Submit photos — and win prizes — during the Delaware Day Adventure, Dec. 1–17, 2022

Delaware’s rich history will be celebrated with fun, adventure, and prizes this year in a contest that challenges visitors to explore an exciting statewide lineup of historic sites in December. This year’s Delaware Day Adventure contest is inspired by the state’s crucial role in the nation’s founding, celebrated each December 7. Visitors who explore the five museums, managed by the State of Delaware, between Dec. 1 and Dec. 17 and submit photos of their visits will get a chance to win a prize. Admission is free to all sites!

Known as “Delaware Day,” the Dec. 7 holiday marks the moment in 1787 when Delaware became the first among the colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution, giving it enduring fame as the “First State” in the nation.

Here are the rules of the Delaware Day Adventure contest, sponsored by the Delaware Department of State’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and the Delaware Tourism Office:

• Visitors who submit photos from all five sites, with at least one photo taken from inside, will be entered to win a grand prize, including a Delaware-themed prize pack.
• Visitors who submit photos of at least two sites (either interior or exterior) will be entered to win other Delaware-themed prizes.

For full details and to enter, visit de.gov/delawareday

Locations of the Delaware Day Adventure include:

• New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle, DE 19720
• The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover, DE 19901
• Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover, DE 19904
• John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Rd., Dover, DE 19901
• Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958

Each location will have Delaware Day Adventure signage with a QR code posted from Dec. 1 through 17. All photos must be submitted through the Delaware Day Adventure webpage before 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2022. Winners will be notified by Dec. 23, 2022.

For questions about the Adventure, contact Daniel Citron, the Historic Sites Team Manager for the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, at museums@delaware.gov.

To learn more about the history of Delaware Day, click here.

DOVER – In accordance with Delaware Gov. John Carney’s declaration of a State of Emergency, the five museums administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be closed beginning on March 24, 2020 and their programs postponed until further notice. The State of Emergency was declared in order to safeguard public health and help control the spread of the coronavirus.

Following are links to information about the division’s five museums. Staff members will be available to answer questions via telephone during the State of Emergency.

•  The Old State House, Dover
• John Dickinson Plantation, Dover
• Johnson Victrola Museum, Dover
• New Castle Court House Museum
• Zwaanendael Museum, Lewes

Gov. Carney’s State of Emergency also applies to the Buena Vista conference center and other state-owned historical sites managed in partnership with community organizations.

NEW CASTLE – Delaware’s state museum system has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest recognition afforded to museums in the United States. Administered by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the system includes five museums as well as the archaeological and historic objects collections curated by the state.

Gov. John Carney today joined museum staff, Delaware historians and friends of the museum community for a special ceremony recognizing this achievement at the New Castle Court House Museum.

“The rich history on display in our state’s museums ties us together as a community and enhances the quality of life here for Delawareans and for those who visit Delaware,” said Gov. Carney. “We’ve always known that these institutions and the dedicated folks who run them are top notch. Now we have a true seal of approval that assures all of us that we can count on a rewarding experience when we visit Delaware’s state museums.”

The newly accredited state museums include the John Dickinson Plantation near Kitts Hummock; the Johnson Victrola Museum and Old State House in downtown Dover; the New Castle Court House Museum; and the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes. State museums are under the stewardship of the Department of State.

“I know how hard the staff of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs worked to earn this accreditation,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. “The people of Delaware can be proud of the commitment and passion that they bring to telling the story of Delaware’s unique history and its place in the history of the nation and the world.”

Developed and sustained by museum professionals, the American Alliance of Museums accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public.

“This is a historic achievement for Delaware and the people who visit our state museums every day,” said Tim Slavin, director of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. “It’s our job to continue to ensure that we meet the high standards that have been set, and keep our promise to preserve the state’s history for future generations as well as those who have gone before us.”

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, approximately 1,000 currently are accredited. Delaware’s state museums join only two other museums accredited in Delaware, Hagley Museum and Library and Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library.

Accreditation is a rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum must first conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. An independent and autonomous body of museum professionals then considers the self-study and visiting-committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

About the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the Delaware Department of State. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. The division’s diverse array of services includes the administration and operation of five museums, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, management of historic properties across Delaware as well as the management of a conference center and the operation of the State Historic Preservation Office.

About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance is the only organization representing the entire scope of the broad museum community. For more information, visit http://www.aam-us.org.

DOVER – The five museums operated by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs have been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest recognition afforded to museums in the United States.

“Achieving accreditation is the gold standard of the museum profession” said Timothy Slavin, director of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. “This achievement is doubly significant because we persevered and achieved it during trying economic times for the State of Delaware. Across our entire division, we maintained focus and effectiveness and our role as cultural stewards was recognized.”

Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies and the museum-going public. The newly accredited state museums include the John Dickinson Plantation near Kitts Hummock; the Johnson Victrola Museum and Old State House in downtown Dover; the New Castle Court House Museum; and the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes. State museums are under the stewardship of the Department of State. (See the attached documents for detailed information about the State of Delaware’s five museums and its archaeological and historic-objects collections.)

“Our state museums, and the collections they house, are treasures to be appreciated by Delawareans and visitors alike, and the dedicated team at the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs serve as excellent caretakers,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. “The people of Delaware can be proud of the work they do and the rich historic and cultural legacy they help preserve and safeguard for all of us.”

Developed and sustained by museum professionals for over 45 years, the American Alliance of Museums accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability. It strengthens the museum profession by promoting practices that enable leaders to make informed decisions, allocate resources wisely, and remain financially and ethically accountable in order to provide the best possible service to the public.

Of the nation’s estimated 33,000 museums, approximately 1,000 currently are accredited. Delaware’s state museums join only two other museums accredited in Delaware.

Accreditation is a rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. An independent and autonomous body of museum professionals then considers the self-study and visiting-committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation.

About the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the Delaware Department of State. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. The division’s diverse array of services includes the administration and operation of five museums, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, management of historic properties across Delaware as well as the management of a conference center and the operation of the State Historic Preservation Office.

About the American Alliance of Museums
The American Alliance of Museums has been bringing museums together since 1906, helping to develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and providing advocacy on issues of concern to the entire museum community. Representing more than 35,000 individual museum professionals and volunteers, institutions and corporate partners serving the museum field, the Alliance is the only organization representing the entire scope of the broad museum community. For more information, visit http://www.aam-us.org.