Carillon Historical Park

A must-visit gem in Dayton! Carillon Historical Park is one of the most impressive and well-designed historical sites I’ve ever visited. It perfectly blends education, history, and nature — making it enjoyable for both adults and kids. From the moment you enter, you can tell how much care and effort has gone into preserving Dayton’s incredible history, especially its deep connection to innovation and aviation. The exhibits are fascinating — especially the Wright Brothers section, which gives you a real sense of how much Dayton contributed to the world of flight. The Carillon Tower itself is breathtaking, both in scale and in the way it symbolizes the city’s heritage. I also loved exploring the old buildings, vintage trolleys, and beautifully restored machinery — it truly feels like stepping back in time. The park grounds are beautifully maintained, with peaceful walking paths, scenic spots for photos, and plenty of benches to relax. The staff and volunteers are friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do — they make the history come alive. Don’t miss the Brewery and the Carillon Brewing Co., where you can enjoy excellent food and locally brewed beer in a historical atmosphere — it’s such a unique experience! Whether you’re a history lover, an aviation enthusiast, or just looking for a great day out in Dayton, Carillon Historical Park is absolutely worth the visit. It’s educational, inspiring, and beautifully done — a true treasure for the city and anyone who loves American history. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

New to the Ohio area and live about 25 minutes South of here so we decided to come check it out. Really glad we did! First the people working here are awesome. Helpful, kind and informative. We walked the entire area, road the big train and even jumped on the little train for a ride. Little train isn't always available to ride but apparently we came on the right day...throws you back to feeling like a kid for a few minutes! The grounds are kept up well, the walk is easy and relaxing and the big train is a nice relaxing ride around the park. Sit is the right place near one of the staff and they'll fill you in on the history and anything else you would want to know about. The park is full of history. I had no idea about the industrial impact Dayton had on the country at one time. Each stop at a new building is rich with information and there are plenty of cool things to look at. Wright brothers Museum was just as good as the rest of the park. Much larger than expected and lots of details about the Wright brother and their first flights. Overall it was neat to be thrown back in time and see where innovation has brought us. Even if you're not a big fan of history, it's worth the visit to check out some cool things on a relaxing walk around the park.

Absolutely love it! It was a spontaneous decision to go here as a date. It was a hit like escaping the city and going on vacation. You really will feel like you're not in Dayton Ohio. They have many things to see, and you must get the all-day train pass. Then before you leave, get some of the great food at their restaurant!

Wonderful place to go and spend the day learning and reminiscing about Dayton and all its contributions. Brought back so many memories and was able to tell grandkids about the places. So many neat things to see and learn about. They do a great job of restoring and maintaining the vast museum items and artifacts. They even have a working carousel and train, and you can’t forget about the working printing press. They have a great section about the devastating 1913 flood. This place is to be enjoyed by young and old alike. And if you’re adventurous enough, climb the 8 story tower that holds the old Gem City clock. So much to see.

I visited Carillon Historical Park for the antique fire apparatus show and had a fantastic experience. It was a joy to photograph the vintage equipment and explore the park’s well-curated exhibitions. The park is exceptionally clean, easy to navigate, and offers a rich, engaging display of Dayton’s industrial history. A must-visit for history and photography enthusiasts alike!

Lots of different and unique displays many dealing with Dayton history and manufacturing. There were displays that interest kiddos of all ages. There is a half scale train that was running every hour, a tube slide and a carousel. There was an enormous display of cash register and some toys manufactured in the area. An interactive model train town was very popular. Various displays of trains, Street cars, bicycles, early cars, and Wright brothers and birth of flight.

Nice experience with the family. Special place to know about technology history in Dayton. Wonderful place with nice trees and original houses. The experience is fantastic for adults and kids.

