Reviews of The Dayton Art Institute (Museum)

Stan Garrett

One of the top galleries, I think, in the U S.

Philip Van Atta

Great museum. Many wonderful renovations have been completed this year.

rodney cranford

Beautiful place. Warm People

Mike Tayse

Nice Art Museum, many interesting and world class artworks worth seeing.

Paul Oberschlake

Nice art show and the building is very neat as well. Only issue is need more parking

Michelle Jones

We took our 35th class Reunion pictures by the Lion, to keep hold of great memories with each other...84 CLASS OF MEADOWDALE LIONS

Soni Avey

This is a very interesting place with something for the whole family to enjoy. The exhibits are nicely laid out and they even have an elevator for those who can not do steps. You can also drop in the snack shop to grab a quick snack, drink or to just rest for a few minutes before enjoying more exhibits.

Joyce Griffith

This is their 100th year festival,bringing on the fun!

John Kronenberger

Excellent exhibit "For America". DAI continues to surprise with world class exhibits and offerings.

Nikki Lange

The Dayton Art Institute is more than an art museum - it is an experience housed in a building that is a work of art itself! Every time I go I have an amazing time. They have great collections that come sometimes, too. And the land, which is also beautiful, is the home to many wonderful outdoor events, like Octoberfest and the Pumpkin Glow. I cannot recommend visiting enough.

Jessica doyle

It is a really beautiful building and nice place to visit

Cedes T

Very manageable museum. Wish the special exhibit were more substantial. It's sad that there is no longer a cafe.

Ericka Green

What fun did we have, it was a really nice family outing

Lora Gregory

Beautiful display of contemporary, modern and classic art. Staff is very friendly and helpful, quaint little snack shop for refreshments afterwards. A pleasant way to spend your day in Dayton

Gabriel Beatty

Great atmosphere. Friendly and happy staff. Wonderful exhibits. Loved this

Eric Kuhns

Never pass up a chance to visit .. great place to spend a rainy day or take a date.. and just like my mama said about me it's just as beautiful inside as it is on the outside

Kay Lovell

DAI is an amazing resource for the Dayton area. I have attended specific events here, and I have just gone for spur of the moment art immersion. It never disappoints. Thank goodness for the forethought of the founders, and for the hard work of the director and staff, and for the donations from generous people who love to share beauty. We just attended the 100th birthday party event today, and I enjoyed it so much. Go. See. Think. You will love it.

Beverly Weese

Very interesting & very friendly workers.

Renee Carnley

A wide variety of art was available from many eras all over the world. Beautiful and entertaining

Landon McKibben

One of my favorite spots in Dayton. Absolutely gorgeous!

Dave Riegel

The DAI is one of the best things to do in Dayton. They have a varied collection and the museum is a magnificent building overlooking the Miami River. It's free with a requested donation and parking is free. You can easily enjoy the museum in about 2 hours.

Stairwell Sessions

Did a special art drawing session with one of my children. It was such a fun experience! The facility is so beautiful as well.

Penny Goody

Tiny Thursdays is great fun for little kids and adults

laura scott

Dayton is so lucky to have such an art museum that has treasured piece such as Claude Monet’s water lilies for the public to enjoy. Please don’t hesitate to go and enjoy this beautiful place. It is my favorite place to go in our community.

Mark Reynolds

Drove up from Lexington Ky to view the Karsh Exhibition. Very well presented. The permanent displays were excellent.

Cornelius Sweeney

Realitively small but laid out in a logical and easy to navigate way. Each item has clear information posted nearby, it's clean, bright and quiet with cheerful and informative employees close by at all times. There's a nice gift shop and a snack bar. This is not the Louvre but it's worth touring for a couple of hours.

Gwendolyn Jobson

You wouldn't expect as small as a city as Dayton is to have such a fantastic Art museum! We love their kids programs. They frequently feature different exhibits. It a great place to go when you can't get outside.

Chris Wilson

Building is beautiful and the exhibits are well laid out and kind of flow from one room to the next. We really enjoyed our time together as a family.

daniel shafeek

Lovely building always loved it.

Christina Nelson

Great place for a relaxing, yet stimulating visual experience. If you appreciate art, you must visit DAI! :-)

Kathy Harris

Great place to relax and view beautiful artworks

Dojo Roda

What can you say when you already find "art" of questionable importance. Some of the pieces fully warrant preservation. Most require a huge garage sale. Some resemble rejected wallpaper designs and frankly, that is too much adulation. If you get free tickets, use them for a good laugh at some of the garbage being portrayed as worthy of admiration. I have seen psychiatric patients and inmates create more amazing "art" than a lot of what I saw. Ho-hum.

Aliyah Joelle

The displays were beautiful and explained well. The flow into each area is simple and helpful. Every time I go, though, an exhibit seems to be closed due to renovations.

