The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

  In 1995, the century-old Museum of Natural History was in search of fresh ideas and the Children's Museum of Dayton was in search of a home. The two institutions agreed to merge, enabling a united focus on shared educational missions. The new museum was then named the Dayton Museum of Discovery.
  In 1996 museum officials began planning a major expansion, completed in 1999 at a cost of $5.9 million.
   The museum exceeded its $8 million fund-raising goal by nearly $4 million, thanks largely to the Boonshoft donation. The museum was re-named in his honor in January 1999.
  The two-phase, expansion was completed in May, 1999 with the opening of the EcoTrek exhibit on the building's second floor. EcoTrek is a series of various man-made environments featuring live animals, an interactive forest, a Sonoran desert, a tidal pool, seashore exhibits and an Ohio forest. The exhibit is intended to introduce visitors to different environments and show them what it's like to live in them with their associated problems.
  The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is located at 2600 DeWeese Parkway. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $2 for children ages 3 to 16.