Sights, Sounds, and Smells

In this exciting new 90 minute guided walking tour guests experience first-hand the fascinating history of gunpowder; its many applications, especially in the nineteenth century; and the entire process of black powder production from ingredients to packing.  A fascinating walk through the powder yards along the banks of the spectacular Brandywine River demonstrates the DuPont Company’s pioneering influence in the powder making industry, the family’s personal impact with the quality steps they introduced, and the innovative ideas they brought to the process.  Visitors can appreciate the beauty and tranquility of the landscape as it is today and, in contrast, what the property would have looked like in the 1800s during the height of black powder production.  The tour, which sometimes includes walking on uneven ground, ends with an explosive demonstration of black powder in a burning dish and the firing of a signaling cannon.  

$17 fee includes admission to the museum before or after the tour, including dramatic roll mill demonstrations, gunpowder explosions, and the whirring, belt-driven nineteenth-century Machine Shop.

Fifteen to forty people

Offered April 1 through November 30