Delaware has its fair share of unique museums, from the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover to the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes. But one hidden gem you may not have heard of is the Marvel Carriage Museum, located in the small town of Georgetown. With two barns full of exhibits, and multiple historic buildings on site (including a telephone museum!), the little-known Marvel Carriage Museum in Georgetown, Delaware has a lot to offer.
The Marvel Carriage Museum is named after Nutter D. Marvel, who began collecting and restoring carriages in 1926. He eventually restored eighty of them and also collected historic buildings that were relocated to the museum complex. He began opening tours in 1977.
This Hollybrook Dairy carriage, advertising butter, eggs, and cheese on its side, is just one of the historic carriages that speaks of a time long gone. Others include an 1800s era horse-drawn hearse wagon, and a carriage once owned by Walt Disney himself. Wander through these artifacts of the past and imagine a not-so-long-ago world, in which the primary mode of transportation was still by horse.
Hundreds of telephone artifacts fill this tiny museum, which offers a chronological look through the evolution of the telephone. You'll find switchboards, phone booths, and more inside, all telling the story of how the telephone became such a vital part of our everyday lives. There's even a working replica of Alexander Graham Bell's original phone.
One particular highlight for history lovers is the one-room schoolhouse, which even has textbooks inside. Everywhere you look at the Marvel Carriage Museum, you'll find fascinating glimpses into the past.
