Free & discount museum days in New Castle County
Delaware has more genuinely free and deeply-discounted family outings than most parents realize — you just have to know which night to go. These are the standing deals we plan around: the $2 museum evening, the free art-museum night, the winter zoo, and the library card that gets you into state parks and the zoo for nothing. Times and dates do shift, so we link the source for each — confirm before you go.
1. Delaware Children's Museum
Wilmington
A useful family deal: $2 admission from 5–8 PM on the third Wednesday of each month except September; members are free. Confirm the event before going.
2. Delaware Art Museum
Wilmington
General admission is free Thursdays 4–8 PM, April–December, subject to holiday closures. Thanksgiving is closed, and Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve close at 4 PM. The sculpture garden is a separate outdoor option.
3. Brandywine Zoo
Wilmington
December through February the zoo is free (special events aside). It's a small zoo, but a free winter walk past the animals is a real cold-weather outing.
4. Rockwood Park & Museum
Wilmington
The grounds and trails are free, but the mansion's interior galleries are closed for construction. The county lists outdoor tours and a Delaware Libraries museum-pass option; confirm the tour offered before reserving.
5. First State Heritage Park
Dover
A Dover history day with free admission at sites such as the Old State House and Welcome Center. First Saturday programs add options, but check each site's opening days and any tour charge.
Good to know
- • Delaware Children's Museum CAPs Night: $2 admission from 5–8 PM on the third Wednesday of most months (excluding September); members free. source
- • Delaware Art Museum: general admission is free Thursdays, 4–8 PM, April–December, except holiday closures. Thanksgiving is closed; Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve close at 4 PM, so there is no free evening visit on those dates. source
- • Brandywine Zoo: admission is free December through February (special events excepted); seasonal paid admission the rest of the year. source
- • Delaware Libraries Museum Pass program: cardholders 18+ can reserve one pass at a time, no more than one per month and five per year. The Brandywine Zoo pass admits two adults and four children under 18; special events are excluded. State-park passes have their own exclusions. source
- • Delaware State Parks charge a per-vehicle entrance fee only March 1 through November 30 — entry is free December through February, and walking or biking in is free year-round. source
Questions parents ask
What's the cheapest museum night near Wilmington?
The Delaware Children's Museum offers $2 admission from 5–8 PM on the third Wednesday of each month except September. The Delaware Art Museum has free general admission Thursdays 4–8 PM, April–December, subject to holiday closures and early closings.
How does the library museum pass work?
Delaware library cardholders 18+ can reserve a free pass for participating museums, the Brandywine Zoo, or state parks. The limit is one pass at a time, one per month, and five per year. Reserve for your visit date and read that pass's admission rules.
Are the state parks ever free?
Yes — the per-vehicle fee only runs March through November, so December through February is free to drive in, and walking or biking in is free all year. You can also reserve a free day pass with a library card.
Get the good ones before they fill up
One countywide shortlist every Friday morning, with ages, cost and logistics on each pick. Free.
More guides
Checked against each place’s current info.
Admission and hours come straight from each place’s guide. Last reviewed October 23, 2026. Confirm anything dated on the source before you go.