WHEN TO GO
Loading…
United StatesSaved
For Delaware’s 250th-anniversary observance, seven artists bring Indigenous histories of the Eastern Woodlands into the present at The Delaware Contemporary.
All times are local to the venue · America/New York
Aug. 7, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027; Wednesday 4–8 p.m.; Thursday–Friday noon–5 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Monday–Tuesday by appointment; First Fridays 5–9 p.m. with free Art Loop entry.
Wood, bone, hide, bead, cloth and reclaimed materials anchor the exhibition’s account of Indigenous making, memory and continuing presence in the Eastern Woodlands.
The Delaware Contemporary presents “We Were Always Here” as part of Delaware’s 250th-anniversary observance. It is paired conceptually with “Our Sun Is Rising — Our Sun Is Setting”; the museum describes the two exhibitions as connected parts of a broader account of the nation and the land on which it was built.
The exhibition places Indigenous histories in a landscape that predates both the country’s founding and Wilmington’s development around the Christina and Brandywine rivers. It names Nanticoke, Lenape and other tribal ties to the region, presenting Indigenous presence as ongoing rather than as a chapter that ended with the nation’s founding.
Further reading: Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
Rebecca Jackson-Square and Denise Bright Dove Dunkley describe an artistic vocabulary that includes wood, bone, hide, bead, cloth and reclaimed materials. Their accompanying text links these media to inherited practices, materials drawn from the earth, knowledge carried within families, and objects given new life after being salvaged.
In this account, making is also a way of holding memory and asserting survival. The exhibition text speaks about shared material histories rather than matching a specific medium to each artist.
Further reading: Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
Rather than treating each contribution as a separate narrative, the exhibition invites visitors to consider the works together as expressions of Indigenous endurance amid generations of disruption and erasure. Its attention to Indigenous lifeways and traditional ecological knowledge reaches toward the future as well: the artists connect that knowledge with stewardship and care for the land.
Further reading: Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
The museum lists hours as Wednesday 4–8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday noon–5 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday visits are by appointment. On First Fridays, the museum is open 5–9 p.m.; it says Art Loop entry is free.
We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · Plan Your Visit — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
The IN Wilmington event listing and venue directory describe admission as free. The museum’s Plan Your Visit page lists general admission at $7 for adults and $5 for seniors, veterans, and students with ID; visitors 18 and under and museum members are free. The sources do not clarify whether the exhibition’s free listing applies on every day. First Friday Art Loop entry is free. For the exhibition-specific terms on other days, call the museum at 302-656-6466.
Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · The Delaware Contemporary - IN Wilmington ↗ · Plan Your Visit — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
Visitors 18 and under are free under the museum’s general admission policy. The museum notes that some exhibitions may include nudity, violence or strong language, but does not say that this exhibition includes any of those.
Plan Your Visit — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · Tours — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
The museum offers customized guided tours for school, community and corporate groups. Guided experiences require at least eight participants and two weeks’ advance notice. Sending a tour request does not confirm a booking; the museum follows up to finalize the schedule.
Tour cancellations must be made at least 48 hours ahead. Groups arriving more than 20 minutes late without contacting the museum may have their tour canceled. School chaperones must stay with students throughout the visit and help staff maintain a respectful, safe environment.
Groups can request accommodations such as a sensory-friendly visit, reduced crowds or other accessibility supports. Studio visits and hands-on workshops may be requested as add-ons; studio visits depend on artist availability, and workshops may have group-size and scheduling requirements.
Set The Delaware Contemporary, 200 S. Madison St., Wilmington, DE 19801, as your destination; the exhibition is in Gallery 5. The directions map can calculate a route from your starting point. The supplied visit information does not list transit routes.
The venue directory lists private and on-street parking. The event listing identifies the Willing Street Parking Lot, about 0.46 mile away; it does not give a parking rate.
Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · The Delaware Contemporary - IN Wilmington ↗
It runs Aug. 7, 2026–Feb. 28, 2027. Regular hours are Wednesday 4–8 p.m., Thursday and Friday noon–5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday visits are by appointment. First Fridays are 5–9 p.m.
We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · Plan Your Visit — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
The event listing and venue directory say it is free, but the museum’s visit page lists general-admission prices. First Friday Art Loop entry is free; call 302-656-6466 to confirm the exhibition’s admission terms on other days.
Exhibit: We Were Always Here - IN Wilmington ↗ · The Delaware Contemporary - IN Wilmington ↗ · Plan Your Visit — The Delaware Contemporary ↗ · We Were Always Here — The Delaware Contemporary ↗
Yes. Guided tours require at least eight participants and two weeks’ advance notice. A request is not a confirmed booking; the museum follows up to finalize scheduling.
200 S. Madison St., Wilmington, DE 19801
Map search by venue and address. Check the organiser’s entrance details before travelling.
Images from the linked sources. Each caption identifies the context of the image.
Event, planning and background information checked 2026-11-07 against the linked sources.