DAYTON, Ohio -- "Play ball!" is a phrase most often heard on a baseball field. But from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, visitors to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force will have the chance to learn about the science behind baseball and other sports with free interactive programs at Family Day.

Designed for children and adults of all ages, Family Day offers several hands-on opportunities for all to enjoy. Demonstration stations, located throughout the museum's galleries, teach fun and simple aerospace principles. This month, learn how a baseball curves, why tennis balls are fuzzy, how a diver or skater spins so fast, how to find the "sweet spot" on a baseball bat or tennis racket, and see the magnus effect as you throw a curve ball. Also find out how you can you play basketball on the International Space Station, who played golf on the moon, and much more.

"Storytime" 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 and listen to stories about aviation and space and make a craft, courtesy of the Greene County Public Library.

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. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 17 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about one million visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, 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) 255-8048.

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.