Delaware: Wilmington, "DuPont Science and Discovery” – Helmets, Living History, and Ladies’ Fans. The Hagley Muesum’s exhibition “DuPont Science and Discovery” is inspirational – actually science teacher’s dream. The fact is Du Pont Company has invented and produced products that have changed our lives, yet most of us never make the connection. Now it is easy, fun and entertaining to view the accomplishments.

The exhibit "DuPont Science and Discovery" takes a dynamic look at the modern world of DuPont while providing interactive science fun for the entire family. The exhibit begins with a fast-paced orientation film covering 200 years of DuPont Company history. Then, the story of how a gunpowder manufacturer transformed itself into a chemical the company's earliest products after explosives are represented in the exhibit with a 1931 Chevrolet five-window coupe.

The “Easy Does It! How Machines Make Life Easier” is a wonderfully colorful, interactive exhibit which features plenty of hands-on fun. One really neat section of the exhibit allows kids to raise family and friends to new heights with the help of pulleys, while another explains the inner workings of the wheelbarrow, an eggbeater and even a line shaft.

Eleutherian Mills, the first DuPont family home in America was built in 1803. Situated on the crest of the hill, this charming Georgian-style residence offers a beautiful view of the Brandywine River and is full of antiques and memorabilia from five generations of DuPonts. The outside section of the state boasts a restored French-style garden, the pride of E.I. DuPont, who was an avid botanist. Hosted in the house is a exhibition on ladies’ hand fans, spanning the nineteenth and early-twentieth century and varying in design, material, embellishment and style.

Located on the first floor of Henry Clay Mill, "DuPont: The Explosives Era" shows the DuPont Company's first 100 years. Founded in 1802 by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, the company led the explosives industry throughout the nineteenth century. This exhibit's story begins with some du Pont family history, covering their decisions to leave France for America and to start a gunpowder business on the banks of the Brandywine River. By working a puzzle, visitors will gain insight into the factors and challenges E. I. Du Pont had to consider selecting a site. Although he considered land in Maryland and Virginia, it was Wilmington, Delaware that met all of his criteria. The property was purchased in the spring of 1802 and du Pont set to work raising capitol, hiring workers, and building the mills. 

The Hagley Powder Yard is home to massive stone mills, storehouses, and a waterwheel all of which recall the time when waterpower was the source of energy. The millstreams at Hagley still serve as the source of energy for several onsite machines, while exhibits and working models explain the history of the economic and technological expansion of the region and the nation.

For those interested in the people behind the process, Workers’ Hill is a must-see. Costumed interpreters demonstrate late nineteenth century life in the Gibbons House, which was home to powder yard foremen and their families. Also on the site is the Brandywine Manufacturers’ Sunday School which was constructed in 1817, before the state of Delaware began providing public education.

Hagley Museum is located on Route 141 in Wilmington.  1(302) 658-2400 or www.hagley.org