Hagley Museum

Located on 235 acres along the banks of the Brandywine River, Hagley is the site of the gunpowder works founded by E. I. du Pont in 1802. This example of early American industry includes restored mills, a workers’ hill, and the ancestral home and gardens of the du Pont family.

You will see exhibits and dioramas that document the Brandywine Valley’s early eras, look at the role of explosives in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century life, and provide an interactive tour of the DuPont Company’s history. A tour of the Powder Yard offers an in-depth look at the making of gunpowder. A restored machine shop brings you into the din of old metal-working tools operating with shirring belts and grinding wheels. Machinists explain what they do while they work. Workers’ Hill focuses on the social and family history of the workers who operated the powder mill. Costumed workers show what home life was like and a charming schoolhouse is part of the picture.

A highlight of the tour is the first du Pont family home built in America in a charming Georgian-style residence furnished with antiques, artwork and memorabilia from five generations of family. The Restored Garden is planted with flowers, herbs and vegetables in a traditional French style. The First Office of the DuPont Company is also located here with artifacts from the company’s earliest presidents.

The museum is open mid-March through December daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Winter hours are January through mid-March open weekends 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Guided tours on weekdays at 1:30 p.m. Admission fee. The Berlin House Restaurant serves lunch and snacks from mid-March through November.