Historic sites in Delaware are plentiful, with the first Europeans settling in its present-day location in 1631. It has the honor of being named the first state in the Union in 1787 after being the first to ratify the Constitution of the United States. Visitors will find cities and towns steeped in history and may appreciate these top-rated historical Delaware tours.
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Where to Start
Visit Central Delaware is a perfect starting point to discover practically anything that’s going on in the First State at any given date and time. The tourism bureau provides Delaware locals and visitors with information on accommodations, restaurants, breweries, upcoming events, festivals and more.
If you want to enrich your knowledge of the state, the page is a valuable and accurate source of information. Using its resources makes top-rated historical tours in Delaware and many other tours and events in the Diamond State easy to find.
You can find plenty of news regarding the goings-on in Kent County, Delaware. With information on over 300 locations, historical buffs and your average visitors can locate sites to visit quickly and seamlessly.
From the Biggs Museum of American Art and the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village to the Harrington Historical Society Museum and the Parson Thorne Mansion, plenty of self-guided tours supplement the ones listed below.
Additionally, the official website offers the following and much more to site visitors to really get a good impression of what you can do in Delaware suited to your taste and budget:
- Recommended accommodation at 28 hotels, suites, inns and resorts
- An events calendar offering over 500 events and festivals, including historical tours in Central Delaware, taking place in the region
- Details of Central Delaware cities and towns, including Bowers Beach, Dover, Harrington, Milford and Smyrna
- A travel blog offering valuable insights to the state’s growing number of visitors
- Extensive and accurate directions to every location
- Trip ideas and itineraries for historical visitors, families and couples
Here are some of the best historical tours to consider when visiting Delaware.
1. Enjoy Free Insight into the History of Mid-Atlantic Artwork
Every first Saturday of the month, the Biggs Museum of American Art hosts the Free Museum Highlights Tour, with expert guides leading you on a 45-minute trip showcasing some highlights of American art in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Appreciate the diversity of the displayed artwork and glean a greater understanding of their histories as the guides share stories that uncover their significance. The tour begins at 2 pm in the museum atrium — you don’t need to register. It’s open to everyone.
A little about the museum: Visionary art collector Sewell C. Biggs opened the Biggs Museum of American Art in 1993. Its varied and comprehensive collection of Delaware and Mid-Atlantic American art, with pieces dating from the 1700s to contemporary times, is a must see for any art connoisseur or those seeking a nuanced perspective of art history in Delaware.
2. Visit a Historic Plantation Mansion
The John Dickinson Plantation offers guided tours of the Poplar Hill mansion — one of the top historic sites in Delaware — five times daily every Thursday through Saturday, excluding holidays.
These tours set out from the visitor center, where you’ll watch a short film, stamp your passport book and receive a booklet. Thereafter, your tour guide will lead you through the mansion, regaling tales about the Poplar Hill site.
Pennsylvania attorney and politician John Dickinson spent his early childhood on the Delaware plantation. He was a founding father of the United States, known as the “Penman of the Revolution.” Dickinson contributed more than his name to this historical site, providing eye-opening insight into Delaware’s storied past.
There also is a replica hut of the slaves quarters, showcasing the dark side of the magnificent facade of plantations.
3. Marvel at Aircraft Involved in United States War History
Every Wednesday through Sunday, museum visitors can get the historical feel of Dover AFB’s Building 1301, home to the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Museum in the capital.
Daily guided tours devoted to U.S. air refueling and airlift history are available at the museum, with over 30 historical aircraft ranging from fighters, helicopters, and cargo planes to a bomber and presidential aircraft available to view.
The AMC museum also has exhibits detailing Korean and Vietnam War airlifts, heroic Medal of Honor recipients, and even the Clark Airborne CA-1 tractor.
You must book a guided tour if your party is over nine strong, and you can also access the small library if you want to research on-site. There is a gift shop where you can buy aviation-related souvenirs and gifts, and children older than 10 can ride in one of the museum’s free flight simulators.
4. Learn About the Home of Renowned Delaware Statesmen
Guided tours of the Parson Thorne Mansion occur every second Saturday, starting at 10 am and concluding at 2 pm. You’ll learn about its past, including how it was the boyhood home of statesman John M. Clayton and occupied by Delaware Governor William Burton.
