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Visiting Hours For Both Locations
Spotlight Events

Dayton Society of Natural History

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

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FAQ's & Information for your visit
Upcoming Events

Calendar Events

9:30 Toddler Exploration
Kid’s Park
11:00am – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
11:30am – Do Lab
Do Lab
1:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science on a Sphere
Science on a Sphere
2:00pm – Indoor Fireworks!
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00 – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do Lab

9:30am – Toddler Exploration
Kid’s Park
11:30am – Science Theater Program
Science Theater
12:00pm – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:00pm – Indoor Fireworks!
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science Theater 
Science Theater
2:00 – Collection Encounter
Discovery Table
2:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00pm – SpacePark 360
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do Lab
4:00pm – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater

1:00pm – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science Theater Program
Science Theater
2:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00pm – Indoor Fireworks!
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do-Lab
4:00pm – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater

9:30 Toddler Exploration
Kid’s Park
11:00am – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
11:30am – Do Lab
Do Lab
1:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science on a Sphere
Science on a Sphere
2:00pm – Indoor Fireworks!
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00 – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do Lab

9:30 Toddler Exploration
Kid’s Park
11:00am – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
11:30am – Do Lab
Do Lab
1:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science on a Sphere
Science on a Sphere
2:00pm – SpacePark 360
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00 – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do Lab

9:30am – Toddler Exploration
Kid’s Park
11:30am – Science Theater Program
Science Theater
12:00pm – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:00pm – Earth, Moon, and Sun
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science Theater Program 
Science Theater
2:00 – Collection Encounter
Discovery Table
2:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00pm – SpacePark 360
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do Lab
4:00pm – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater

1:00pm – One World, One Sky: Sesame Street
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
1:30pm – Science Theater Program
Science Theater
2:00pm – The Sky Tonight (Live Show)
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
2:30pm – Keeper Talk
Vet Hospital Stage
3:00pm – SpacePark 360
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater
3:30pm – Do Lab
Do-Lab
4:00pm – Flying Monsters
Caryl D. Philips Space Theater

We are excited to announce the return of our Pink Floyd Laser Light Shows during our Red, White, and Boonshoft weekend long celebration!
 
We will have a FREE Live show followed by our Indoor Fireworks Show to kick off the night at 7:00pm. This portion is open to the public and no ticket is required.
 
The Pink Floyd Shows will be by registration only and require a ticket!
Tickets are $10 per person, per show. 
 
Tickets are on sale now and the showtimes are as follows:
 
7:00pm – FREE Live Sky Show followed by our Indoor Fireworks show (30-45 minutes, all ages and open to the public)
 
8:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon
9:00pm – Dark Side of the Rainbow
10:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon (again).
Follow the link to get your tickets!
https://dsnh.regfox.com/pink-floyd-july-2022

During your visit at the museum, we encourage you to hop into one of our exciting public programs! These programs invite visitors to learn about a variety of topics around the museum, and they are not only educational, but fun and engaging! Whether you like chemistry, astronomy, biology, or just want to be surprised, we have something for all ages!

For an overview of certain public programs we offer throughout the year.  Click To Visit our Public Programs Page 

WE ARE OPEN!

Monday – Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Admission

Children (3-17) $11.50
Adults $14.50
Seniors (60+) $12.50
Children (under 3) Free
DSNH Members are FREE
  Remember! Members must present ID with their membership card during every visit.

  • The Boonshoft Museum is committed to providing a safe environment for all guests; children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (18+) at all times.
  • The Boonshoft Museum accepts cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, AMEX, and personal checks with proper ID

Museum Store

Check out our Museum Store
Read More about our History

Our Humble Beginnings

The Dayton Museum of Natural History began in 1893 as a part of the Dayton Public Library and Museum. Over the years, collections gathered by prominent Dayton citizens on their trips around the world were contributed to the museum. Local natural history collections were also contributed.

