Hagley Membership can pay for itself by your second visit. Membership at all levels supports Hagley Museum and Library’s year-round family programs, our 235-acre site along the Brandywine River, as well as supports our world-renowned collections!
See below for a complete list of member benefits to help you choose the right membership for you and/or your family.
Hagley encourages our members to take advantage of your free museum admission by walking on Hagley’s gorgeous property! The Historic Home and Garden area, known as Eleutherian Mills, has a one-mile walking loop. From there, it’s a 1.5-mile loop along the banks of the Brandywine from Eleutherian Mills to the Steam Engine at the entrance to the historic DuPont powder yards and back. Along the way, signage highlights historic moments in Hagley’s 200+ year history. For your safety and ours, check in with our Visitor Service Assistants at our ticketing location so that we know we have guests out and about the property. Park benches and picnic tables are available throughout the property for taking a rest break and enjoying the views. You can also enjoy tours of the historic du Pont family home and gardens, demonstrations of 19th Century machinery, and more during your visit. We will continue to keep our members up to date on new and expanded walking opportunities through our weekly member communications. Another great reason to share your email with the membership office!
The Hagley Store is open during regular museum hours. Members can visit the store next to the Visitor Center and can also look for the store’s pop-up shop at special events. Individual, Scholar, Dual and Household members receive a 10% discount throughout the year. Patron and Sponsor members receive a 15% discount, and Benefactor and Contributor members receive a 20% discount. Remember to show your current membership card at the register to receive your discount. The museum store’s annual members shopping week is held in November and offers 20% off to all our members on regularly priced items.
Hagley's annual fireworks show has been called "The Best Fireworks In Delaware." This members-only event is held each year, two Fridays in mid-June. It is a spectacular evening of family fun for a reasonable price. Members can bring a picnic dinner or purchase food at Hagley to enjoy before the display of spectacular pyrotechnics.
Buck Road gates open at 5 p.m., the show begins at approximately 9:20 p.m.
Fireworks is weather-dependent event, with postponement the following Saturdays and Sundays.
Attendance is by reservation only, with ticket sales limited to Hagley Members. Requests will be filled in order of receipt. All active members, as of April 1, receive a Fireworks invitation in the mail in mid-April. Approximately 3 business days after receiving a paper invitation, members with active email addresses will receive an email invitation with a link to purchase tickets online.
Getting the Most out of Fireworks
• What to wear? Think corporate casual; however, blue jeans, khakis, shorts, and t-shirts are acceptable.
• A raffle and silent auction of fun prizes is held on both fireworks evenings. Remember to bring address labels. They make filling out your raffle tickets fast and easy. Hagley offers pre=printed raffle tickets that can be ordered with your event tickets.
• There are several dining options. You may bring your own picnic, enjoy the food court with a variety of vendors, or pre-order a picnic that will be waiting for you when you arrive. Visit Hagley.org/fireworks for details.
• For the safety of all guests, no flames, grills, tents, torches, pets, sparklers, open flames, drones, or fireworks are permitted. Feel free to bring blankets, chairs, and coolers. Consider bringing a flashlight to light your way when you leave the field.
• The Hagley Store will offer a variety of fun, glow-in-the dark items.
• Kid Central is open from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with bounce-arounds and kids’ activities.
• Smoking is not permitted in the viewing field. The smoking area is near the greenhouse.
• Please remember to leave your family pets at home. This is not a pet-friendly event.
Bad Weather Plans
If the event is moved to a bad weather date, tickets are not refundable. Please be aware of our alternative dates and make your plans accordingly.
Hagley must decide early in the day to go forward or postpone fireworks. The weather forecast for the entire weekend is taken into account. Once the decision is made, fireworks is a rain or shine event, but may be canceled during heavy rain, high winds, or thunderstorms at show time.
Check Hagley's home page on Friday mornings of the event for updates and postponement announcements. If the show is canceled, half of your order will be refunded upon request. Refund requests must be made within two weeks after the show. Tickets are not refundable if you cannot attend the bad weather dates or if heavy rain occurs during the event, not at show time.
Special Parking Needs
The special parking area adjacent to the fireworks field is reserved for use primarily by those who have special parking needs. Capacity is limited and filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Guests with limited mobility or with considerable items may unload in the designated area inside the main parking field.
Hagley Patron, Sponsor, Benefactor, and Contributor members receive reciprocity with museums that participate in the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM).