Such an awesome place! You'll be doing a lot of walking, but it's worth it. There's a lot of cool stuff to see! Be sure to ride the train! It takes you around the whole park and gives you some interesting historical facts. Definitely a fun place for kids too! If it's a weekend or special event, I'd purchase your tickets online beforehand. Plenty of parking, staff is nice and the food at the cafe is pretty good! Get the pancakes 👌🏼

Very fun the functional 4-4-0 steam locomotive that you can ride was extremely fun and the part about the great flood of 1913 had a house and realistic noises and complete history of Dayton Ohio

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS ARE REMARKABLE!!! How would you know that the Wright Brothers NATIONAL MUSEUM is here at the Carillon Historical Park in Dayton, Ohio?!?! It's not really part of the Google Search. When you enter the gates of the park, the only sign we saw was for the Carillon Brewing Co. lol! You got to have really done your research to have a clue it exists here. I thought going to The Smithsonian or Kitty Hawk, NC would be where something like this would be located but I was completely wrong! Dayton, OH is where the Wright Brothers grew up and did all their calculations and designs to be the first persons to achieve flight! There's also The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park that has one of earlier Bicycle Shops the Wright Brothers operated, but THEE ACTUAL BICYCLE SHOP building where all the flight magic happened was actually bought by Henry Ford, in 1936, including the dirt it sat on, and transported to Dearborn, MI and reconstructed at the Greenfield Village as part of the Henry Ford Museum. DOH! The Carillon Historical Park, which opened in 1950, has a replica of that transported building on its grounds. Details of the Wright Brothers' lives are chronicled here. Lots of Wright artifacts are here, including an original Wright Bicycle, The Van Cleve, on display inside. The original Wright Wind Tunnel does not exist anymore, but there is a replica of the one they created located in the workshop. The short film presented is a great watch, and really demonstrates the genius the Wrights had! The exhibits help expand on what the short film introduces. Much more informative compared to the exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. The most fabulous thing here, though, is The ACTUAL 1905 WRIGHT FLYER III! The only plane to have the designation, "NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK." It is considered the FIRST practical flying machine, as it was able to achieve sustained flight for minutes (39 minutes of continuous flight) and maneuverable, flying in a circular pattern. In comparison, the Wright Flyer I, which is on display at the Smithsonian, flew for flights of 3, 12, 12, 15, and 59 seconds, in a straight path, is known to be the first craft to achieve flight. The Wright Flyer III is housed in The Wright Hall, which Orville Wright contributed to its design! Sooo... AWESOME!!! VERY EASY RECOMMENDATION! We left with even more respect for The Wright Brothers, after our visit here. I LOVE when that happens! IMHO, They (whoever that may be) REALLY NEED TO GIVE The Wright Brothers some kind of G.O.A.T. props here, ESPECIALLY at the entrance! Definitely worth the time and effort to visit! Enjoy! :)

Wonderful place to visit for a dose of Ohio History. Inside there are exhibits on cash registers as well as famous people from Ohio. Some displays are interactive and there are shows to visit as well which talk about historic events and people from Dayton. Once you head outside there is a large village which highlight different time periods, a train ride and buildings dedicated to Wright Brothers history. Definitely visit the top of the tower for great views. So much information and fun for the whole family.

I've visited Dayton quite a few times and stayed across the way at the Marriott, and I've always seen the lush green grass and the belltower that stands in the middle. Prior to my most recent trip, my curiosity of what was beyond the belltower never grew strong enough...so glad it did this time around. The entire grounds are very well-kept and the old-style buildings are immaculate. I came mostly to see the Wright Brothers museum which is inside the Historical Park, so ticket entry is required. Upon entering, the History of Dayton slowly unfolds as you walk into a building with a large mural and a Wright Brothers Aircraft hanging just above. From vintage cash registers to vintage, retired trains. This venue has a large variety of exhibits for all ages that tells the story of the history of Dayton. And what a rich history it has! I was initially drawn to the Wright Brother's Museum but since it was in the middle of the park, it forced me to walk along the paths which allowed me to venture a bit and see the other exhibits. There are volunteers/staff in each building and they are very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. They can provide a guided tour if you're so inclined. I was on a bit of a tight schedule unfortunately so I didnt get to sit and enjoy the cafe on-site. For the next time I'm in Dayton, I know where to enjoy an afternoon stroll.

