Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
Discover how nature connects all of us in the museum’s galleries by exploring dynamic and diverse ecosystems.
Educational programs include summer camps, school tours, community outreach visits, scout activities, and other initiatives.
Above our galleries are millions of scientific specimens serving as a record of biodiversity on Earth and as a resource for scientists worldwide. Our scientists curate and maintain the collections and conduct research.
Paleozone
The new museum includes a dedicated space for the only permanent dinosaur exhibit in Delaware. The focal point of the PaleoZone is a dramatic presentation of creatures that lived right here in the Mid-Atlantic United States during the Cretaceous Period, including skeletons of the fearsome Dryptosaurus dinosaur, the flying “bat lizard” Nyctosaur, and the aquatic giant Mosasaur.
The Skylight Atrium is a bright central space that features bold visual interpretations of the Tree of Life, depicting the evolution of organisms over billions of years and their relationships in increasingly diverse branches. Moveable exhibit cases explore the evolution and natural selection concepts.
The Tree of Life includes the seven kingdoms of life: Animalia, Fungi, Archaea, Bacteria, Chromista, Protozoa, and Plantae. It simplifies the detailed connections between the more than 1.6 million species on Earth, showing representative species from each kingdom. Each branch shows where shared ancestors split apart. Two species are less related if their shared ancestor is farther away. They are more related if their shared ancestor is closer.
Diverse life evolves and adapts to a dynamic Earth. Explore some of the world’s spectacular ecosystems, including shallow, midwater, and deep oceans, the Arctic Tundra, African Savanna, and Tropical Rainforest. Stroll across a giant floor map of the state and explore the diverse ecosystems in the region, including temperate forests, dunes, salt marshes, the bald cypress swamp, and Delaware Bay.
Mission: To investigate nature and science, preserve and interpret our collections, conduct scientific research, and inspire people of all ages to a lifetime of exploration and discovery. The Museum will be a regional leader in experiential nature and science education and outreach and a center for pursuing and distributing knowledge about nature and science. Encouraging our visitors to explore and discover is at the core of what we do, whether through exhibits, events, programs, or connecting with partnering organizations and scientists.
Purpose: To help develop a caring society that respects and values our planet. We strive to communicate the exciting impact of nature and science in our daily lives, inspiring connections to the natural world through equitable, respectful interactions that meet the unique needs of each guest and team member.
The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. As a non-profit institution, DelMNS relies on the generosity of members, donors, and corporate sponsors to sustain high-quality exhibits and educational programs for the community.
Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
4840 Kennett Pike
Wilmington, DE 19807
302-658-9111
info@delmns.org
