A full fall schedule starts Sept. 1 at Delaware museums

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs announces its September calendar of activities at Delaware's six museums. Except for lecture/tours of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak, admission for all programs is free and open to the public. Highlights include the following, by date.

On Saturday, Sept. 6, using the exhibit An Illegal Activity: The Underground Railroad in Delaware as a backdrop, guided tours will explore Delaware’s crucial role in the Underground Railroad and focus on two Delaware leaders at  First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries, Delaware Public Archives building, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. Tours start at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Museum is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call 302-744-5055 for more information.

Also Sept. 1, in “The Test of Time: The Relationship Between the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware and the Swedish Royal Family,” elected Chief Dennis Coker discusses the rekindling of that relationship after 300 years and the advancements made by both communities. Program takes place at 1 p.m. in The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Museum is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call 302-744-5055.

Several September events commemorate the history and contributions of Delaware's Native Americans. At 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 6, in The Old State House, Delaware’s Native People and Archaeological Study examines Native American artifacts from the collections of the State of Delaware and how those artifacts interpret the rich culture of the first residents of the First State.

Lecture/tours of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak take place Monday, Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29. The program explores the history of the DeBraak, which was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast May 25, 1798. It includes a trip to the hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for a tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull. Location is Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Programs start at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. There is limited seating. Admission is $10 in advance by reservation through www.shopdelaware.gov. For more information, call 302-645-1148.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Old State House,The First People of the First State: A Lenape Celebration of Heritage, features the Lenape Tribe as they honor Mother Earth and their culture.

Also at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 20, at The Old State House, a panel discussion, Lost and Found: Native American Identity in Delaware's Public Schools, examines the challenges Delaware's Native American students faced during segregation and subsequent integration.

“Surviving Invasion: The First People of the First State,” a 1 p.m. lecture Saturday, Sept. 27, at The Old State House will explore Delaware’s Native American communities of the past and present.

The Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes will hold a Native American-themed program at 2 p.m, Saturday, Sept. 27, when archaeologist Dan Griffith presents “Capt. John Smith and his Encounter with the Nanticoke Indians.” Griffith will explore the natural environment of the Nanticoke River watershed in the early 17th century with a focus on the indigenous Nanticoke Indians and their encounter with Smith. Zwaanendael Museum is lat 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; 302-645-1148.

Go to www.history.delaware.gov for information about other events.