Hagley Museum & Library
Gunpowder mills, a working machine shop, and a du Pont mansion — surprisingly fun for kids who like how things work.
200 Hagley Creek Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807
Hours
10 AM – 5 PM
Show the week Hide the week
| Fri | 10 AM – 5 PM |
|---|---|
| Sat | 10 AM – 5 PM |
| Sun | 10 AM – 5 PM |
| Mon | 10 AM – 5 PM |
| Tue | 10 AM – 5 PM |
| Wed | Closed |
| Thu | 10 AM – 5 PM |
Last checked 2026-09-28
- Cost
- $22 adult · $12 (ages 6-14) child
- Best for
- 5-12
- Indoor / outdoor
- Indoor
- Typical visit
- 2-3 hours
Big riverside site with live demonstrations and standing hands-on programmes for kids; open six days a week.
The Quick Version
- • It's an outdoor museum spread along Brandywine Creek — the powder yards, workers' houses, and a du Pont family home.
- • Best for kids 5+ who are curious about how things work. The machine shop demonstrations are the highlight.
- • Strollers work on main paths but some areas have gravel and hills. A carrier is better for flexibility.
- • Plan 2–3 hours. The property is beautiful for a walk even if the kids lose interest in the history.
Best Ages
5-12
Plan For
2-3 hours
Adults
$22
Kids
$12 (ages 6-14)
What to Expect
Hagley is where the du Pont family started their gunpowder business in 1802. It's spread along the banks of Brandywine Creek — a gorgeous setting. The property covers the working powder yards, workers' community, a school, and the first du Pont family home (Eleutherian Mills).
With kids, the experience depends heavily on their age. A curious 7-year-old will be fascinated by the machine shop demonstrations, the water wheel, and the idea that this peaceful creek once powered an industrial operation. A restless 3-year-old will enjoy the bus ride between sites, the open space, and maybe 15 minutes of the machine shop.
Start in the Visitor Center: Nation of Inventors fills its first two floors with 120+ patent models, and it's indoors, so it works in any weather. The Eleutherian Mills Residence tour is guided, takes 45 minutes to an hour, and works best for kids 8+. The gardens around the house (the E. I. du Pont, Rose, Pollinator and Workers' gardens) are included with admission and easy to stroll at your own pace.
Who It's Best For
Elementary-age kids who ask 'how does that work?' will love this place. The working machine shop, water wheels, and powder-making demonstrations are engaging. Kids under 5 won't get much from the history but will enjoy running around the grounds.
Highlights
Nation of Inventors
Ages 5+Hagley's newer permanent exhibit on the Visitor Center's first two floors: 120+ patent models of American inventions. Indoors, about 30–40 minutes, and the rainy-day anchor.
Machine Shop & Powder Yard Demos
Ages 5+Working 19th-century machinery: the machine shop, the only operating black powder roll mill in the country, the 16-foot Birkenhead water wheel, and black powder explosion demonstrations. Staff explain how the creek powered everything. Loud and genuinely interesting.
Workers' Hill
Ages 4+Restored workers' homes and a one-room schoolhouse. Kids can walk through and see how mill families lived. Strollers aren't allowed inside the Gibbons House.
Eleutherian Mills (du Pont House)
Ages 8+ (house), All ages (gardens)The original du Pont family home (1803). The gardens are gorgeous and kid-accessible. The house tour is guided and takes 45 minutes to an hour, and strollers stay outside — better for older kids.
Brandywine Creek Walk
All agesThe path along the creek is peaceful and scenic. In summer, you can see where the race (water channel) diverted creek water to power the mills. Great stroller walk.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • The guided house tour with kids under 6 — it's too long and too 'don't touch.'
- • Trying to cover the entire property in one visit. Pick the powder yards OR Eleutherian Mills, not both, if your kids are under 5.
- • Visiting on a weekday when demonstrations aren't running — the working machinery is the best part.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
$22
Kids
$12 (ages 6-14)
Under
Under 6 free; active military and their family free
Hagley is closed Wednesdays to the general public. Open Thu–Tue, 10 AM – 5 PM, last admission 4 PM, and Hagley strongly encourages arriving before 3 PM. Admission includes the exhibits, demonstrations, the Residence tour, and the shuttle between areas. Students, seniors (62+), veterans and military retirees: $18. There's no ATM on site.
Membership tip: A Household membership ($125) covers daily admission for up to eight people and gets you into Summer Nights and Science Saturdays free.
Getting There
Parking
Free. Plenty of parking near the Visitor Center; private cars aren't allowed elsewhere on the property, and the shuttle takes you between areas. Use the museum entrance at 200 Hagley Creek Rd — Hagley has more than one entrance.
