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Location
Parking
Street parking available in downtown Lewes within walking distance
Accessibility
First floor is wheelchair accessible. Restrooms not available at museum; public restrooms located in Zwaanendael Park behind the museum
Visitor tip
Don't miss the second floor - it features the museum's most unique artifact (a historic merman) and interactive activities for kids, plus the Roosevelt Inlet shipwreck exhibit with touchable artifacts
About Zwaanendael Museum
Local history in a Dutch-style building. Local-history museum in a replica Dutch city hall commemorating Delaware’s first settlement.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Natural History Museum
- Highlights
- Maritime and military history, Jim Crow era beach segregation exhibit, LGBTQ+ advocacy collection
- Admission
- Free (donations appreciated)
- Hours
- Wednesday-Saturday, 10 AM-4:15 PM
What visitors say
Zwaanendael Museum is a nice small two story museum with interesting artifacts and a MERMAN on display! The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. The building is lovely and there is a well kept garden with fountain in back.
Good place. It’s free. Small but with a lot of history. The second floor has a space for the kids to do a lot of activities. You can donate some money at the end of the tour. Average time to spend … about 30 minutes.
Lewes was the first Dutch settlement which influenced the architecture. This museum showcases some of the area's history which is deep in maritime. You must head upstairs just to see the Merman - historic oddity to say the least. While…
From 241 Google reviews
Did You Know?
- The museum building is a replica of a Dutch city hall, reflecting Lewes's status as Delaware's first Dutch settlement and architectural heritage
- The museum features a merman specimen on display, described by visitors as a historic oddity worth the trip upstairs to see
- The Roosevelt Inlet shipwreck exhibit showcases artifacts discovered by chance during canal dredging operations, with interactive opportunities to touch some artifacts
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