Delaware Museum of Nature & Science
Dinosaurs, live animals, and a discovery room — the best rainy-day museum in NCC for curious kids.
The Quick Version
- • Recently renovated natural history museum with dinosaur fossils, live animals, a discovery room, and rotating exhibits.
- • Indoor museum — great for any weather. The building is a manageable size for young visitors.
- • Free, easy parking right at the door. One of the easiest logistics experiences of any NCC venue.
- • Plan 90 minutes to 2 hours. Enough depth for repeat visits.
Best Ages
3-12
Plan For
90 minutes - 2 hours
Adults
$10
Kids
$9 (ages 3-17)
What to Expect
DMNHS is a mid-sized natural history museum on Kennett Pike in the Greenville area. It went through a significant renovation and feels fresh and well-maintained. The collection spans paleontology (dinosaur fossils and a full-size replica), Delaware wildlife, live animal exhibits, and hands-on science.
The museum is the right size for young families — big enough to be interesting, small enough that you can see everything without exhaustion. The discovery room is the anchor for younger visitors, with hands-on science activities that rotate. The live animal area (turtles, snakes, birds) is always a hit.
It's not a flashy, big-city museum. What it is: a clean, well-run, appropriately-scaled science museum where your preschooler can touch a fossil, watch a turtle, build something, and leave happy in 90 minutes.
Who It's Best For
Preschoolers love the live animals and discovery room. Elementary kids engage with the dinosaur fossils, nature exhibits, and science activities. Kids under 3 can enjoy the discovery room but won't get much from the rest. Tweens find enough here for a solid visit.
Highlights
Dinosaur Gallery
Ages 3+Full-scale dinosaur replicas and real fossils. The centerpiece is hard to miss. Kids who are in a dinosaur phase will need to be pulled away. Touchable fossil specimens add interactivity.
Live Animal Exhibits
All agesTurtles, snakes, birds, and other live animals. Some exhibits allow close-up viewing. Scheduled live animal encounters let kids see animals up close with a handler.
Discovery Room
Ages 2-8Hands-on science area with rotating activities — building, experiments, nature exploration tools. This is where preschoolers will want to camp out.
Delaware Habitats
Ages 5+Exhibits on Delaware's ecosystems — forests, wetlands, coastal areas. Includes mounted specimens and interactive elements. Good for connecting museum learning to what kids see on local nature walks.
What to Skip with Little Ones
- • Rushing through — the museum rewards slow, curious exploration over a quick walkthrough.
- • The reading-heavy informational panels. Little kids engage through the visuals and touchables, not the text.
Logistics
Admission
Adults
$10
Kids
$9 (ages 3-17)
Under
Under 3 free
Affordable for a family museum. Some special exhibits or programs may have an additional fee.
Membership tip: Family membership is $95/yr. Good value if you visit quarterly — it's the kind of museum kids want to revisit.
Getting There
Parking
Free. Large lot directly in front of the building. You park, you walk 30 seconds, you're inside. It's one of the easiest venue experiences in the area.
Entrance
Main entrance from the parking lot. Front desk is right inside — friendly staff, quick admission.
Parent Logistics
Fully accessible single-floor museum. Strollers work fine throughout. Wide hallways and exhibit spaces. Most families with toddlers use the stroller as a base and let kids walk between exhibits.
Clean restrooms near the entrance and in the back of the museum.
Available in the restrooms.
Indoor venue — not applicable.
Food & Snacks
No food on-site. No cafe or food service. There may be a vending machine.
Snack strategy: Pack snacks. There's a small seating area near the entrance. For lunch afterward, the Greenville area has options: Buckley's Tavern (family-friendly pub, 5 minutes away), or head down Kennett Pike toward Centerville or Wilmington.
Pro Tips
- ✓ Ask at the front desk about the live animal encounter schedule — these are short, engaging, and free with admission.
- ✓ The gift shop is well-curated with nature-themed toys and books. Reasonably priced for a museum shop.
- ✓ This is one of the best 'emergency plan' museums in the area. Easy parking, quick in-and-out, and reliably entertaining for under-7s.
- ✓ Check the rotating exhibit before you visit — some temporary exhibits are exceptionally good for kids.
- ✓ Combine with Winterthur (10-minute drive) for a full day: museum in the morning, Enchanted Woods in the afternoon.
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings are quiet. Saturday mornings are busier but manageable. The museum doesn't get overwhelmingly crowded.
Seasonal Notes
Open year-round with consistent indoor exhibits. Special programming during school breaks. The rotating exhibit gallery changes 2-3 times per year — check what's on.
Rainy Day?
Excellent rainy-day option. The entire museum is indoor, parking is right at the door, and you can be inside within 2 minutes of leaving your car. This is a top-3 rainy-day venue in NCC.
While You're in the Area
Winterthur is 10 minutes north on Kennett Pike. Hagley is 10 minutes south. Buckley's Tavern in Centerville is a solid family lunch spot. Delaware Art Museum is a 10-minute drive toward Wilmington.