Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio -- Free hands-on STEM event offers fun for the whole family
Families, educators, and space enthusiasts are invited to an out-of-this-world experience as Rocket Day returns to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event offers a full day of hands-on STEM learning and high-flying fun for all ages.
“This event is a great opportunity for families to explore science and engineering concepts together in a fun, approachable way,” said Jennifer Hess, Education Specialist with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. “Whether you’re launching your first model rocket or discovering how airflow works at one of our STEM stations, there’s something here for every age.”
One of the museum’s most popular family events, Rocket Day gives children the opportunity to build and launch their own model rockets with help from the Wright Stuff Rocketeers and museum volunteers. Rocket building will take place indoors, rain or shine, while supplies last. Rocket launches are scheduled outdoors on the museum’s front lawn and are dependent on weather conditions.
In addition to rocket building, visitors can enjoy a wide range of interactive STEM stations and demonstrations inside the museum. Activities include building and launching paper rockets with guidance from the U.S. Space Force, testing airflow and pressure with the Bernoulli Shooter, and participating in Rocket Trivia sessions offered at multiple times throughout the day. Missileer Talks will also be held in the Missile Gallery during the morning hours. A special Rocket Artifact Table will feature rarely displayed items from the museum’s collection.
The National Aviation Hall of Fame, located inside the museum, will offer additional rocket-themed activities and a Saturn V Rocket LEGO® build. The day’s lineup also includes a FIRST® Tech Challenge Demo, giving visitors a look at exciting student robotics programs in action.
Other special guests include COSI and representatives from the University of Cincinnati School of Engineering, offering fun and educational STEM engagement for kids and families.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Air Force Museum Foundation.
No Federal Government endorsement of the private entities identified is intended, nor should one be implied.
To view the full schedule of Rocket Day events, visit: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/Rocket-Day/
About the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day), the museum features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information or to plan your visit, go to www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.