ATTRACTIONS
As the birthplace of aviation, our town is best known for the Wright Brothers, which means there are lots of aviation-related attractions to explore. On the top of the list is the National Museum of the United States Air Force, filled with galleries of military history, more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of historical items. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, the museum has free admission. It’s located at 1100 Spaatz St. at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. For directions and more information, call (937) 255-3286 or visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/.
If you're a history buff, visit Carillon Historical Park, just across the river from the University of Dayton arena at 1000 Carillon Blvd. Exhibits at the 65-acre campus include the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, a 1835 B&O (Grasshopper) steam locomotive, the first automobile self-starter and a display of historic cash registers from NCR. The park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 3-17. Children younger than 3 are free.
Not far away is a tribute to the Wright brothers — The Wright Cycle Company complex. It's located west of downtown Dayton at 16 S. Williams St. and includes an interpretive center.
Dayton is a city known for many other inventions as well. Learn about some of those at the Inventor's Walk at Riverscape on Monument Avenue downtown. To learn more about the stations, pick up a brochure at Five Rivers MetroParks, 224 N. St. Clair St. in downtown Dayton or visit www.metroparks.org/Parks/Riverscape/Riverwalk.aspx.
The Dayton Art Institute just across the river, (456 Belmonte Park North), The Neon Movies (130 E. Fifth St. downtown), where independent films are $5 on Tuesdays, and the Dayton Visual Arts Center (DVAC, 118 N. Jefferson St. downtown) featuring work of area artists.
About the Author