We stumbled upon this park, not really knowing what to expect, but it was such an amazing experience! I had no idea so many things were created in Dayton, Ohio, but we have this area to thank for Freon, pop tops (or soda tabs for some of you), the airplane (of course) the receipt, Cheez-Its, the Soap Box Derby, and the cash register. One of the best parts of this museum is that it feels like you're back in the olden days. It's an open-air museum, so you walk from building to building in whichever order you want. It's incredibly well designed and beautiful. There are train rides offered for an extra fee. The one we went on is for anyone and was about 20 minutes and was $5. There is also an indoor carousel that features all of the inventions of Dayton interspersed with the horses, which is $1. You can also get a "Ride All Day" wristband for $12. Admission for adults is $14, while kids are $10, unless they're 2 and under, in which case, they're free. It's definitely a great way to spend your day if you're in the area.

This is an extremely impressive park! There is something for everyone to enjoy here. "Historical Park" seemed very accurate - it seems like if it had anything to do with Dayton history, it was there! The visitor's center has some exhibits inside, along with a very fun carousel you can ride on (tip - there is a machine to get tokens from that accepts $1, 5, or 10 bills right next to it, or you can purchase the tokens at the front desk with other forms of payment). You can then head out into the village, where there is a wide variety of historical buildings, including a gas station, a one room schoolhouse, several homes, and more. Folks in costume were around to chat with - the schoolteacher was especially friendly and great with kids, and there were some folks who were cooking spring stew who talked to us about the ingredients and how to make it in some of the homes. I especially enjoyed the print shop, where they actually make a variety of note cards and items for purchase. There is also a building dedicated to the 1913 flood, which we coincidentally found ourselves visiting on the 100th anniversary of the flood so they were sure to call our attention to that building when we purchased the tickets. The exhibit was very good and thorough. The transportation building was very neat - there's everything from a stagecoach and covered wagon to a variety of trolleys and train cars, and out back they were running rides on a little train (the big train isn't ready yet). The Wright Brothers National Museum is home to the 1905 Wright Flyer III, provided by Orville Wright himself, who had input on the exhibit hall. Sections were reminiscent of some of things you can see in other parts of the aviation heritage area, like the replica cycle shop, but it's worth going into see the artifacts and the flyer even if you've been to most of the other Wright Brother sites in the area. There is an impressive clocktower that you can climb - we skipped on this visit because of the high winds, but would love to do in the future. There are also a covered bridge, another style of bridge, and a canal lock to walk across/through. We're also interested to do some more with the moraine area in the future, but they currently have nesting eagles so part of the area was taped off! It was amazing to see the eagles flying overhead and perching above in the trees. Staff is very friendly! There are plenty of clean restrooms available, a museum shop, two restaurants on site (Culp's Cafe and Carillon Brewing Company), and a good paved parking lot near the visitor's center. We easily spent a day here and plan to return again!

Membership is totally worth the price. They have a great history, you can see stuff made by the hands of the right brothers. They have an excellent print shop. They have some great Dayton historic stuff. Also they have great events, lots of fun. From band concerts two holiday events. Ride a train. We've been members for a while and plan to be that way. Totally worth the price of admission. Also works with A couple local parks like Boonshoft.

I am a Dayton native, born 1960. I have enjoyed Carillon Park since childhood. I have attended many events at the park and it's always a go to when out-of-towners are in visiting especially holidays. I watched the special on TV 25th Nov 24. I find it very unusual that no persons of color, which Dayton is very diverse, were visible throughout the the show. This seems like a clear neglect of what Dayton is. Carillon Bells is a great attraction for Dayton and would be represented correctly not excluding certain parts of the community.

While the historical displays provide a good overview of Dayton history, the service and management is subpar at best. I attended today for Heritage Day which was a well publicized event on a holiday weekend, and the staff was completely unprepared. I waited in line 20 minutes to get a ticket because there was only one ticket register open (out of 3 stations) ... and 5 feet away from the one open register were three cashiers at the gift shop who were standing idle with no customers. At the brewery, there were over 15 open tables inside and on the patio, but it was a 30+ minute wait because there were only 2 servers and 1 bartender active. All the while, there seemed to be no one in charge to rectify this and make a decision. I would understand this on a Tuesday afternoon if it was busier than expected, but not for a specially advertised day on a holiday weekend.

