The non-profit Dayton History is taking over management of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) Learning Center, which is located at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
The 14,500 square foot Learning Center features interactive displays that teach kids about the history of flight and Dayton’s connection to that history.
Dayton History President and CEO Brady Kress says partnering with the non-profit NAHF gives Dayton History a bigger profile.
“We see [...] just under two hundred thousand annual visitors," he said. "With 1.3 million people walking by our door, it’s going to be a tremendous boost for telling those Dayton stories.”
Dayton History already manages Carillon Historical Park, Hawthorn Hill, the Paul Laurence Dunbar House, and Patterson Homestead.
Starting in January, the non-profit will focus first on finessing daily operations, then long term projects to increase the visibility of the learning center.
Congressman Mike Turner of Ohio’s 10th district was on hand for the announcement, and has been involved in the planning process since it began two years ago. In an earlier statement, he said "this new collaboration will better align the aviation assets in our region and enable more visitors to be exposed to the exhibits and educational programming located at the Learning Center."
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article referred to the Learning Center as the National Air Force Museum Learning Center. It is, in fact, the Learning Center of the congressionally-chartered non-profit National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF). The Learning Center is located at the Air Force museum, but operates separately.
