Located neatly between activities like boating on the Pocomoke and hiking the cypress trails, Delmarva Discovery Center is the newest educational interactive museum highlighting points in the peninsula's history. From ancient to modern days, this is the place to go to see the story of Delmarva. With explorations like their life-size beaver-lodge exhibit, replica Native American wigwam, bird carvings by world-famous Ernie Muehlmatt (see this man's work; it's phenomenal!), and a 6,000 gallon aquarium recreating the underwater environment of the Pocomoke River, you're sure to come out learning a lot about the peninsula we love so much.

It's a wonder if many people know that 12,000-24,000 years ago, Delmarva used to be a highland, quite different from the marsh it is now. The water level during that time was much lower, as much as several hundred feet. This was the high time of the same Native American civilization encountered by John Smith when he traveled up the Nanticoke River. Who knows what Delmarva will be like in another 12,000 years?

In the aquarium you can see up-close the peculiar fish that swim the waters in these parts. Sharp-toothed and freaky, the longnose gar swimming the tank were much less dangerous than they look. Meanwhile, there were also several Atlantic sturgeons flitting around the artificial environment. Sturgeons, living to be 80 years old and 8-12 ft. long, are on the endangered species list due to over-harvesting of their eggs for caviar. The ones in this tank were only two years old and will be released when they grow older (and bigger).

With the best of natural and cultural and cultural history, don't miss out on a truly unique experience at the Delmarva Discovery Center!

Written by Erik Yount. Photography by Errol Webber.