Hagley’s Museum Collection contains more than 65,000 artifacts. Its beginnings go back to the donation of the DuPont Museum Collection in 1954 which focuses on innovations produced by the company including 19th century improvements in gunpowder and explosives as well as 20th century innovative products such as Pyralin, Cellophane, nylon, Dacron®, Orlon, Kevlar® and more.
The second largest private collection of United States patent models, numbering close to 5,000, reflects 19th century American inventions and innovations. Other collections at Hagley reflect the du Pont family and powder workers who owned, managed and worked at the Hagley site.
Only a small percentage of the collection is on display at any time. If you wish to examine an object listed as not on display, please schedule an appointment at least two weeks in advance in order for staff to pull objects out of storage for the visit.
For questions about the collection, please contact Assistant Curator, Patent Models Chris Cascio at ccascio@hagley.org or (302) 658-2400 est. 375.
For inquiries related to donating objects to the collection, please contact Curator of Collections Caroline Western at cwestern@hagley.org or (302) 658-2400 ext. 308