Current owners, the Milford Historical Society, provide tour guides who give insight into the mansion’s ongoing restoration efforts and encourage you to walk the property to visit Stayton House and the Clayton family cemetery.
In 1680, Henry Bowman received a 1,750-acre Duke of York land patent to Saw Mill Range — the historic Parson Thorne Mansion site. Reverend Sydenham Thorne, from whom the building has its name, acquired the property around 1780. Thorne was an Episcopal parson who played a large part in developing the town of Milford, Delaware.
On the National Register of Historic Places since 1971, the Georgian-styled five bay, double-story, center hall brick residence is now a popular historical museum frequented by history buffs and other curious visitors.
5. Discover Delaware’s Maritime History
If it’s a sea-based journey into Delaware history you want, head to Bowers Beach Maritime Museum, where you’ll find artifacts of Delaware Bay, Bowers and the local watermen on display. Specific reference points for this self-guided tour include the pirates of Delaware Bay, who included Blackbeard and Captain Kidd among other infamous legendary names.
The museum is open from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, beginning with a grand reopening on Memorial Day weekend on May 23 until it closes its doors to visitors again on Labor Day.
Part of the Bowers Beach Maritime Museum’s Memorial Day festivities include the annual “Bowers Beach Buccaneer Bash”, celebrating the pirates of yore, and “Big Thursday on Sunday” to commemorate Delaware’s oyster-harvesting heritage.
6. Exercise and Learn on a Cultural and Historical Walking Tour
Visit Dover’s First State Heritage Park for a memorable thematic walking tour of Delaware’s first urban “park without boundaries.” It takes in the park’s interpretive center, John Bell House — the oldest wooden structure in the city — and the scenic Dover historic green.
The site is open from 9 a.m. to 4 pm every Thursday through Saturday, with guided walking tours leaving hourly between 11 am and 2 pm.
These tours offer historical insights into Dover, with special reference to the John Bell House, which served as an outbuilding to the tavern owned and run by John Bell and his family, and later as Dover’s post office. 1878 saw townspeople erect the Kent County Courthouse on most of the site.
7. Book an Appointment if You’re a Train Fan
Train enthusiasts must book an appointment for the third Sunday of any month to visit the Harrington Tower Railroad Museum and enjoy the Delaware city’s rail-related past. Among the historical memorabilia, several rail track dioramas, a railroad tower and a watchman’s hut incorporating a kitchen model are on view.
Although this top-rated venue’s tour is self-guided, experts are available to answer your questions and explain the histories of the trains and related exhibits.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the history of the Delmarva Central Railroad, which operates over 188 miles of track within Delaware, Maryland and Virginia from its Harrington headquarters.
8. Learn About Historical Law Enforcement in Delaware
The Delaware State Police Museum in Dover, Delaware, preserves and celebrates the proud history of the Delaware State Police, with visitors reminded of many troops who served the state and lost their lives. You’ll discover a variety of artifacts and memorabilia that document Delaware’s finest history over the last century.
Viewable memorabilia on the free self-guided tour includes historic police uniforms, vehicles and even a helicopter. At the same time, special exhibits reference some of the most significant criminal cases in the state’s history. The museum opens between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, except on state and federal holidays.
9. Step Back in Time to Explore Delaware’s Farming Development
Since 1976, the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village has preserved and promoted Delaware and the Delmarva Peninsula’s rich farming heritage. The fully-reconstructed 1890s Village and museum form part of a 10-acre property housing the 4,000-plus artifacts that comprise a range of insightful exhibits.
Just south of Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, the museum and village are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday every week, although they are closed on holidays. The museum offers school tours for up to 100 students and holds workshops and programs to make the experience more enlightening and interactive.
Celebrate Historic Sites in Delaware With a Top-Rated Tour
With the assistance of the official tourism website of Visit Central Delaware, the above tours will provide all you need of historical value in the First State.
While travelling between cities and towns and witnessing different historical locations, you’ll find the aura of Delaware lends itself to a state with a storied past intermingling with the contemporary. Celebrate this aura, as you’ll seldom experience the like elsewhere.