What a wonderful place to visit!! So much historical sites at a beautiful venue! Dayton is such a place of innovation and we (meaning my family and I) had no idea (we're from NC so we believed we were the birthplace of aviation) It was a fabulous day and I highly recommend it. All the people working were knowledgeable and helpful. Thoroughly enjoyed this journey through time

We went for the first time a few weeks ago and had a good visit. We spent most of our time inside the main museum and then a few of the buildings. We also did climb the clocktower. As someone who didn't grow up in Dayton this gave me a lot of information about the history of Dayton. For my kids who are growing up here this was such an educational experience for them. These were some of their favorite things: - All the old cashier registers from NCR. -The carousel building. -The Women in War building. -The old car building. -The Dayton Flood Building. -The Transportation Building. -The Wright Brothers Building. -The clocktower. It was pretty cold so we went in and out fairly quickly to the different buildings, but the grounds were still pretty. They are doing a lot of updates to it including adding a bigger train so lots of construction going on. The buildings itself were really nice and well done. The Dayton Flood and Wright Brothers were my favorite areas. Seeing the eagles was a nice surprise too. Also the clocktower gave such a great view of Dayton. I'm excited to visit again in the summer and see what else they have in store.

This is such a Gem in the city...so full of history and interesting facts. We are members, and no matter how often you go, you find things you haven't seen before! This last visit I was so happy to see the prototype of Smokey the Bear. The last time I saw it was at the estate sale of the artist who developed him, and trust me....I couldn't afford him! It's so appropriate he's here. Along with the Wright Brothers Museum, antique cars and machines developed here, the old Deeds barn, and so much more. It takes multiple visits. The first time I brought Amaya she got blisters on her feet! There are snacks in the gift shop, Culps Café and a Brewery that features historic brews and German Food. Oh so good. And a roaring fireplace! The Bell Towers magically transform in the most beautiful Christmas tree. And the entire park is decorated and open in the evenings during the holiday season. Roasted chestnuts round out the experience. So dress warm and head on over. You'll be so glad you did. Tell them I sent you!

Such a nice place. We came to see the wright brothers museum but there is so much more to see!! Grounds are beautiful Cute carousel to ride with fun seats!

This 151-foot tower houses 57 bells and was completed in 1942. Refurbished in 1988 which converted it from electrical to a traditional mechanical carillon, it is the centerpiece of the Carillon Historical Park. It is the largest carillon in Ohio. There is some parking here and the carillon is handicapped accessible from one end. There is also some spots where you can sit and wait for the bells to ring on the quarter hour. I stayed for 8pm and other than four idiots who showed up at 2 minutes before the hour and started talking, it was perfect. [Review 11308 overall, 1085 of 2019.]

The husbeast and I decided we'd drive to a big city, from where we're at in Kentucky. There were a couple of choices, but Dayton was the one that won out. As we drove we looked for things to do, and the Carillon Tower and historical park won out as we saw the sign from the road way, and that convinced us to go. It is simply beautiful there, The park itself holds the 151-foot Carillon tower that plays out the bells songs. Parking and then the historical park containing the ticketing center and the Wright Brothers center. The walk there is a mile loop through some transplanted buildings akin to Cracker Country at the Florida state fair grounds. It was neat to see some of the things they'd relocated and read the history. A few of the things were closed, like the display on the printing press, but that's fine. It's good to see that there is continued growth here and that people will be able to continue to enjoy this for years to come. I know that I plan to come and check it out again in the future.

This historical park was a good way to spend an afternoon. The volunteers really go out of their way to interact with the visitors. I met a lot of really nice people, especially the woman outside the movie. I'm sorry I didn't get her name. I was looking forward to seeing the Wright Brothers plane. Very cool. The surprise for me was the transportation building with the trains, etc. I loved being able to walk onto the train. As mentioned in a review I read, they really need to add some kind of water by the tower/transportation building. We were dehydrated with no relief until we got all the way back to the beginning. The cafe was closed. It was a weekday, but I'm not sure if this was COVID-19 related. Also the military discount of $3 for only the active member felt cheap to me compared to other places we have visited in the Dayton area.