  • 1913 Floor - The collection was on the second floor of the library
  • 1921 - the library moved the Museum into the nearby Steely Building located at the corner of 2nd and Ludlow.
  • 1927 - The Museum moved back to the library into the newly constructed Library Annex.
  • List Item

* The Dayton Society of Natural History is the parent organization of the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and its sister organization, SunWatch Indian Village – a museum of the area’s 12th century Fort Ancient Native Americans.

Come see all we have to offer

The Boonshoft museum of Discovery and SunWatch Indian village have much to offer.

Such a fun experience for the little ones!! Not only are allowed to just be kids and play, everything they touch is educational! We will definitely be coming back!
Alaina Robinson
Great place for kids and adults, lots of interesting and educational exhibits, hands-on activities for children of all ages. All in a beautiful setting with a planetarium, and even a live animal area.
Valerie Fidder
Had a great time here very clean and lots for kids to do!.
Destiny Jade

Join us Saturday, June 25, for a whole day of family-friendly fun at SunWatch Indian Village and Archaeological Park.

Admission:
$2.50 | DSNH Members
$5 | Nonmembers
(2 and Under FREE)

This event will feature over 30 local vendors selling handmade arts and crafts, Smokin Inferno BBQ Truck, I Heart Ice Cream Food Truck, educational programming about the site, activities from community partners, and more!

 
The event runs from 9am-5pm.
 
 
SunWatch Summer Fest proceeds help raise money toward an NEH Grant Match. 

Location

SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park located at:

2301 W River Rd.
Dayton, OH 45417

We are excited to announce the return of our Pink Floyd Laser Light Shows during our Red, White, and Boonshoft weekend long celebration!
 
We will have a FREE Live show followed by our Indoor Fireworks Show to kick off the night at 7:00pm. This portion is open to the public and no ticket is required.
 
The Pink Floyd Shows will be by registration only and require a ticket!
Tickets are $10 per person, per show!
 
Tickets are on sale now and the showtimes are as follows:
 
7:00pm – FREE Live Sky Show followed by our Indoor Fireworks show (30-45 minutes, all ages and open to the public)
 
8:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon
9:00pm – Dark Side of the Rainbow
10:00pm – Dark Side of the Moon (again).
Follow the link to get your tickets!
https://dsnh.regfox.com/pink-floyd-july-2022

Location

The Caryl D. Philips Space Theater (Planetarium)

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
2600 DeWeese Pkwy
Dayton, OH 45414

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery proudly announces this year’s annual fundraiser, the Boonshoft EcoBash, to be held on Saturday, August 27, 2022, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Registration is OPEN!

Visit our Events & Activities Page for more information. 

Location

The Boonshoft Museum located at:

2600 DeWeese Pkwy, Dayton, Ohio 45414

Some of our Sponsors

The Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation
Kettering Family Philanthropies
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin G. Bieser, Jr.

The Berry Family Foundation 

See all sponsors

Eco-Eatery

Our brand new Eco-Eatery is NOW OPEN! We are excited to announce that we've added an eco-friendly café to our second floor. Located right outside the Treehouse. Open daily!

Read More

Bieser Room of Wonder

Coming Summer 2022! A complete transformation of the Bieser Discovery Center has begun on the first floor of the museum. The final step in a multi-year project to better display more artifacts from our 1.8 million object collection

Read More

The Bees will Return

Honeybees are coming back to the Boonshoft! Thanks to a sponsorship from Scherzinger Pest Control, the observation beehive in the treehouse will be abuzz by Summer 2022! Honeybees play an invaluable role in our lives through pollinating many agricultural crops and native plants.

Read More

Upgrades at SunWatch

We won the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Grant to help with a multi-year project that has begun the construction phase in 2022. Through a matching grant for capital improvements by the National Endowment for the Humanities, we are making some much needed updates to the SunWatch Interpretive Center!

Read More

It takes a village - and every little bit helps!

Every dollar we receive will go toward our NEH Matching Grant that will help us make SunWatch more accessible. This will allow us to engage and inspire even more families in our community by providing high-quality, interactive educational opportunities that enrich the lives of children and adults.

See more about SunWatch

Send us a message

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