DOVER, Del. - The John Dickinson Plantation is opening a new visitor center Saturday, giving visitors a closer look at Delaware's history and the people who helped shape it.
The center features an expanded exhibit gallery with historical artifacts and displays exploring Native American history, the Dickinson family and the wider plantation community, including enslaved people, indentured servants and tradespeople.
Site Supervisor Gloria Henry said the plantation's previous visitor center limited the site's ability to host programs and share its research.
"Our current visitor center is a reproduction of an 18th century feed barn. And so it does limit what we can do," Henry said. "And so this new visitor center allows us to explore more partnerships in the community."
The new space will also allow the plantation to collaborate with more school and community groups. Officials said they have received requests from larger groups they previously could not accommodate.
The facility includes a multipurpose room for educational programs and events, as well as a screened-in pavilion for activities and visitors to enjoy meals.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by Revolutionary Trades Day activities featuring historical demonstrations, hands-on crafts and other activities for all ages.
The new center, located off of Route 1, aims to help visitors connect Delaware's past with the present while sharing the stories of the many people who lived and worked on the plantation.