This is a must visit museum. Adults are $10 and kids are $7. This site houses a lot of relocated historical homes from the area, and some really cool trains and historical automobiles also. The place is well kept, and very inviting. It is one of the few museum or things you can do till about 9 oclock pm. I highly recommend the winter visit to this place. They steing up the carollion park tower to a tree shape, and they put up christmas lights all around. Every house is open in the evening, and the bakery has demo of them making gingerbread cookies. The printing house will show uou how a cool old printer words, and print a xmas card with uour name! Get to the train building during the holidays and you can pitatop for a beverage and popcorn, while you wait for a ride on the small train ourdoors ($1 a person and worth a dollar for sure!). This year they added a small christmastown train also!

I loved everything about this place except for one place. I went here for the first time as a new Daytonian and will definitely be back. So much history and the exhibits were fantastic and the workers there clearly have pride and genuine sweetness. The only reason I went down one star is because of Carillon Brewing company. The ordering experience is silly (who stands in line to order at a bar?!). The ambience there is beautiful but the customer experience is bizarre and the food wasn't all that great. The cafe looked so much better! Will still return to this beautiful, magical, historically significant place but not the brewery again unfortunately.

This historical site definitely deserves five stars. Part museum, part park - this facility is filled to the brim with history. When you first arrive to the park, you can go inside the information center. There is an exhibit on the first cash registers - as this was an invention made originally in Dayton. They also have a super cool animatronics movie/drama that tells the history of Dayton and all their inventions. Highly recommend the show! Within the building, there is a nice visitor's center, gift shop, and nice bathrooms. If you need to soak up the air condition for a few - there are lots of spots inside to check out. If you go outside of the building, the park begins. There are several historical sites including a one-room schoolhouse, the oldest house in Dayton, and a replica of Orville & Wilbur's bike shop. Within this bike shop, there is actually the Wright Brother's FIRST plane. It's amazing to see. This park is actually the site of the beautiful Carillon bells. They have plenty of space outside to spread a blanket and have a picnic. Rumor has it that they have some great concerts in the park over the summer months. This is a great place to take the family!

Dayton Ohio was a major site of manufacturing and development in the US. Though times have changed, when you visit this park you get thrust into the past of a bustling city with amazing innovators that led to changes across the world. The monument outside houses bells and can be seen from miles a distance away. The museum houses all kinds technologies either developed or perfected in Dayton. It shows NCR memorabilia and provides historic events of Dayton. The volunteers are great and provide detailed information on anything you would like to know. It houses a carousel for kids and even a small train. The remainder of the park has many different venues to see including the wright brothers museum depicting their bicycle shop as well as one of their first functional airplanes. If you are in Dayton this is a must see to understand the cities importance in history.

There is a bald eagle nest in a white sycamore tree behind the Wright brothers bike shop. Sooo excited!!! Id seen the eagle flying around but found the nest before the trees got leaves. Its harder to see now This is a small park in downtown Dayton .. with alot of history.

Really enjoyed learning more about Dayton's rich history. The Wright Brothers exhibit is a Must See.

Great place for an event! Class reunion was held at this venue a few years ago. Clean. Depending on the number of tables, you may not find this as spacious as it appears to be for the occasion.

Really enjoyed the Christmas walk lots of things to see and of course buy. Very picturesque

I love their holiday display! It's so fun for the kids. The train ride is so cute. There are so many things to look at. I always think we can do it in 2 hours but we always run out of time. It's a fun yearly tradition.

Took family here when they came to visit for the weekend. Lovely experience. Top notch displays and really neat animatronic use. Videos were worth watching. Felt like 10 museums in 1. Visitor center video should have close captions for better accessibility. Thank you for having closed captioning at the Wright bros. video. The price for entry feels right. So many museums gouge visitors and make it restrictive for lower income families to partake in local history. Volunteers, especially Larry and Mac, were friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. Thank you for making it an enjoyable visit. Tip: Expect to spend a few hours if you want to see everything or buy and membership and do it in a few visits :)

