Division to sponsor 13 special events during November 2017
The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 13 special events during the month of November 2017 at the five museums of the State of Delaware. A full schedule is included below. All programs are free and open to the public.
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special programs, November 2017
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017
“18th Century Market Fair.” Programs explore an era when The Green served as the focal point of life in Dover as historical interpreters explore the goods, wares and political attitudes of the 1700s. The Old State House will celebrate the fair with special tours and 18th-century-style demonstrations. First Saturday in the First State event sponsored by the First State Heritage Park. The Green, Dover. Programs 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017
“Johnson Victrola Museum’s 50th Anniversary Celebration: A Classical Tale.” Guided tours, entitled “Some Like Classical,” explore some of Victor Records’ earliest recordings of classical music accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Part of a series of programs celebrating the museum’s creation in 1967. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.
Friday, Nov. 10, 2017
Veterans Day. All museums of the State of Delaware will be open: The Johnson Victrola Museum and The Old State House, open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; the John Dickinson Plantation, New Castle Court House Museum and the Zwaanendael Museum, open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Friday, Nov. 10, 2017
Concert by Free Range. Bluegrass music. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk and the First State Heritage Park. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. Free admission. 302-744-5054.
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
“Johnson Victrola Museum’s 50th Anniversary Celebration: A Soldier’s Tale.” Guided tours, entitled “The Victors of World War I: The Power of Music,” examine music’s influence during World War I when patriotic songs were being composed throughout America, accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Part of a series of programs celebrating the museum’s creation in 1967. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
“Delaware Band of Brothers: A Salute to Veterans.” Program examines the interconnected lives, dedication and friendship of four Union officers who served together for four years in the Delaware volunteers during the American Civil War. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Program at 1 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017
Demonstrations by the Thistledown Fiber Arts Guild. Program explores spinning, weaving, knitting and other fabric arts. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 1–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017
Bayberry candle workshops. Programs examine bayberries and their use in creating bayberry candles. Presented in partnership with the St. Jones Reserve. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Workshops to take place from 10 a.m.–Noon and 1–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations for the workshop are required by calling 302-739-3277 no later than Nov. 17.
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017
Dutch-American Heritage Day. Celebrate the anniversary of Nov. 16, 1776 when an American warship sailed into the harbor of the Dutch island of St. Eustatius in the West Indies and was greeted by a friendly salute, the first ever given by a foreign power to the flag of the newly-independent United States. Activities include Dutch crafts, historical information and, at 2 p.m., “An Overview of the Environmental History of the Delmarva Peninsula,” a lecture by historic-site interpreter Alan Roth. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Environmental history lecture on the museum’s 2nd floor (entry via staircase; no elevator). Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations for the lecture are required by calling 302-645-1148 no later than Nov. 17, 2017.
Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017
“The Great Debate: Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson.” Re-enactors from the American Historical Theatre will portray the two statesmen and explore their political and philosophical differences. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Program 2 p.m. Museum open 1:30–4:30 p.m. Admission is free but, due to limited seating, reservations are strongly recommended by calling 302-739-3277.
Thursday, Nov. 23, 2017
Thanksgiving Day. All museums of the State of Delaware (the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum) will be closed. 302-744-5054.
Friday, Nov. 24, 2017
Day After Thanksgiving. All museums of the State of Delaware will be open: The Johnson Victrola Museum and The Old State House, open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; the John Dickinson Plantation, New Castle Court House Museum and the Zwaanendael Museum, open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Friday, Nov. 24, 2017
Day After Thanksgiving at The Old State House. Guided tours explore one of the country’s oldest capitols in continuous use. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Friday, Nov. 24, 2017
“Johnson Victrola Museum’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.” Guided tours explore the museum and its collections during the golden anniversary of its creation in 1967, accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.
Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can create a sachet with herbs and spices. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.
Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017
“Hospitality Night—Victorian Yule-Tide Celebration.” Holiday-themed program in which the museum will be decorated for the season by the Sussex Gardeners including luminarias lighting the entrance walkway. Activities will include historical interpreters, demonstrations, music and seasonal refreshments. Presented in partnership with the Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 5–8 p.m. 302-645-1148.
Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware—the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum—tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits, school programs and hands-on activities, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest recognition afforded to museums in the United States. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park.
Go to the following for a comprehensive, long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.
