Exhibits at Zwaanendael Museum depict the history of Sussex County and Lewes, Delaware, settled by the Dutch in 1631. Artifacts relating to that ill-fated settlement and to the British bombardment of Lewes in the War of 1812 are featured, as are displays pertaining to the old Cape Henlopen Lighthouse and the shipwrecked H.M.S. DeBraak. The area's political and military history are related in displays of uniforms and weapons of local militiamen. Three centuries of navigation off Cape Henlopen are remembered with artifacts gathered from explorers and privateers pursuing trade and treasure off local shores. The museum building, highlighted by an ornamental gable with carved stonework, is adapted from the old town hall in Hoorn, Holland. It was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the first European settlement in Delaware. Other exhibits include seasonal displays, glassware, ceramics, and decorative arts of the 18th and 19th centuries once owned by Sussex Countians.
