Dayton, Ohio: Museums, Parks & Dining

• What is the Dayton Art Institute?
  • The Dayton Art Institute is a fine art museum located in downtown Dayton.
• When was the museum founded?
  • The museum was founded in 1919.
• When was the current museum building constructed?
  • The building that houses the collection was built in 1930.
• What is the architectural style of the Dayton Art Institute?
  • The museum was modeled after a famous Italian Renaissance structure in Rome.
  • It features detailed architecture and immaculate grounds.
• How large is the collection at the Dayton Art Institute?
  • The collection consists of over 20,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years.
• What types of art are displayed at the museum?
  • The museum houses a variety of permanent displays, including:
    • 17th-century Baroque pieces
    • Asian artwork
    • 18th- and 19th-century American art
    • Contemporary art
• Does the Dayton Art Institute host temporary exhibits?
  • Yes, the museum hosts a series of short-term and traveling exhibits throughout the year.

456 Belmonte Park N, Dayton, OH, Phone: 937-223-4278

• What is the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force?
  • The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is the official museum of the United States Air Force.
  • It is located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
• How large is the museum's collection?
  • The museum contains one of the world’s largest collections, featuring nearly 400 missiles and aircraft on display.
• What are some of the museum’s highlights?
  • The collection includes technologically and historically significant aircraft and memorabilia.
  • Notable exhibits include:
    • The only surviving XB-70 Valkyrie
    • The B-36s
    • Bockscar, the B-29 Superfortress responsible for dropping the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan during World War II
• What permanent exhibits are featured at the museum?
  • The museum includes several compelling permanent exhibits, such as:
    • A presidential aircraft section
    • A display of uniforms and clothing
    • Exhibits on the pioneers of flight

1100 Spaatz St, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-255-3286

• What is Carillon Historical Park?
  • Carillon Historical Park is a 65-acre urban green space that is home to several historic structures and interpretive displays on the history of the city of Dayton and its earliest residents.
• What attractions are inside the park?
  • The park contains a series of educational centers, including the Kettering Family Education Center, the Wright Brothers’ Aviation Center, and a center of Settlement Exhibits, which includes the oldest building in Dayton, a heritage schoolhouse, and a 19th-century stone cottage. If you are wondering what to do in Dayton, Ohio with kids, this is a great place to visit.
• What historical inventions can be seen at the park?
  • Additionally, a Center for Invention and Industry is on site, featuring locally developed inventions, including the first Frigidaire refrigerator, a 1930s print shop, an automobile electric system, and the Liberty aircraft engine.

• Who are the Dayton Dragons?
  • The Dragons are Dayton’s local minor league baseball team, who call the Day Air Ballpark their home base. The Dragons are a local favorite and currently hold the record for setting the most consecutive sold-out professional games – over 800.
• Why are tickets to Dayton Dragons games so popular?
  • Tickets to watch the Dragons play are considered a hot commodity, and the games are festive, high-energy, and customer-oriented.
• What is special about Day Air Ballpark?
  • The field the team plays at, Day Air Ballpark, is also a common site of the Midwest League All-Star Games.

220 North Patterson Blvd, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-228-BATS

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

• What is the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery?
  • The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is Dayton’s local children’s museum. Science is the emphasis of the museum, and its permanent collection includes a large natural history collection, a live animal sanctuary, an aquarium, a planetarium, and the museum’s sister site, SunWatch Indian Village.
• What makes the Boonshoft Museum unique?
  • The expansive campus is unique to Dayton, offering the only facilities of its kind in the city. The museum’s permanent exhibits include highlights such as an Egyptian mummy, an interactive solar system tour, and a 68-inch suspended globe that illustrates a variety of global dynamics including animal migrations and current air traffic.
• What other exhibits are at the museum?
  • Other displays include a tidal pool with live seawater creatures, a fully enclosed treehouse, and a zoo, which features creatures native to Ohio.

2600 Deweese Pkwy, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-275-7431

• What is America’s Packard Museum?
  • America's Packard Museum is housed in a restored Packard dealership, which displays classic twentieth-century Packards, along with historic memorabilia and artifacts pertaining to the Packard line.
• What makes this museum unique?
  • It is the world’s only restored Packard museum, and visitors can experience the automobiles while learning more about this distinct brand.
• What events are hosted at America’s Packard Museum?
  • The museum hosts annual events and gatherings throughout the year, ranging from high-end cocktail parties and galas to laid-back speaker presentations and workshops.

420 S Ludlow St, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-226-1710

• What is Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park?
  • Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park is a historical memorial park commemorating three historically significant American figures and their impact on the Miami Valley.
• Who are the figures honored at the park?
  • The park honors Orville Wright, Wilbur Wright, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. The Wright brothers, both born and raised in Dayton, had their home destroyed in the 1970s, and their last remaining bicycle shop was moved to Greenfield Village, Michigan for display.
• How was the park established?
  • To honor the Wright brothers, the city decided to construct a park in their memory. In the process, they also preserved the original home of Ohio-born poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, a close friend of the Wright brothers.
• What can visitors see at the park?
  • Today, visitors can tour the park, which includes a visitor center, a museum, and several memorials.

16 South Williams Street, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-225-7705

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

• What is the Victoria Theatre?
  • Located in downtown Dayton, the Victoria Theatre is a historic and grand performing arts venue that presents over 300 live performances every year.
• Who performs at the Victoria Theatre?
  • Owned and managed by the Victoria Theatre Association, the shows are performed by a diverse collection of actors and groups, both local and globally on tour.
• What kinds of shows are presented?
  • Throughout the year, shows that cater to families, children, and adults take place. If you are looking for romantic date night ideas, watching a performance at the Victoria Theatre is a great option.
• What are some featured series at the theatre?
  • The shows include a Broadway Series, star attractions, a family series, a discovery series, and a cool films series.

138 N Main St, Dayton, OH 45402, Phone: 937-228-7591

• What is the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center?
  • The Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center is a community-based center designed to host Dayton’s entertainment and performing arts. The center is owned by the Victoria Theatre Association and is located inside what was formerly Rike’s department store.
• What performances take place at the Schuster Center?
  • The Dayton Philharmonic, the Dayton Ballet, and the Dayton Opera all perform at this location, along with a variety of other seasonal and traveling acts.
• What other amenities are at the Schuster Center?
  • Aside from the arts center, the Schuster Center also contains a number of restaurants, a winter garden, and several condos and offices.
• How can I find upcoming performances?
  • For a list of upcoming performances, the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center website features an events calendar. If you are looking for things to do in Dayton, Ohio today, watching a performance at the Schuster Center is a great option.

1 W 2nd St, Dayton, OH 45402, Phone: 937-228-7591

• What is the National Aviation Hall of Fame?
  • The National Aviation Hall of Fame, located at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s National Museum of the United States Air Force, features an expansive gallery outlining the country’s aviation pioneers. Its goal is to create a memorial to honor these individuals' contributions and to educate and inspire the public.
• What is the Hall’s Learning Center?
  • The Hall’s learning center is a comprehensive educational center with seven major sections dedicated to informing the public about the accomplishments of those enshrined and the transformation of aviation history.
• What are the seven sections of the Learning Center?
  • The seven sections include:
    • The Enshrine Lab
    • The History of Early Flight
    • The First World War
    • The Golden Age of Flight
    • World War Two
    • The Jet Age
    • Into Space
• What interactive experiences are available?
  • In each section, hands-on activities and interpretive information are available for visitors to become more involved with the content.

1100 Spaatz St, Dayton, Ohio, Phone: 937-256-0944