The bells of the largest musical instrument in Ohio, the 151 foot tall Deeds Carillon, welcome visitors from all over the world. Visitors to Carillon will find a 65 acre time capsule featuring the Heritage Center, many historic buildings, a functioning re-creation of a 1940's downtown Dayton cafe and Carillon Brewing Company, an 1850's style brewery where you can enjoy the brewmaster's creations along with foods inspired by the original German, Irish and English settlers of the area. The Heritage Center is where you'll start your exploration. There are plenty of exhibits to hold everyone's interest as you walk through the many different themed areas. One of my favorite areas is The Cash Register Room which is stacked floor to ceiling with some of the most artistic and beautiful cash registers you could ever imagine. And this is only the beginning. There's so much more here but you'll have to discover that for yourself... Once you've completed your tour of the Heritage Center you'll go out the south doors where you'll see stretched before you, the spacious parkland of Carillon. It's a treasure trove of 30 historic buildings which tell the story of the area from it's time of settlement through it's rise as a manufacturing, transportation and innovation hub for the Mid-West. Some of the jewels you'll discover include the original 1905 Wright Flyer, an old canal lock, vintage automobiles and several architectural oddities. Besides the museum and village, you will discover that The Carousel of Dayton Innovations is a fun ride for everyone in the family. It's open all year round and it's one of the most popular attractions there. Take a ride on a horse, a car or maybe even a bag of Mike Sell's Potato Chips just for the fun of it. During the summer months, the park offers miniature train rides which chug along the tracks for a nearly 10 minute ride through prairie, woods and a tunnel. Check the website for train schedules. It's easy to spend an entire day here when you visit Carillon Historical Park. It's open year round and it's great for families. It's not well known outside the area but it's definitely worth the time to visit. It's a very strong 5 Star attraction and it's highly recommended.

This is a hidden gem- or at least a little-known one. I've heard about it for years but never gone (too many aviation attractions nearby...) I finally made time today after a quick trip to the new AFM hangar. It's kinda like the Ohio Historical Center, in that there is a museum with a "town" out back. But the museum is a bit smaller, and the town far larger. The museum covers local history, particularly manufacturing, and I learned a lot. I did not know Huffy, and Delco, were based here. I knew about NCR, of course, but not about all the things they were into. And there was, and is, a ton of other industry in the area. There is also currently a WW1 exhibit, with lots of background info and interesting tie-ins to local people and places. The buildings out back are the real draw, and are nicely arranged in a large park. There are a couple of places to eat, so you could spend an afternoon or whole day wandering. Don't miss the house on the hill which gives background on local history and the park itself. Of course the main draw for me was the Wright stuff- a reproduction of their bike shop, the original 1905 Flyer (not the first to fly, but the first practical plane,) and displays about the Wrights' later lives. There's a transportation building (mainly trains,) one with early Dayton-made cars, an old gas station, a print shop, you name it. They even have the old 1890s train station from Bowling Green. There's one building with displays about the 1913 flood; sad and sobering. On a weekday afternoon there were a few costumed interpreters; I assume there are more on weekends. One guy was riding period bicycles around and tipping his hat politely. There's a working grist mill, and a genuine (relocated) canal lock. The price is decent, the place is amazing, and it is great for kids and adults.

What an amazing evening at Christmas at Carillon park. Just a neat time of walking around and looking at pretty lights and taking in a little history of Dayton. They have little snack shops that have homemade gingerbread cookies, roasted chestnuts, hot cider, hot cocoa, cinnamon almonds, etc.... Beautiful job of making a fun evening. Adult tickets were $12, seniors $10 and children $8. Definitely worth it to us!

I went during the holiday programming and I was very impressed! I have gone to Carillon Park before as a kid but I was glad to be back to look at the amazing lights and get an insight into Dayton's history. There was a lot to do and I loved seeing all the families & holiday cheer. Definitely would come back to see the park during the holiday programming and even possibly the museum during the day!

Simply outstanding. Organized, clean park with an incredible collection of historical items housed in numerous buildings along with significant historical buildings lining the property. Pleasant gardened walkways with ample parking and easy access to grounds make this park a delight. Show piece is the Wright Flyer III and the associated Wright Bicycle Shop. Trollies, rail cars, vintage automobiles, prohibition items, steam locomotives, model train layout, Dayton industrial items and history, and a merry go round for the kids. Highly recommend and am looking forward to going again the near future to see everything I missed the first time.