Vince Pickens

Nice quality art museum with quite a few interesting exhibits. I feel like perhaps their space is larger than their collection.

Jonna Brittingham

So much fun

Terrence Burke

Our family enjoyed visiting this nice art museum.

Charles Watson

I was there for the Octoberfest. Great job! Lots of food choices and items on sale. The bands were terrific. Great place to hang out!!

Brittney Paxton

My happy place in Dayton. I love the architecture and the beautiful pieces hosted by the Dayton Art Institute! The layout is gorgeous and there is ways an exciting featured exhibit. There is always something new to see and new to learn about each time I visit. It's absolutely beautiful!

Jeff Anderson

Nice gem of a musuem given the size of Dayton. Worth a visit.

Tomi Ealy

Both interesting and gorgeous displays. Staff very helpful.

Brandy Wharton

Such a fascinating structure to begin with, and filled with amazing pieces for art lovers of all ages. My 3 kids (9, 12, and 14) enjoyed the museum and raved about its wonders for days. We spent a few hours there in awe before having to meet family across town, and there was so much left unseen. We can't wait to go back next time our family visits Dayton. ♡♡♡

Lisa Turner

The 2019 (Icon) Art Ball was a wonderful event in support of one of Dayton's greatest treasures the Dayton Art Institute.

Daniel Read

BEAUTIFUL atmosphere! Friendly staff. A pleasure to visit this place

1964tdh

Beautiful place ... modern art not impressive but lots of other sections were great

Dustin S.

A true Gem City gem!! Fantastic building with a decent Dayton sized collection. If you’ve never been — seize the day and go!

patricia horner

Had a great time. Loved artists and their products. Music was fun. Liked the big fans to cool things off. Come every year.

A B

Great free parking. Admission was affordable. I really loved the outdoor area. There is so much to see. A great place to visit for a good price. I do wish the children's area was bigger with more activities and someone to host the area so children could have a more enjoyable experience. My 9 year old son was bored. My husband and I enjoyed our time.

Sharon Lane

Live right around the corner and this has been a retreat for me for 40 years. One of Dayton's most beautiful buildings and certainly always well worth the visit!

Tylor Foley

It was a great time!

Jessica Ruiz

Lovely museum with a lot of character in the architecture (little garden with plaster cast figures is so peaceful, tiny lion heads decorating the edges of the roof, intricately carved stone doorways). Didn't get to explore it all today, but definitely worth a trip back!

Kara H

The old dude "security guard" in the Monet museum around 11:45am today was extremely rude and unprofessional and inappropriate towards me. FY.

Elaine Pleiman

Oktoberfest at DAI is always a good time. German food music and many, many artisans!

Jeff Dabney

Great museum for such a small city. In addition to their great permanent collection, they hold 3-4 contemporary art shows and other smaller exhibits through the year. It is wonderful seeing art that one would normally have to travel to a larger city to see.

Joseph Q

Great, helpful guest service staff. Security being polite and mindful of both your and the painting's safety. Wonderful art and new exhibits all the time. What's not to like? Membership grants you discount tickets to Bourbon and Bubbles and Oktoberfest too!

Kevin Hubbard

Good museum. Nice art selection.

Georgina D Thomas

If you really love art then you should visit this interesting place. The artwork here is so amazing. I had visit many art museums but this one is really eye catching. Wholeheartedly recommended

Grey Bradburn

This was a lot of fun. The displays had great descriptions and covered a wide range of history and culture. Awesome afternoon.

Laura Molla

Wonderful venue for a wedding reception

All The Right Tunes

We have worked with Dayton Art Institute for many years. It's a beautiful and classy venue with a attentive staff!

Ernest Avey

They keep changing the exhibits so you always see something new when you go. You can take your time and gaze at the wonderful painting or. Look at some of the furniture they have. Great way to spend a day just exploring all the wonderful rooms and exhibits they have.

Christiana Archer

Lovely collection. Clean place. Went for my college art history class and would not mind going back sometime soon. Pens are not allowed, only pencils, and they have restrictions on the size of purse you can bring in. It was not a tedious process, and with my phone bag it was a quick look and I was fine. I would only recommend more chairs so I could longer sit and view the art. (Bronze rooster was my favorite! :))

Geneva OneFifty

Gorgeous museum with fantastic exhibits! Love this place so much!

SAE Miller

Surprisingly great collection considering the size of the museum. If staying in the Dayton area for a few days then it is worth an afternoon or longer of your time. Some highlights are of Chase. The lower level contains some unique Japanese artifacts. The cafe is basically a Starbucks and it is suggested to eat lunch elsewhere unless you wish to have a coffee. The gift shop doesn't carry unique things from the museum and is the typical items found line. The venue is also excellent for weddings and events. The staff is somewhat considerate, but I have found more knowledgeable and friendly staff at other similarly sized venues.

