The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is a children’s science, technology center, and zoo in Dayton, Ohio, United States, focusing on science and natural history. Exhibits include an extensive natural history collection and maintaining a collection of live animals native to Ohio and abroad. Educational outreach extends to the community by providing in-school programming and special on-site programs. SunWatch Indian Village and Fort Ancient are the sister sites to the museum.
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accredited the museum, which is affiliated with the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). It is a governing member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC). In addition, the museum’s indoor Discovery Zoo is fully accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The museum is the only zoo, aquarium, planetarium, or science center in Dayton, and it also houses the Apollo Observatory, an astronomical observatory operated by the Miami Valley Astronomical Society.
History
In 1991 the museum added a Digistar II Planetarium to its facilities. In March 2013, the Dayton Society of Natural History opened a satellite version of their main museum, called the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery Springfield, in an approximately 4000-square-foot space in the Upper Valley Mall near Springfield, moving to 20,000 square feet in the former Elder-Beerman area in November. On March 25, 2016, the Dayton Society of Natural History announced that it would close this satellite museum; it did so on April 30.
Exhibits
Science On a Sphere is a 68-inch-diameter (1.7 m) globe, suspended in mid-air, capable of showing dynamic visualizations of Earth and space. It also can show commercial air traffic around the world while presenting other things, such as turtle migrations.
Hall of the Universe is an exhibit where interactive learning about the Solar System can occur. It also contains the Exoplanet Exploration exhibit. Explorers Crossing consists of a play veterinary clinic, recycling center and landfill, pizza kitchen, car repair shop, and more where children can learn, role play, and interact with hundreds of different pieces to learn about associated topics within each setting.
Oscar Boonshoft Science Central is an exhibit that contains a water table where children can learn about water and its properties, a manipulative area where children can learn about points, lines, and curves through rubber band art, a demonstrative laboratory, and several other interactive areas. Bed Bug Exterminator Dayton
Measure the Mummy
Mead Tree House is a fully enclosed tree house where children can learn about environmental preservation and use binoculars to do bird watching through windows within the tree house.
The Tidal Pool is an exhibit that contains live marine invertebrates native to the Pacific Northwest, such as starfish. A museum employee or volunteer runs the show.
The Bieser Discovery Center is an exhibit that contains thousands of natural specimens, such as animal skeletons, shells, and fossils. Also located in the exhibit are live snakes, including a Burmese python. Along with these things are many science-related children’s books.
Address: 2600 Deweese Pkwy, Dayton, OH
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