Plan Your Visit
MUSEUM HOURS
***11 a.m. and 2 p.m. tours will be unavailable on Saturday, October 22. Tours at 12, 1, and 3 p.m. will be offered as usual. We apologize for any inconvenience.
The Read House is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Interior Tours begin on the hour. The last tour begins at 3 p.m.
Exhibit is self-guided during open hours.
Open-Air Tours begin at 12 p.m. on Sundays in July. Tickets available on-site only on a first-come-first-served basis.
Advanced reservations required for groups of 8 or more.
MUSEUM ADMISSION
Admission prices apply to the Interior Tour and Open-Air Tour.
Advanced tickets recommended.
Adults: $10
Seniors (65+)/Students: $8
Members: FREE
Children (5 and under): FREE
Blue Star Military & Families (through Labor Day): FREE
Exhibit Only: $4
Brandywine Passport accepted May 27 - October 31
HOLIDAY HOURS:
Closed Dec. 23 through Jan. 4
Final tours of the season Jan. 5–6
Regular hours resume March 1
Featured...
"OPEN HOUSE: REDISCOVERING THE ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER HOUSE MINIATURE"
Inspired in the 1970s by the Read House and the famous miniature rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago, F. Lytton and Betty Lee Patterson crafted a model to imagine what their own house in New Castle could have looked like 175 years earlier—complete with tiny furnishings by well-known makers.
Visit for a deeper look into how past New Castle homeowners have blended history with modern life, and how that shapes our conversation about history today.
Open House: Rediscovering the Archibald Alexander House Miniature is a self-guided exhibit included in your Read House & Gardens ticket.
GROUP TOURS
The Read House is available by group reservation 7 days a week, subject to availability. For more information please visit:
GARDEN HOURS
The gardens are open daily from dawn until dusk, year-round. Enjoy them at your own pace, free of charge.
Note: We're in the planning phase of a garden renovation campaign! If your visit inspires ideas about what the future of the Read House gardens might look like, we'd love to hear them! Drop us a note at [email protected].
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
We invite you to take photos and videos for personal use while on the grounds. For privacy purposes, please refrain from making any recordings of your guide while on tour.
Professional photography and/or filming (including weddings, graduations, family/holiday portraits, corporate work, etc.) both in the house and on the grounds require the approval of a permit in advance, with fees paid in full prior to the session. Permits are granted at the discretion of the Delaware Historical Society. Please be aware if you appear to be taking photographs and/or filming for professional or commercial use, you may be approached by a member of our staff to confirm prior approval.
Email [email protected] for more information.
