After an extensive $10.8 million, 17-month renovation project, the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science opens to the public on Monday, May 23. The museum, formerly the Delaware Museum of Natural History, closed at the end of 2020 for the project. All the exhibits — many in place since 1972 — were removed and the walls were taken down to the studs. Installation of the new exhibits has been ongoing since the end of 2021.
“We’ve completely shed that dusty, old museum perception,” said Executive Director Halsey Spruance. “The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science is dynamic, engaging, interactive, relevant, and modern. Our focus is on what we know about nature and science, why it matters to us, and what we can do to protect the environment.”
Three new galleries will feature a giant floor map of the state that gives visitors the chance to explore everything from the Bald Cypress Swamp to the Delaware Bay; a giant floor map of the world showcasing three different ecosystems; an exhibit that gives visitors an up-close look at the creatures that lived in the Mid-Atlantic during the Cretaceous Period — from dinosaurs to flying bat lizards.
Other features include a Tree of Life, hands-on exhibits and a relax-and-recharge café. Visit Delmns.org.