Image of the Air Force wings with the museum name underneath

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
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Free Family Day activities focus on space exploration

  • Published
  • By Sarah Swan
  • National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
DAYTON, Ohio --  Commemorate the anniversaries of several milestone space explorations during Family Day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 19 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

It has been 45 years since Apollo 11 landed the first humans on the moon on July 20th, 1969! Several other important space exploration milestones have anniversaries that take place in July: the Viking Lander I landed on Mars on July 20, 1976, and the Mars Pathfinder mission landed on Mars on July 4, 1997. And Apollo 15 -- carrying an all-Air Force crew -- landed on the moon on July 30, 1971. Visitors can see the Apollo 15 command module in the museum's Missile & Space Gallery.

Throughout the day, visitors can participate in demonstration stations and hands-on activities to learn about space exploration and rocketry.

In addition, a storytime program begins at 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in the Early Years Gallery. Preschool and primary-grade children are invited to sit under the wings of airplanes to hear stories and make a space-related craft.

During this month's Aerospace Adventure, participants can make and launch a paper Saturn V rocket. This free activity takes place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the event area near the Korean War Gallery.

All activities are free! No advanced reservations are necessary. Call the Education Division at (937) 255-4646 for additional information.

The National Museum of the United States Air Force is located on Springfield Street, six miles northeast of downtown Dayton. It is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day). Admission and parking are free. For more information about the museum, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.


NOTE TO PUBLIC: For more information, please contact the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Education Division at (937) 255-4646.

NOTE TO MEDIA: For more information, please contact Sarah Swan at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Public Affairs Division at (937) 255-1283.