Entrance
Visitor Center. Pick up a map and check the day's demonstration schedule — the machine shop and powder yard demos are timed.
Parent Logistics
Strollers are welcome in most areas, but not inside Eleutherian Mills, the First Office, or the Gibbons House — plan to park it outside for the house tour. Hagley doesn't rent strollers. Some areas have uneven terrain and gravel paths (it's built along Brandywine Creek), so a single stroller with sturdy wheels or a carrier works best.
Restrooms at the Visitor Center; facilities are limited out on the property, so go before you head down to the powder yards.
Hagley doesn't list changing tables online; ask at the Visitor Center.
Good shade along the creek and in wooded areas. The upper property near Eleutherian Mills is more exposed.
Food & Snacks
The Visitor Center sells prepackaged food (wraps and salads). Café service and hours vary, so check hagley.org or call before counting on it. No eating or drinking in the exhibition spaces.
Snack strategy: Pack a lunch. Picnic tables sit in the powder yards, on Workers' Hill, and next to the Visitor Center parking area.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Ask at the Visitor Center for the day's demonstration times. The machine shop and powder demos are the must-sees.
- ✓ The shuttle between areas is part of the fun for kids. Don't feel obligated to walk everything.
- ✓ Hagley runs excellent Science Saturdays and family programs with themed hands-on activities. Check the events calendar.
- ✓ The creek area is beautiful in fall — the foliage along the Brandywine is as good as anywhere in the region.
- ✓ Combine with Brandywine Zoo (10 minutes away) for a full day.
- ✓ Summer Nights: the Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream is a highlight — get it before the line builds.
- ✓ No pets at Hagley, except leashed dogs at Summer Nights.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings for quiet visits. Weekend afternoons during family event days for the best programming. Check their calendar for Science Saturdays and family programs — they run hands-on activities.
Seasonal Notes
Open year-round, Thursday–Tuesday (closed Wednesdays to the general public); closed Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Christmas Eve closes at 2 PM. Preservation work can temporarily close individual sections, and the Crowninshield Garden is currently closed to the public, so check hagley.org before planning around a specific area. **Summer Nights at Hagley** runs on summer Wednesday evenings, 5–8 PM: $5 a person, free for members and kids under 6. Stroll the Brandywine, bring a picnic or try the food trucks, with Dogfish Head beer and Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream for sale, and leashed dogs welcome. The 2026 season is over; check hagley.org for 2027 dates. **Holidays at Hagley** runs late November through early January (Nov 27, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, 10 AM–4 PM on listed days), and **Kid Inventors Weekend** is Feb 13–15, 2027, free for kids 14 and under.
Rainy Day?
Workable in rain, just not the day for creek walks. Start with Nation of Inventors, which is indoors on the Visitor Center's first two floors, then ride the wheelchair-accessible shuttle between the Visitor Center, the powder yard, and the house and gardens. Umbrellas are available at the Visitor Center. Save the creek walk for another day.
While You're in the Area
Nemours Estate and the Delaware Art Museum are about 2 miles away, Winterthur about 4. Centreville and Kennett Pike have family-friendly lunch spots.
Upcoming Events
Halloween at Hagley
Sat, Oct 24 at 11:00 AM
Families can bring their children in costume to enjoy a safe trick-or-treating experience along a designated trail within Hagley's beautiful powder yard. Kids will visit various treat stations to collect candy while supplies last, offering a festive and scenic way to celebrate Halloween.
More infoScience Saturday - Creepy Chemistry
Sat, Oct 24 at 11:00 AM
Kids can get hands-on making 'spooky potions' and watching chemical reactions unfold, discovering solutions to science and engineering challenges. This is a drop-in activity, so families can join the fun at any time within the event window.
More infoScience Saturday - Robotics Roundup
Sat, Nov 14 at 11:00 AM
Families can explore the fascinating world of robotics, discovering how these machines are constructed and programmed. Kids will have the exciting opportunity to meet a local robotics team, test out their innovative designs, and engage in hands-on activities that challenge their science and engineering skills. It's a drop-in event, so you can join the fun anytime between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
More infoScience Sparks!
Nov 21 – Nov 27 (5 dates)
Families can explore hands-on engineering challenges at Science Sparks!, where participants take on the role of engineers to build, test, and redesign creations. The program features seasonal themes such as designing marble runs with twists and jumps or constructing a cardboard snowball disc launcher, offering opportunities for creative problem-solving and experimentation.
More infoBirthday parties here
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