The Old State House, the John Dickinson Plantation and Hangar 1301 represent very different chapters in Dover’s history. The city also offers art, a historic walking tour program and a motor speedway with a distinctive track layout. For planning, it’s important to know that tours and visitor hours vary by location. Checking the specific visiting conditions can help you choose the right priorities for your travel days.
State History and Tours
Built in 1791, the Old State House served as Delaware’s Capitol until 1933. The building includes an 18th-century-style courtroom and the former chambers of the state legislature. Public tours are offered Wednesday through Saturday at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00. Since tour times can change, check the schedule before your trip.
The State Capitol has its own visitor hours: it is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 to 16:30, except on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Guided tours are also available; check the latest information before your visit. This means the opportunities to visit the State Capitol differ from the scheduled tour times at the Old State House. If you’d like to include both in your trip, compare their respective days and time slots rather than treating the locations as a single program.
Plantation History and Historical Perspectives
The John Dickinson Plantation offers another perspective on Delaware’s history. It was John Dickinson’s childhood home; he lived there from the age of eight to 18. The plantation also tells the stories of tenant farmers, indentured servants, and free and enslaved Black people who were connected to it. This historical account therefore encompasses not only Dickinson’s biography but also the different life stories associated with the plantation.
Guided tours of the mansion are offered Thursday through Saturday at 10:30, 11:30, 13:30, 14:30 and 15:30. These days differ from the tour schedule at the Old State House; comparing them can help you plan your visits. Since tour schedules can change, check the times before your trip.
At First State Heritage Park, visitors can walk through Dover’s Historic Green with historical interpreters dressed in 18th-century clothing and learn about the lives of the people who lived there over three centuries. The John Bell House offers another perspective on architecture: dating from the mid-18th century, it is considered Dover’s oldest timber-frame building and is an example of early Chesapeake-region and Delaware architecture. The house serves as an interpretive center for First State Heritage Park.
Art, Exhibitions and Local Information
The Biggs Museum of American Art places its collection along a timeline from 1700 to the present. The First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries offers exhibitions as well as detailed information about local and statewide attractions, events and activities. The two offer different things: the Biggs Museum focuses on placing an art collection in its historical context, while the Welcome Center provides information to help visitors find attractions and activities.
Aviation History and Visitor Information
During World War II, Hangar 1301 was used for secret missile development at what was then Dover Army Airfield. It later became the home of the Air Mobility Command Museum. Access to this museum is only through its museum gate on Route 9, not through Dover Air Force Base. Keep this specific access requirement in mind when planning your route.
The Johnson Victrola Museum covers the history of the Victor Talking Machine Company and the development of the sound recording industry. Visitor information dated September 5, 2026, reported a closure for renovations and listed fall 2026 as the planned reopening period. Check the latest status before visiting.
Motorsports as Another Highlight
Dover Motor Speedway has welcomed motorsports fans, concertgoers and visitors from across the country for more than 50 years. Its concrete oval is one mile long, with 24-degree banking in the turns. These track specifications give the speedway a distinctly different character from the historic sites and museums. If motorsports interest you, it can be a separate focus of your Dover trip; information about the track and its long history of hosting visitors does not promise a specific event date.
More Destinations
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