Lying amidst rolling sand dunes, on a high bank overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, is the Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area. The central features of the museum include Battery 519, six barracks buildings, a fire control tower, an orientation building, and the Fort Miles Artillery Park.

With more than 2,300 soldiers stationed on high alert, the heavy guns, mine fields and searchlights of Fort Miles defended the vital trade centers of Wilmington, Philadelphia, and beyond. Huge guns, both above and underground, were designed to defend against the powerful German navy. As the Cold War began the role of Fort Miles shifted to highly classified missions, including the development of new weapons technology, and listening for Soviet submarines.

The Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area connects visitors to this history through guided tours, self-guided exhibits, special events and more.

Museum exhibits and artifacts within Battery 519, a 15,000-square-foot fortified underground bunker, bring to life Delaware’s wartime stories. The Museum’s collection provides visitors a unique opportunity to experience first-hand how technology from an earlier day was used to defend the homeland.

Current exhibits include: the Civil Air Patrol, the U.S.S. Arizona Relic, Stories of the 261st Coast Artillery, Civilian Service and the 21st Mine Planters, and the artwork of the Battery 519 Gallery.