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Rockwood Park & Museum

From its Washington Street Extension entrance, Rockwood is a picturesque 74-acre public park just two miles from Wilmington, Delaware’s city center. Features include a picnic grove, festival grounds, urban wildlife habitat, pet-friendly parkland, and some of Delaware’s best walking paths - linking to the Northern Delaware Greenway.

Pass the entrance gates and the park transforms into one of the area’s oldest and grandest country estates. This collection of historic farmlands, now a forested retreat, is crowned with a six-acre fantasy garden and one of America’s finest Gothic Revival mansions. Conceived and built by Joseph Shipley in the 1850s, Rockwood Park & Museum was designed to reflect his love of exotic horticulture, fine arts and antiques, fashionable architecture, and English gardens and has changed very little in 170 years.

Today, the museum and heritage garden reveal highlights of Rockwood’s storied past through guided and self-guided tours of its glamorous owners, historic house design, multi-generational art collections from around the globe, diverse workforce, botanical collections, and even its paranormal activity! In addition, Rockwood offers signature festivals as well as wellness, family, fine art, nature, and performing art programs year-round. The Carriage House at Rockwood Park now hosts one of the area’s premier private event venues.

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Events

Winter Lights: Evening Concerts at Rockwood

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 5–6

Holiday Open House

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 5–6

Linocut Workshop-for Adults

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 6–13

Rockwood Book Club

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 10, 2025 – February 4, 2026

Lecture: “Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge like it”: Where Victorian Ghost Stories and Film Analysis Meet

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Sunday, December 14

Bespoke Tours

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 14, 2025 – February 8, 2026

Couch Potato: Movies and Games Night in the Museum

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 19, 2025 – February 20, 2026

A Child’s Christmas in Wales & poetry for the holiday season

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, December 20

Poetry At Rockwood: A Child’s Christmas in Wales and Other Holiday Poems

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, December 20

Below the Stairs and In the Attics: The Servants’ Tour

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • December 28, 2025 – February 22, 2026

New Years Day Hike

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Thursday, January 1, 2026

Winter Watercolor for Kids

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • January 10–17, 2026

Winter Watercolor-for Adults

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • January 10–17, 2026

Paranormal Experience

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • January 10 – February 7, 2026

Rockwood on the Rocks: Winter Warmers

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, January 17, 2026

Poetry At Rockwood: Night and Day

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, January 24, 2026

Victorian Paper Collage Cards-for Adults

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • February 7–21, 2026

If Kids Ran the Museum – Seeking New Junior Guides

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • February 8–22, 2026

Victorian Paper Collage Cards for Kids

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, February 21, 2026

One Dame Anniversary Special

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Friday, February 27, 2026

Extended Evening with the Spirits of Rockwood

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Saturday, February 28, 2026

Holiday Open House Exhibition: Winter Wonderland

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through January 11, 2026

From Candlelight to Electrical Current: A Century of Lighting at Rockwood

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through January 4, 2026

Rockwood Game Night

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through January 22, 2026

Bespoke Tours at Rockwood Museum

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through December 14

Visionary Peace Youth Art Exhibition

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through January 4, 2026

Visionary Peace Youth Art Exhibition

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through January 4, 2026

If Kids Ran the Museum-SEEKING NEW JUNIOR GUIDES!

  • Rockwood Park & Museum
  • Through November 30

Plan Your Visit

Address

Rockwood Park & Museum
4651 Washington St. Extension
Wilmington, DE 19805

Admission

House Tours: $10

Discounted rates:
$8 New Castle County residents
Free with Delaware Libraries Museum Pass
Free for Museum Members
Free for children under six
Free First Sundays of every month
Free in December

Transportation

DART First State Route 11

Parking

Enter Rockwood from the Washington Street Extension entrance, not Shipley Road. Upon entering, visitors will drive through the first of three parking lots. Continue up the hill to find the Carriage House event space (link), entry to the Northern Delaware Greenways Trail (link), and the Rockwood Museum (link to page 19) with their associated parking options.

From I 95 Northbound
• From I-95 take Exit 9 / Marsh Road Exit
• Turn left at the bottom of the ramp, go under I-95 overpass then immediately turn right onto Carr Road
• At stop sign, turn right onto Washington Street Extension
• Go past Shipley Road; Rockwood Park is on the right at 4651 Washington Street Extension

From I 95 Southbound
• From I-95 take Exit 9 / Marsh Road Exit
• From the ramp, turn right onto Carr Road
• At stop sign, turn right onto Washington Street Extension
• Go past Shipley Road; Rockwood Park is on the right at 4651 Washington Street Extension

From I 495
• From I-495, take Exit 4A Governor Printz Boulevard
• From the ramp, turn west onto Edgemoor Road and cross Governor Printz Boulevard
• Follow Edgemoor Road and cross Philadelphia Pike
• Edgemoor becomes Shipley Road after Philadelphia Pike, continue to follow to Washington Street Extension
• Turn left on Washington Street Extension; Rockwood Park is on the left at 4651 Washington Street Extension

From Route 202
• From 202/Concord Ave turn east on Miller Road
• At the end of Miller Road, turn right on Rockwood Road
• Turn left on Washington Street Extension
• Rockwood Park is on the right at 4651 Washington Street Extension

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28 Events Plan Your Visit