Zwaanendael Museum welcomes two new historic-site interpreters
The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has recently hired two native Delawareans—Devon Filicicchia and Patrick Ruhl—as historic-site interpreters at the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, Del. Historic-site interpreters are the division’s front-line connection with the public, adding a human face to Delaware history. Through tours and special programming, they will be helping the museum in its efforts to bring to life the Lewes-area’s maritime, military and social history.
A resident of Hartly, Filicicchia earned her bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Delaware in 2018. In addition to her work at the museum, she is an assistant manager for Fifer Orchards and the volunteer- and visitor-services-coordinator for the Milton (Del.) Historical Society where her responsibilities include managing the museum during operating hours, recruiting and supervising volunteers, creating social media posts and assisting the museum’s director and curator in a variety of tasks.
Ruhl, a resident of Frankford, holds a master’s degree in Latin American studies-history from the University of California, San Diego, and a bachelor’s degree in American history from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla. Before coming to the Zwaanendael Museum, he served as a tour guide for a variety of organizations including the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, Cape Henlopen State Park, and at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery where he still works. During his master’s degree studies, he served as both an instructional assistant for college-level writing programs and as a conversation leader in the English-in-Action program that helped non-English speaking students practice their conversational and cultural- knowledge skills.