40th Anniversary Exhibit

When the Delaware Museum of Natural History opened on May 13, 1972 as the first major natural history museum in the nation since 1910, our mission was the same as it is today: to inform and excite visitors about the natural world through exploration and discovery. At the time, U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs said, “The Delaware Museum of Natural History will be a magnet. It will attract visitors from across the nation and the world."

We are very excited to share the Museum's rich history with visitors… Show more during our 40th Anniversary. For example, did you know that in 1981, John Glenn, the first astronaut to orbit the Earth, visited the Museum? Glenn spoke with visitors and staff, and got an up-close look at our many exhibits.

It is in the adventurous and curious spirit of Glenn that we invite you to visit the Museum and expand your knowledge of the natural world. With a collection of over 119,000 bird specimens and 250,000 lots of mollusks, the Museum has some of the largest collections in the country.

Come enjoy everything the Museum has to offer and let us share with you our passion for nature and science. The Museum has evolved in many ways over the past 40 years and the experience we offer visitors continues to evolve. We invite you to join us in celebrating the last four decades of exploration and discovery.

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