10+ years I've been visiting my best friend in the various Dayton metro cities she's lived in, and just this summer she takes me Carillon?! Here I was thinking Dayton was the lamest place on earth, when in fact history would suggest quite the opposite! Not only is this a SPRAWLING outdoor park, but there are loads of historic (and replicated) external buildings, exhibits, and artifacts. The Wright aviation exhibit with THE original airplane is an amazing sight to behold. The cash register collection is fascinating. It's so cool to walk through the transportation building and all the vehicles. We didn't leave enough time to casually stroll the grounds whatsoever, but getting a glimpse as we walked between buildings was more than enough of a dangling carrot to bring me back for more. Definitely plan a half day here, not just a couple hours. A true GEM in downtown Dayton!

Beautiful Christmas display! Well thought out during Covid with timed tickets and spacing of people. Neat history. Loved it!

Excellent place for a day with the family Had a amazing time All the outside buildings had guides and videos and it was very informative

Lots of atmosphere in this park the day after Thanksgiving. The historic exhibits occupy summer kitchens, houses, shops, their hearth fires scenting the air on the spacious grounds still carpeted with fall leaves. Displays of Huffy bikes, National Cash Register products gleaming in gold and silver like something from a royal tomb, an early Cadillac too beautiful for the open road, street cars in the Roundhouse of wood, leather, stained glass windows all serve to represent one level of Dayton's history of innovation. Reminders of its brilliance are in Delco batteries and early technology from Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co., founded in Dayton, Ohio, by Charles Kettering and Edward A. Deeds in 1909. Just as you begin to think there might be something in the water that contributes to a preponderance of Dayton genius (Orville and Wilbur Wright, for example), you enter a building dedicated to the great flood of 1913 and Dayton's strong response to it in the way of conservancy, engineering, fund raising. The artifacts of remarkable achievements that literally moved America forward feel familiar, a part of our experience--we ride the bikes, use the batteries, travel by air--they are part of our common hearth. Carillon Historic Park is an important destination when you are in Dayton, Ohio.

Great representation of Dayton's history. You can go through fast or can take your time and spend all day, reading and visiting all sites. I love the carousel with all the rides being Dayton area items, like Esther Price candy box, Huffy bike or Mikesell's potato chip bag. Well worth a visit, even for Dayton residents.

The tree of lights during the holidays are magical! :) while listening to the sounds of the bells. I love seeing the bald eagles during the summer. A special place in Dayton.

Best place to learn about the history of the area. It is fun and informative. It should be on everyone's list of things to do.

How fun is the Carillon Christmas?! My husband and I went to the Tree of Light lighting last night and were purely delighted by all the fun, old-timely Christmas activities the park and historic village had to offer. They have it all - chestnuts roasting on an open fire, hot cider, fresh gingerbread cookies baked the 1850s way in a wood burning oven, carousel rides, letters to Santa and Christmas card making for the kiddos, and the list goes on. All hosted by friendly folks dressed in period clothing. What's not to love? If you're looking for a unique, family-friendly activity this holiday season I highly recommend checking out Carillon Christmas. It runs each night 11/30 -12/30. We were blown away by how much the park has changed since our last visit several years ago. The museum is incredible and a must for anyone interested in learning about Dayton's colorful history. The historic village and train museum is fun to visit any time of the year, but seeing it all decorated for the holidays was a real treat. Stop reading the reviews and go already. You won't regret it!

Pretty great way to spend a half-day in Dayton. Heck, you'd have no problem spending a full day here under the right circumstances... We ended up visiting accidentally on 'train day' when the park was packed with all kinds of additional people and 'exhibits'... by which I mean model trains and people selling train memorabilia mostly. But the additional benefit was that they had most of the other exhibits fully up and running (including the print shop, probably the highlight of our visit). Make sure you pick up some hand-printed cards while you're there... all the money goes back to the park and they're super cheap. Grounds were also very clean and well kept. Other personaly favorites of mine were the historic buildings, cars, bicycles, cash registers, and the flood building. Actually, now that I think of it I could probably go on. There was so much history here, and the people that run the park clearly give this stuff the respect and attention it deserves.

