wonderful collection of all…read morethings ice, related natural ice and manmade ice. They have worked hard to create a sense of how ice and refrigeration evolved and how all of the tools of the trade have evolved over the last 200 plus years. This is a wonderful educational and historical experience not to miss if you are looking for something "Cool" to do for a couple hours. Something interesting to see for all ages. Definitely email soon to get a private tour. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy. Beth Anne Keates, Train Lady of West Chester, author

The space is very large at least it felt that way there's a lot of cool exhibits for kids. It was…read moreextremely clean. People were super nice. It wasn't overrun with too many people and there's a lot of different kinds of exhibits for all kinds of people. Highly recommend recommended.

We spontaneously decided to stop in on our way back to the DC area from a weekend in Philadelphia…read more Hours are 10am-5pm Wednesday-Sunday. Parking is free in the lot across the way. Admission is $15 and id say it was reasonable for the 4ish hours we spent. My kids loved the climbing/sliding cocoon that is at the front area upon arrival. The roadway with scooters was unique having never seen that at a children's museum before. The fitness exhibits with basketball and baseball were fun. Those tests at the beginning brought me back to the Presidential Fitness test era (IYKYK). The water play area probably was where we spent the most time, but that's always where we do at museums with a water play area. Another cool feature was the hollowed out redwood tree for climbing. The sections toward the back are designed for the youngest visitors but still have some fun stuff-like a mock farmers market and tire shop- for older kids. While there were no events on this day, it does look like they are listed as they come up on the website. Also, no food sold here (snacks are chips and candy) but there are two places across from the building to eat or you can BYO. While it is a smaller children's museum, it was still nicely done and we would definitely pop in again!

Came here with kids, not remembering that we'd visited before. Is a nice, educational space where…read moreyou can learn about the physics and history of helicopter flight. There are a couple simulators and a whole bunch of helicopters you can climb into. Our kids also enjoyed the toy room, stepping outside to watch helicopters and planes at the nearby airport take off and land, and building our own paper helicopters to fly up in this fan. We'll be back!

We had an annual membership pass from the library. We were told at the cashier that they weren't…read morebeing accepted that day. He claimed that two emails were sent out, notifying the libraries And it was on their website. I had checked the website before I went and then again when I was there. I asked the fellow at the cashier show me on the website where these passes were not acceptable for that day. He could not. I looked days later still no notice On another note, the store is extremely overstocked. Boxes and items are hanging over the edge the shelf and easily knocked off. I saw it happen twice for the brief time I was there.

Randomly stopped in here while in Delaware and was so glad I did…read more Super beautiful garden with lots of statues and fountains. Beautiful Lilly pad pools and different plants along the paths. It's not a very large place but you can definitely spend a while in here. It is a free visit which is so hard to come across these days! It is a well preserved historical site with its story on its website. Please be aware dogs are not allowed in!!!

We visited friends in Wilmington and suggested this garden. They had never heard of it, so I'm…read moregoing to classify this as a hidden gem. We went with 4 adults and one toddler. It's free to enter but there is a donation box when you enter to help with upkeep. There are limited parking spots and the entrance was a little hard to find as it's in a residential neighborhood and not marked in a very obvious way. The garden itself was lovely in May, with a variety of flowers in bloom. It's quaint and rustic with a lot of interesting structures and statues. My husband said it reminded him of the Secret Garden because it was sort of hidden, not pristine, and we felt like we were the first people there in a long time. There were photographers taking family photos but otherwise it was pretty quiet. A peaceful place for a walk or to sit and relax.

Seven new rooms have been opened since the pandemic. A clock room, an art room, a sampler room, a…read moreglass exhibit, an Indian room, the tree room, a room of unique items (like the Lafayette quilt, the first selfie and a black wedding dress (apparently a common thing back in the day). A toy room is planned to open later this year. Salem is known for it's glass (Wystar), it's ice cream (Bassetts started in Salem) and Heinz ketchup (tomatoes and the glass bottles grown and made in Salem). Well curated and an interesting glimpse of America thru the ages located in a historical building. Well worth the visit.