ABOUT THE DIVISION OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the State of Delaware, organized as a Division within the Department of State. Funding for the Division's museums, programs, and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, a federal agency.
Mission StatementTo enrich the quality of life for all Delawareans by preserving Delaware's unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality, and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage.
The Division pursues its mission through the following programs and services:
Conservation of Historic Material and Property
The Division conserves a significant collection of historic materials and property owned by the state of Delaware including
historic buildings, artifacts, fine arts, documents, and memorabilia. Selections from this collection are made available to the public through exhibits and interpretive programs.
Educational Programs
The Division provides a variety of educational programs that complement our museums, exhibits, and historic properties. In addition, we provide
educational outreach activities that highlight the people, places, and events of Delaware history.
Exhibits and Special Events
The Division enhances its efforts to educate the public about Delaware history by mounting historically accurate and professionally designed exhibits at our museums and other properties.
In addition, many of our museums participate in special events such as Old Dover Days, A Day in Old New Castle, and the Colonial Faire at the John Dickinson Plantation.
Historic Preservation
The Division works to identify, study, and record Delaware's historic buildings, structures, objects, districts, landscapes, and archaeological sites.
Concurrently, the Division supports awareness activities that educate the public on the importance of preserving and protecting privately owned historic
buildings and archaeological sites, as well as providing information on financial incentives for the preservation of historic buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Horticultural Displays
The Division enhances its educational activities by presenting a variety of horticultural displays that complement the historic nature of our museums and other properties.
These displays include two self-guided tree tours, thematic displays that expand museum exhibit-space to the outdoors, and carefully designed garden beds
that explode in a riot of color and texture throughout the blooming season.
Museums and Historic Properties
The Division operates six museums, each with its own intriguing story to tell about Delaware history. These include:
the New Castle Court House Museum, the First State Heritage Park Welcome Center & Galleries, the John Dickinson Plantation, the Old State House, the Johnson Victrola Museum, and the Zwaanendael Museum.
In addition, the Division maintains over 90 historic properties throughout the state.
State Conference Center
The Division maintains and operates Buena Vista, a historic home that serves as a state conference center. This property has been beautifully restored and is open for use by state agencies, non-profit groups, and corporations. With gracefully furnished interiors and flourishing outdoor gardens, the site offers a peaceful setting for any meeting or function.
