Dollar Days at Hagley Begin in February

CONTACT: Meg Marcozzi, Hagley Museum and Library Marketing Manager

                     (302) 658-2400, ext. 238    mmarcozzi@hagley.org

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ONE DOLLAR FOR ONE GREAT MUSEUM!

            Wilmington, Delaware – February and March 2012 – Admission to Hagley Museum and Library is $1 on Saturdays in February and March. Families can explore Hagley’s current exhibit “An Oath of Allegiance to the Republic: The du Ponts and the Civil War,” explore demonstrations in the Powder Yard, tour the du Pont ancestral home, or enjoy the riverside landscape – for just one dollar. Use Hagley’s main entrance off Route 141 in Wilmington, Delaware.

            “Once you’ve experienced Hagley, you’ll want to become more involved,” says Hagley Executive Director Geoff Halfpenny. “Consider a family membership and enjoy Hagley for free throughout the year.”

About the Exhibit

            The DuPont Company produced almost half of the gunpowder purchased for use by the Union forces during the Civil War. Hagley’s exhibit, “An Oath of Allegiance to the Republic: The du Ponts and the Civil War,” explores the roles played by several du Pont family members, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., and the local community in response to the Civil War. It also delves into their involvement at the state, national, and international levels in resolving the most devastating conflict Americans have ever seen. On Saturdays in the months of February and March, you can see this exhibit for only $1, or for free if you are a member.

The Visitor Center and Hands-on Exhibits

            A stop at Hagley’s visitor center will set the scene for a trip to the entire museum, included in your $1 admission. Exhibits and dioramas document the Brandywine Valley’s early eras, and history of the DuPont Company. In the exhibit “DuPont Science and Discovery,” visitors are welcome to sit in a replica of Jeff Gordon’s #24 DuPont NASCAR, have a close encounter with a space shuttle suit, watch and wonder about the “happy and sad balls,” pick out the polymers and so much more.

Powder Yard

            Also included for $1 is the chance to walk along the Brandywine to see how water power was used to run the mills. Stops include a line shaft, dam, millrace, and a restored nineteenth-century machine shop. Learn how gunpowder was tested using a device called an eprouvette – it is an explosive experience!

            Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves, and interprets the unfolding history of American enterprise. The museum is located off Route 141 in Wilmington,Delaware. Call (302) 658-2400 weekdays for more information or visit www.hagley.org.

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