zwaanendael museum

Kept passing this place and eventually gave into temptation. We were enthusiastically welcomed and treated like V.I.P's. We were given a deeply informative tour of the museum and even invited to a Dutch - American event to see the remains of the British warship De Braak which is preserved in the Cape Henlopen State Park. We returned for a lecture on the first Dutch settlements in Delaware. I can thoroughly recommend this museum. It's only small but makes up for it with a big heart.

You get a little bit of shipwreck relics, Lewes history and local hero history. The building itself is beautiful.

I'd passed by many times over many years, but finally went inside and had a fascinating hour. This is a small museum, but the staff are knowledgeable...I've been here three times...the exhibits are interesting, and it makes me appreciate the area all the more. It's a little gem, but worth the time. Plus the park surrounding this charming building is lovely in all seasons.

I was pleasantly surprised to get a chance to visit here, since my grasp of Lewes' geography was very flawed. I actually thought it might be too far to walk (LOL)! The exterior architecture is interesting, attractive and arguably part of the museum's mission. They cover only a few facets of area, but they do it very well. Not every museum has to be on the scale of the Smithsonian!The staff was friendly, helpful and enthusiastic, and my visit was a pleasure.The first floor is accessible. I didn't notice if there was a rest room.

Bridgette and staff continue to make history interesting and not boring! Thank you for being an icon in Lewes!

The staff were very informative. It's a small museum but full of thought provoking items and history of the area.

Very small, could take 10 minutes to go through, beautiful building. Pretty park well kept. Volunteers talked way to much

My wife and I stopped into this small but cute museum after a disappointing trip to try and see the Treasures of the Sea at Delaware Technical College. Though the exhibits were not exactly fabulous to look at, the staff was very friendly and explained all of the items to us with background history and cultural context. It was a pleasant trip and I am grateful that we stopped.

State run. This little gem is very handsome on the outside and inside it does a very good job of telling the history of Lewes and the area in general. The displays are good. Pleasant and well informed.Easy access to both the museum and adjacent park with it's herbgarden. A very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

The museum building is appealing and picturesque from the outside.Inside the exhibits are most interesting, especially the ones describing the role of Delawarians in WW11. Excellent and really involve upstairs guide.

A rather small museum, but well worth the stop if you have time. Contains displays and information relating to the beginnings of Lewes and an enclosed ship. not for the easily bored, but interesting and worthwhile stop for historians.

Interesting building. Very small displays. Worth visiting if taking a break from driving but that's about it.

I had hoped to learn more about Lewes, especially the Dutch contributions to the town. The museum focused on the De Braak wreck and the video featured was on the Royal Navy's development. The initial map with visitors from the Netherlands was impressive.

Nice museum to learn about the historical beginning of Lewes. Lots of nice volunteers there to ask questions if you like.

This is Lewes' historic museum and the current displays concentrate on two wrecks that have been recovered recently, one the De Braak, a British frigate from the War of 1812, whose remains can be seen in a marsh I believe, if you take the once-a-week tour--I just saw the photos. The other exhibit is of the remains, debris really, that was found when a dredger "excavated" the stores on a sunken trading ship from the 1770s. What is so intersting is the huge variety of goods found on the ship, and the fact that they came from all over the world--an indication of the extent of globalized trade even in the eighteenth century. The exhibits were really brought alive by the excellent, well-informed and very helpful volunteer curators there. All in all well worth a visit, especially as the museum is free.