First State National Historical Park
National Historical Park · DE, PA
Caution · Safety Alert Hazardous Trees in the Brandywine Valley
Numerous trees in the Brandywine Valley are down across the roads and trails due to the recent storm. Please use caution while driving and hiking never walk directly under a tree that is hanging. Park staff is working to improve conditions.
1 noticefrom the National Park Service
Information · Sheriff's House Welcome Center Closed October 10th
The Sheriff’s House Welcome Center will be closed on October 10th. Park staff will be supporting our partners at the John Dickinson Plantation for Revolutionary Trades Day. Join us from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to learn about and experience a variety of 18th-century trades.
More information
Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a distinct character that tolerated diversity in religion and national origin and valued independence.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/frst
- Location
- First State National Historical Park (39.831, -75.564)
Track your visit to First State National Historical Park
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Passport stamp locations
- John Dickinson Plantation Visitor Center
- John Dickinson Plantation Visitor Center
- New Castle Court House Museum
- Old Swedes Church
- Sheriff's House Welcome Center
- The Old State House
Hours
New Castle Court House Museumtoday: 10:00AM - 3:30PM
- Sat Oct 310:00AM - 3:30PM
- Sun Oct 41:30PM - 4:00PM
- Mon Oct 5Closed
- Tue Oct 6Closed
- Wed Oct 710:00AM - 3:30PM
- Thu Oct 810:00AM - 3:30PM
- Fri Oct 910:00AM - 3:30PM
Upcoming closures: Nov 26 (Closed Thanksgiving Day)
The New Castle Court House Museum is open Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Sunday 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tours are available at 10:00 a.m., 11:00a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. During tours, visitors are welcome to check out the waiting area to pick up information, ask questions, or get their passport stamped. The New Castle Court House Museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Old Swedes Historic Sitetoday: 10:00AM - 3:00PM
Visitor centers
1
- Sheriff's House Welcome Centertoday: 9:00AM - 4:30PMDirections
Self-guided tours
3
Connecting the Six Sites8–24 hours · 6 stops
There are many ways you can explore the six sites of First State National Historical Park. This tour will take you on a journey through time, as you discover how the people, places and stories of Delaware are connected across landscapes and legacies.
Industry in the Brandywine Valley1–3 hours · 4 stops
Did you know that the Brandywine Valley was on of the earliest centers of the Industrial Revolution in the United States? From the late 1700s to the mid 1800s, innovators and entrepreneurs working in the Brandywine Valley were at the cutting edge of industrial development. Explore the history of this development and the impacts it had on the nation through this narrated tour.
Slavery and the Underground Railroad in Delaware4–24 hours · 4 stops
This tour is meant to be conducted at your own pace, as the sites mentioned stretch over the length of Delaware. Please be careful when travelling, and make sure to look up the hours and visitor information for each site beforehand. Contact information, hours, and how to make reservations, if they are necessary, can be found both in the First State National Historical Park section of the NPS mobile app and on the Park’s website, at www.nps.gov/frst.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.