Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
About
The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science (formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History) serves as the state's primary institution for natural history education, housing collections and exhibits spanning paleontology, zoology, botany, geology, and ecology. Located on a wooded campus in the Brandywine Creek valley outside Wilmington, the museum combines indoor galleries with outdoor nature programming on its surrounding grounds. The museum's collection includes significant fossil holdings, extensive bird and mollusk collections developed over decades of scientific fieldwork, and a range of interactive exhibits designed to bring natural history concepts to life for visitors of all ages. Live animal encounters, fossil preparation demonstrations, and nature trails on the surrounding property extend the museum experience beyond the gallery walls. The institution offers dedicated programming for homeschooling families, including structured group visits, hands-on science activities, and curriculum-aligned educational sessions that can be conducted at the museum or delivered by museum educators at community venues. These programs reflect a commitment to science education that extends to learners outside conventional school settings. As both an ASTC Travel Passport Program and NARM Association member, members of qualifying institutions may receive reciprocal admission benefits. The museum's location near the Pennsylvania border makes it a natural destination for families in the greater Philadelphia-Wilmington corridor.
🏠 Homeschool Programs
The museum offers dedicated homeschool programs and field trip opportunities, including hands-on science activities for homeschool groups and co-ops. Programs can also be delivered off-site. Check website for current schedule.
Subject Areas
Best For
Hours of Operation
Open daily 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Verify holiday hours before visiting.
Hours change seasonally — verify before visiting.
Admission
Paid admissionGeneral admission required. ASTC Passport members (qualifying level and region) and NARM members (qualifying level) may receive reciprocal free or reduced admission.
✓ Membership available
ASTC Travel Passport Program
Members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers' Travel Passport Program offer free or discounted admission to members of other participating institutions. Over 300 science centers worldwide participate.
Learn more →47 other places in our directory accept this membership:
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Harvard Museum of Natural History
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EcoTarium
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Connecticut Science Center
Hartford, CT
Yale Peabody Museum
New Haven, CT
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
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ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
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McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
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The Franklin Institute
Philadelphia, PA
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
New York Hall of Science
Queens, NY
Maryland Science Center
Baltimore, MD
Liberty Science Center
Jersey City, NJ
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Houston, TX
Adventure Science Center
Nashville, TN
Science Museum of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
COSI
Columbus, OH
Saint Louis Science Center
St. Louis, MO
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Denver, CO
Museum of the Rockies
Bozeman, MT
Pacific Science Center
Seattle, WA
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Portland, OR
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, CA
Science Museum of Virginia
Richmond, VA
Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Dallas, TX
Discovery Place Science
Charlotte, NC
Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago, IL
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee, WI
Indiana State Museum
Indianapolis, IN
Arizona Science Center
Phoenix, AZ
Exploratorium
San Francisco, CA
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Miami, FL
McWane Science Center
Birmingham, AL
Museum of Life and Science
Durham, NC
Science Center of Iowa
Des Moines, IA
The Tech Interactive
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Witte Museum
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Orlando Science Center
Orlando, FL
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati, OH
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
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Space Center Houston
Houston, TX
Louisiana Children's Museum
New Orleans, LA
Great Lakes Science Center
Cleveland, OH
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
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Maine Discovery Museum
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Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, VA
North American Reciprocal Museum Association
The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association links over 1,000 museums, science centers, botanical gardens, and cultural institutions across the US and Canada. Members receive free or discounted admission at participating institutions.
Learn more →11 other places in our directory accept this membership:
EcoTarium
Worcester, MA
Discovery Museum
Acton, MA
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, MA
Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge, MA
Yale Peabody Museum
New Haven, CT
Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic, CT
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne, VT
Maine Maritime Museum
Bath, ME
RISD Museum
Providence, RI
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Seattle, WA
Indiana State Museum
Indianapolis, IN