We are fast approaching the end of a second full month of quarantine. This long-term shutdown has forced many historic site to adapt to new ways of operating and engaging audiences. Now, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is following suit with the launch of the new Delaware Digital History Museum.
The online platform provides a number of ways for visitors to engage with Delaware’s history. Visitors can explore digitized objects from the division’s archive ranging form a checkbook to the original Barbie dream house. The museum has posted two digital exhibits: “Flight from Freedom: Emeline’s Story” and “John Dickinson’s Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania.” Along with these features, are videos and virtual tours highlighting the state’s historic sites. For those looking to get crafty, the division has developed museum from home activities and posted recipes from its historic cookbooks.
Division Director Tim Slavin said, “Even though folks can’t visit our State museums right now, the division’s team of historians, interpreters and conservators are still on the job and working to fulfill our mission of preserving Delaware’s heritage and showcasing our state’s historical legacy. We hope that the Delaware Digital History Museum offers a new way for Delawareans to interact with our shared history and learn from it.”
The division’s five historic sites are also sharing material through frequent social media updates.