New for 2025: Hagley Household members receive this benefit, too! NARM has more than 1,390 participating arts, cultural, and historical institutions along with botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos, and more that offer their individual NARM qualified members reciprocal benefits. Benefits include free/member admission price, discounts in the Shop, and discounts on ticketed events at all NARM member organizations. Note that “Family” benefits are specific to each institution.
Click here for a complete list of participating museums.
Please note that NARM privileges do not extend to Hagley members with a home institution within a 15 mile radius. It is always advisable to contact the institution prior to your visit to confirm the reciprocal benefits available and avoid any confusion.
With Hagley’s Smithsonian Affiliate Membership, you get two great memberships in one! Upgrade your one-year membership for $25, a two-year for $50. These benefits are free with Patron, Sponsor, Benefactor and Contributor memberships. Enjoy all the benefits of Hagley membership along with reciprocal membership privileges at Smithsonian-affiliated museums. The Smithsonian Affiliate Reciprocal Membership benefits include free admission for two, member discounts on purchases made on the premises for concert and lecture tickets, and discounts in gift stores.
Click here for a complete listing of the wonderful Smithsonian Affiliate benefits, which include a one-year subscription to Smithsonian magazine, store and travel discounts, and much more!
Click here for a list of Smithsonian Affiliate members.
Please note that not all Affiliate organizations choose to participate in the Reciprocal Membership Program. Please be sure to check the list of participating organizations before visiting an Affiliate.
Hagley members who join at the Household level or above have the opportunity to rent Hagley facilities.
How do I learn about what’s happening at Hagley?
As a Hagley member, you will receive our quarterly award-winning Hagley Magazine which highlights upcoming programs and activities as well as what is new with our collections, property updates, and special events. We highly recommend that you share your email so that you will receive our weekly eblasts about the latest news and can stay current on hours, program updates, and more. You can also visit Hagley's website for the latest information about upcoming events.
Is my membership tax deductible?
The Internal Revenue Service has determined that the deductibility of membership must be reduced by the value of certain benefits. If you do not receive your optional benefits (which can include complimentary guest passes, complimentary fireworks tickets, Smithsonian Magazine, and Hagley Store gift cards), your membership fee is fully tax deductible. If you receive optional benefits, the amount of your membership fee that is tax deductible is listed below:
Membership Level
Contributor- All but $505
Benefactor - All but $315
Sponsor - All but $215
Patron - All but $115
Household - All but $80
Dual - All but $60
Individual/Scholar - All but $40
Can I bring my dog for walks at Hagley?
Hagley always welcomes service dogs. Hagley has created specific pet friendly events for you and your leashed, well socialized dog to enjoy. These events include Bike Hike & Brews Dog Days of Summer (the last Wednesday evening in June, July, and August) and our October Howl-o-ween event.
I have never been to fireworks and want to attend. How do I get tickets?
This exclusive member event, Fireworks at Hagley, is held two weeks in a row mid-June. All active members as of April 1 will receive a mailed invitation to this year’s show with a ticket order form enclosed. The number of tickets you are eligible to purchase is based on your membership level. See our member benefits chart for specific information. Five business days after you receive your mailed invitation, active members who have shared their email with us, will receive an email with a link to purchase tickets online through our website portal. Exceptions to the email option are members at the Sponsor, Benefactor, and Contributor, levels who have the opportunity to receive complimentary tickets based on their level of support.
Can I get a digital card in place of a printed membership card?
We hope this option will be available in the future!
Is food available on site? Can I picnic at Hagley?
There is a limited selection of vending machine options at Hagley located behind the barn in the Historic Home and Garden area. Since many guests spend a few hours to fully enjoy their Hagley experience, outside food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome at Hagley. Picnic tables are located throughout the property including at the lower level of the barn in the Historic Home and Garden area, near the Machine Shop in the historic powder yard, and at the pavilion on Workers’ Hill.
What is Hagley’s Powder Keg Kids Club and how can I sign up my children or grandchildren?
If you join at the Household level or above, your children or grandchildren, ten years of age and younger, can join our Powder Keg Kids Club. Simply add their names to your membership when you join or call the membership office and ask to have your children/grandchildren added to your membership. Throughout the year children can participate in hands-on science programs at Science Saturdays, Invention Convention, attend our Summer Camp programs, and more.
Is there anything we missed?
Contact Kim Kelleher at kkelleher@hagley.org or (302) 658-2400, ext. 235.