Elianna A

This is a very nice, quiet place to go see art with friends or by yourself. The views are amazing, and the rooms are breathtaking, the museum is huge and there is a fun little play area for children to be able to do puppet shows and draw as well as their own art museum. Check out the other exhibits as well!!

Laurie Arshonsky

Loved the show For America! It showcased excellent portraits from the National Academy of Design. Was impressed with Sargents self portrait and his portrait of Monet. Many gorgeous works by well-known Painters. Hurry and see it before it ends in early June!!!

maura conroy

Everything was so beautiful!

Ed Wellmeier

The Iconic Dayton Art Institute hosts the best kickoff to the Octoberfest Season in Ohio. The Art and Architecture are ever present atop the hill here overlooking the city. Recent renovations and improvements to the building will preserve this spot for generations to come. Rain or shine, Octoberfest is always buzzing. There are plenty of Artisan booths, craft beers, family friendly activities and great local and regional food. Join the museum and come back for a packed year of art and events. I love it and am proud to have it here in my city.

Josh Hines

Unexpectedly great visit. They had a family painting event going on that was actually cheaper than general admission. The whole family had fun.

StarZ McCullough

Awesome awesome place!

H Barnhorn

I ran in for a few minutes while waiting for an appt. They have a suggested donation of $8. It isnt the largest art museum but their pieces are well selected and there are plenty of places to sit and contemplate the art pieces.

Michelle Mccoy

I have attended many events at the Art Institute as well as just admiring the Art itself. They make a quiet moment exhilarating by adding events that just blow your socks off. Their fall Oktoberfest brings in a packed property of all ages with fun, music, wine, great Lite Beer from Miller as well as German beers from all over the area. Recently attended Bourbon and Bubbles there which was just as fun from inside the facility. This is a place that should not be overlooked with all its excellence inside and out!

jubrili

I frequent this place every time I am in Ohio. Great staff, great exhibits, fairly priced.

Gail Johnson

Small but mighty. I drove to Dayton specifically to take in the institute.

Marcia Baskin

DAI caters to the community with class and exquisite taste. Exhibitions are always superb. Love the interactive activities.

Violet Aufdenberg

Beautiful artwork, clean and friendly enviroment. Amazing

Lori Riemer

Perfect wedding venue

Juston Fletcher

Great environment and diverse collection like walking through a large history book of art

Jason Crane

The Dayton Art Institute contains an impressive collection of fine art spanning an incredible depth and breadth of works from all ages; in a beautiful setting. From the Mayans to Monet. From Renaissance masters, (my personal favorites), to modern genius, it's all on display. A great way to spend a rainy afternoon or the whole day; any day. You will not be disappointed.

Honorah Search-Carter

very well planned and placed exhibits

Robin Johnson

I saw my third grade teacher at the Greek Festival she works there as a cook.

Nathan Graf

Great gem of the Dayton area. A variety of exhibits celebrate art from many time periods and geographic areas.

Jaki Mathews

Lovely. My niece's wedding and reception was there.

Happy Camper

Nice place would recommend it for some one who never been to a museum before when I went there I missed the African section it was closed for renovation.

Winfred Taylor

The best place to view art

Mike Jackert

Outstanding collection, amazing spaces

Gerrald Mitchell

Good time at Octoberfest

Jarod Moore

Fun place to go if you have extra time on your hands

Tricia Carter

Expected more paintings some staff members are rude. It was just okay .

Teresa Kirk

Surprised they had so many special exhibitions! Incredible works. Had some great coffee at the cafe, as well. Plan to return soon since there was too much to see in one day. You won't be disappointed!

gw Balter

Was here for a wedding/reception, and it was a very special experience. I don't know what the wedding cost, but it had to be a bundle. But even given that, the place is so beautiful and the staff so friendly that it as impossible to be unsatisfied. My only complaint is that we didn't get the chance to wander through the galleries, although I can understand why they don't want a bunch of folks who've been drinking around the artwork!

Andre Paquette

Very cool museum to check out. Take your kids with you and make it a good learning experience.

Carole Avery

Happy Birthday DAI! The party and entertainment today were fun. I look forward to using my new membership in the days and year to come!

David Pernell

Great place for the family to have fun

Peter Kruger

I was most pleasantly surprised by the quality as well as the quantity of art at the Art Institute. Dayton is not a big city, and I feel that for its size the Art Institute is most imoressive. There were also some very interesting antiques, ranging from Ancient China to Ancient Egypt to South America. Though I am an adult, I also had great fun in the children's interactive art area.

Adrienne Spencer

A must place to go when your in Ohio.. Very interesting and informative.

