February can be kind of a drag for folks who crave warm sun and lots of activity because towns across the state often go into a sleepy mode, with quieter streets and fewer things to do. That said, there are museums that stay open year-round, and still plenty of restaurants that likewise thrive during the winter months.
Last week I spotlighted some of those attractions in New Castle County. This week I’m looking at Kent County and interesting places around Dover. Here are some that I think are particularly enjoyable.
Visit the Delaware State Police Museum
Located on Dupont Highway in Dover, this museum is a fascinating place for everyone who wants to learn more about the role of our state police force in public safety – and for those who love books, films and television shows about law enforcement.
The museum’s Education Center has been designed to show folks how the State Police do their jobs, with details on law enforcement practices, substance abuse prevention, road safety and other topics that are detailed by specially trained trooper and volunteers. The exhibits are fascinating, giving you the opportunity to sit at a simulated 911 command and control console, learn about police vehicles and equipment, understand weapons employed now and in the past, and get a close look at the communications technologies that are so crucial to police work.
While you’re there, you can visit the Delaware State Police Memorial, dedicated to officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for public safety.
It's open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn more at https://dspmuseum.com/index.htm
And the Air Force Museum
As an Air Force vet I’m a big fan of the Air Mobility Command Museum, another Dover attraction with all kinds of exhibits that help you understand the crucial role of the Air Force in national security https://amcmuseum.org/at-the-museum/.
Some of the most impressive exhibits are the aircraft, including the F-106A Delta Dart, from the fighter squadron that was at the base in 1972. It flew as high as 70,000 feet at more than 1,500 mph and carried Falcon missiles and a Genie nuclear rocket.
There’s also a C-131 Samaritan dating back to 1954. It was used primarily by the Air Force for aeromedical casualty evacuation and was equipped to accommodate 27 stretchers.
If you’re interested in WWII history there’s also a C-47A jet from the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron that was immaculately restored to be a centerpiece of a WWII reunion in 1990 that included the pilot who served on D-Day, an aerial engineer and three of the 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers who dropped into the town of St. Mere-Eglise on June 6, 1944 and who were instrumental in liberating it from the Germans.
You can even get a close-up view of the VC-9C that served as Air Force Two and occasionally as Air Force One during the 1970s and 80s.
There are all kinds of other exhibits as well, including one that documents a Korean War airlifts that saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and Operation Vittles, which saved Berlin near the end of WWII.
Visit the Biggs Museum of American Art this week only to see art by the Wyeths
Located on Federal Street in downtown Dover is the Biggs Museum https://www.biggsmuseum.org/exhibitions/. If you go this week, you can learn about three generations of the Wyeth family, featuring works by famed illustrator N.C. Wyeth, his son Andrew Wyeth, and grandson Jamie Lee Wyeths.
This is one of the most famous families to be associated with northern Delaware and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania along with other sites in the Brandywine Valley area and coastal Maine. N.C.’s illustrations were featured in beloved children’s books by Robert Louis Stevenson and Washington Irving, and the fine paintings produced by Andrew and Jamie Lee are renowned for their portrayals of farm and nautical scenes infused with immersive plays of light.
The exhibit – The Wyeths: Three Generations will be viewable up through this weekend, February 18th.
Enjoy a great meal in downtown Dover at the Grey Fox Grille and Public House
Dover has a pretty downtown area where you can tour the State House and other places that make up our state capitol. After strolling through the area consider Saturday or Sunday brunch or dinner on Wednesday through Saturday at the Grey Fox Grille and Public House https://greyfoxgrille.com/ at 140 South State Street. It’s a lovely old building owned by military veterans that specializes in local Delaware cuisine. Its colonial-inspired interior is cozy and its menu https://greyfoxgrille.com/dover-downtown-dover-grey-fox-grille-and-public-house-food-menu is filled with comfort good and seafood that’s perfect for a cold winter day.