Division to sponsor seven special events during January 2018
The five museums of the State of Delaware will be sponsoring seven special events during the month of January 2018. A full schedule is included below. All programs are free and open to the public.
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special programs, January 2018
Monday, Jan. 1, 2018
New Year’s 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.
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018
“The Caroline.” Guided tours highlight Eldridge Reeves Johnson’s beloved yacht The Caroline including a song written and recorded about the vessel played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. 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.
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018
“Our Delegates.” Guided tours examine Delaware’s delegates to the Second Continental Congress which adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Friday, Jan. 12, 2018
Concert by Sol Knopf. Folk 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. 302-744-5054.
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018
“Stories of African-American History From St. Jones Neck.” Workshop utilizes primary-source materials including manumission documents, bills of sales and family information to illustrate the lives of free and enslaved African-Americans who lived on the John Dickinson Plantation. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 10 a.m.–Noon. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.
Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018
“Buccaneers in the Bay.” Lecture by historic-site interpreter Kaitlyn Dykes on the pirates of Lewes, Del. Part three of “Global to Local: International Events and the First State,” a five-part series exploring how world events impacted Delaware’s history. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Program at 2 p.m. 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 Jan. 12, 2018.
Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The following 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 following museums will be closed: The John Dickinson Plantation, the New Castle Court House Museum and the Zwaanendael Museum). 302-744-5054.
Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
“Courage and Freedom.” In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, guided tours will focus on three compelling stories of courageous Delawareans whose fight for freedom and equality began at The Old State House. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.
Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
“The Struggle.” In commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, guided tours focus on African-American vocalists and Civil Rights activists Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson, accompanied by 78-rpm recordings of those artists played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018
CANCELLED: Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation meeting. Agenda TBA. The Delaware Room, Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. 10 a.m.–Noon. 302-736-7417. NOTE: Meeting cancelled. Next meeting to take place on April 18, 2018.
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.
