Children's Museums

Zwaanendael Museum

Name: Zwaanendael Museum
Address: 102 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958, Lewes, DE, US
Telephone: (302) 645-1148
Rating: 4.5

★★★★☆ 4.5 (241 reviews)

📍 102 Kings Hwy, Lewes, DE 19958

📞 (302) 645-1148

🌐 history.delaware.gov/zwaanendael-museum

Visit Website 📍 Get Directions

🕐 Hours

Monday	Closed
Tuesday	Closed
Wednesday	10 AM–4:15 PM
Thursday	10 AM–4:15 PM
Friday	10 AM–4:15 PM
Saturday	10 AM–4:15 PM
Sunday	Closed

⭐ Want to stand out? Get featured ⭐

About Zwaanendael Museum

Local history in a Dutch-style building. Local-history museum in a replica Dutch city hall commemorating Delaware’s first settlement. The museum building is a replica of a Dutch city hall, reflecting Lewes's status as Delaware's first Dutch settlement and architectural heritage. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars by 241 visitors.

Quick Facts

Type: Natural History Museum
Best For: All ages
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

💡 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
⭐The museum operates an oral history initiative called 'Recapturing Black Beaches' alongside its featured exhibit 'Segregated Sands: Beach-Going in Jim Crow Era Delaware'
⭐Admission is completely free with donations appreciated, making it an accessible local history resource for all visitors

💬 What Visitors Say

💡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
💬Plan for 30 minutes to an hour total visit time - this is a compact two-story museum, making it perfect for a quick cultural stop while exploring downtown Lewes
💬Admission is completely free with donations encouraged - take advantage of this no-cost cultural experience and use the staff as your guide by asking questions throughout your self-guided tour
💡Bring kids to the second floor where there are dedicated interactive activities and hands-on learning opportunities, plus the novelty of unusual maritime artifacts keeps younger visitors engaged
💡Use the knowledgeable and informative staff as your educational resource - they're available throughout the museum to provide deeper context about artifacts and local Dutch/maritime history that enriches the self-guided experience