If you know me, you'll know that I'm cheap. I hate spending money on things and anytime I can go or do something for free, I'm the first person there. And I've been wanting to come to Carillon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carillon) Historical Park for quite a while now but its $8. Seriously, my mind just shuts down at even that. So when I found out that admission was going to be free for Memorial Day celebrations (I didn't even care that it was the day before), onto my calendar it went! Seems like everyone else had the same idea; it was packed! But that's a good thing, because this place would be mighty quiet with no one there. Located a short walk away from the Deeds Carillon (and hence the name), the Park is more like a village set back in the Wright Brothers time with historical displays and the 1905 Wright Flyer III, the world's 1st practical airplane. The docents were amazing and told stories about the artifacts and really made history come to life. They are expanding the grounds and so there are some spots of construction, but for the most part, this is definitely someplace that I would be coming back too...when its free of course. =)

Worth a visit if you're not from around here. It makes you appreciate the history of the area (with nice photo ops) and there's an historic brewery inside!

We took the family and kids here for the Christmas celebration. It was not packed, at all. The trees were covered in Christmas lights. The slides were covered in Christmas lights. The children loved running up the steps and going down the slides at night. The Santa clause and Mrs clause we great.

I can remember going to some place on a field trip back in elementary school that had something about the Wright Brothers and I remembered seeing old buildings and a mill, but I couldn't remember the name of the place, although I knew it had to be in the Dayton area (we lived in Centerville at the time). I hadn't really given it much thought for a long time, but for some reason it had started to bug me recently, and so I began to do a little digging on the Web. I stumbled on Carillon Park and felt pretty confident this could be the place. So, I dragged a friend along on little road trip to Dayton to see if it was the place I remembered. I thought driving by might be enough to tell if this was the same place, but I couldn't tell from outside the fence. I have to agree with one of the other reviewers that the entrance fee is a little bit steep, but I couldn't stand the curiosity any more, so we entered the park. My friend was a great sport about it, even though it was November and a bit chilly that day (I did treat for the entrance fee, since it was my quest). At any rate, yes, this was indeed the place. I had a wonderful time. It's not a big place (that is part of the reason the entrance fee feels so steep), but what's there is very well done, and the volunteers they have in each of the buildings are amazing - extremely knowledgeable, and they obviously love the history they are sharing. The volunteers are so awesome, I would have given the park a 5 star rating if the entrance fee had been just a bit less. If you haven't been here and you like history, historical buildings / villages, etc., I think you will enjoy it.

The Carillon park integrates a complex of historical buildings ranging from the end of eighteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century, collection of antique cars and trains, the history of Wright Brothers aviation museum, and a beautiful scenic exhibit of life in Ohio a hundred years ago. I really liked the experience because I felt transported back to the past. They even had guides answering questions and walking around buildings dressed in period clothes. We visited on a beautiful sunny fall Saturday afternoon and greatly enjoyed our experience in this historic and beautiful park.

Ayo did you know that the freaking Wright Brothers plane is here? Like, the first flying thing on the planet? It's here. This place is really cool if you're into historical villages and/or have kids. It's cheap enough to get inside and then it's literal hours of cool stuff to see. Bonus points if you give a crap about the city of Dayton, because the history of the city is represented very well here. I can't wait to come back.

So educational and very well laid out exhibits! Great spot to learn of the rich Dayton history and the contributions it's made to the world.

Compared to the Ford Museum in Detroit, which we visited days later, Carillon Historic Park isn't all that grand or spectacular. But it doesn't need to be. It's a really nice one-stop-shop for Dayton history and a nice add-in to kill time if you're on a one-hour wait for dinner at the adjacent Carillon Brewing Company. Walking around the village after a recent snowfall around Christmas time, eating some warm chestnuts, and looking at ornate vintage machinery produced during Dayton's heyday as a retail and aviation manufacturing center is worth the very reasonable $8 adult admission. There's also a pretty amazing set of photographs from the devastating 1913 flood. If you dig being educated and entertained about local history by folks in period garb, I can't see what's not to like about it.

Loved it! It's a fun historical museum that all kids will love. I took a 16 month old, 3yr, 10yr, and 12 yr old. It's indoor and outdoor. Some of the historical sites have people inside that share insight on the building. I would definitely corms again as we didn't finish it. We were there for about 3 hours. You do have to pay for kids older then 3 but the prices are a good deal.