Samuel Huntington

It's kind of the pride of Dayton, OH in some ways, given that it's such a classy and we'll curated museam. My last time through the we're exhibiting works by local high school students near the entrance to the main exhibit which was a group of portraits from the National Gallery. It's a very nice place to just relax, et go of time, and enrichen the soul. Check it out.

Lisa Jane Thyberg

The American Artists Exhibit was ending today. This was the best show I have seen at DAI.

Deanna Long

I saw the Monet in Paris when I was 18 I saw them again in my 30s in Canada and this time I got to see him in Dayton with my 11 year old granddaughter what a pleasure it was

TJ Long

I work here and honestly love it. The building is full of rich history and ancient artwork that can be viewed publicly to anyone wishing to share in the experience.

Gerald Day

Great place to visit with your family

Harry Slater

I was here for Oktoberfest 2019 a great time was had by all the weather was perfect

aanomalous

Didn't understand the art l, but still enjoyed it.

Anderson England

As an out of town visitor the museum exceeded my expectations. Dayton is not the biggest city but the collection was enormous. I did not schedule enough time and had to concentrate on the permanent collection. Even more remarkable was the quality of the American art collection. From the mesmerizing new Jim Dine acquisition to colonial furniture the collection was fully engaging. I had a little time to enjoy the delightful cloisters. There were sections I could not visit as the museum was closing. A return trip is a must. One final observation was how the museum afforded broad views of downtown Dayton and the river. The architect was a genius to incorporate the living city into this very alive museum .

R C

We loved the collection of art here. The pieces represent a sample of art from all around the world. We enjoyed the special origami exhibit; however, we did think there would be more pieces. There's a lovely open air courtyard in the center of the building and also a pretty indoor space perfect for weddings or formal gatherings. The museum is easy to navigate with a wheelchair or stroller, if you are considering taking children or handicapped individuals (except the open air courtyard, that was steps only for us). Overall, a nice place to visit.

Mike McDermott

Nice artwork here. Patrons are very helpful and informative. A little over the top with reminding one to stand behind the line well before getting anywhere close to said line.

Bryan Hoffman

We ran out of time so I only got to go through half of it, but it was an enjoyable walk through history.

Charles

Went here for Oktoberfest for the first time in about 9 years and it was extremely enjoyable to walk around and view all the cultural historic items we have that span throughout history. Also Oktoberfest we extremely fun!!

Lucy Funk

Great place. Next year they celebrate 100 years old. they have children activities , senior citizen discount, a nice gift shop, and a coffee shop. The grounds are kept very nicely, places to walk, and the statue of leo the lion is beautiful. If you want a family trip or just something to do go especially if you enjoy art exhibits. Be advised it's not 1;room it's several. They provide you a map of the facility. There are 2 things we didn't expect. They were you pay to get in they give you a paper wrist band which shows you paid and when you come out of the exhibits the guard checks it to make sure you paid. Of course we paid but wasn't given a wristband thank goodness the other guard remembered is and confirmed we had paid. The last experience is if you take a purse they will check it for a weapon. Other than that we had a wonderful time, felt safe, and enjoyed a wonderful day.

Kym Faulkner

Very enjoyable for a mid-sized museum. Surprised with the variety.

Michelle Brad

Took my grandson too little everyone was helpful and understanding

Lucas Hinegardner

I loved the Octoberfest! Slightly hilly for the venue, and the beers were only 12oz(~6$), but food was awesome, no lines like the Cincinnati Octoberfest. They even have a place to put your bikes in case you want to bike down to it.

Dottie Bely

The birthday celebration was awesome. I was glad to be there for it.

Nick Mantia

One of the best locations in Dayton. From events to visiting the museum, everything is always great.

Hemant Nimbark

Well maintained and well organized museum..not much artefacts but nice collection of paintings.

Justin Gall

Surprisingly high quality selections for the size of the area. The staff is generally friendly and helpful.

LaTisha M Moon

Took my cousin there for the impressionism display, we had a great time!

Hannah Fox

An incredible experience. Decidedly one of those sleeper hits that Dayton does well. As of this writing, the Institute hosts a number of incredible pieces, including one of Monet's "Water Lilies" paintings. Worth a look -- and free if you're a student.

Nancy Jackson

The Dayton Art Institute was wonderful today. Easy access to free parking, extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff, beautiful collection. It has been too long since my last visit, but I will return as soon as I can!

Bennett Glasgow

Pretty quality art museum way better than denver thats for sure

4you2enjoy Enjoy All

Great place and fun to to visit.

Terry Jones

A really nice place to visit

Chunfen Zhou

I visited the DAI on a Saturday, only to stumble upon a few other visitors during the several hours I spent there. In fact, I hardly even saw any security guard in the galleries. You can usually sense their presence in many smaller art museums. Perhaps there is little need to monitor their artwork as there are so few people, but this institution certainly deserves more attendance. It is architecturally beautiful, and is situated on a little hill with a view of downtown Dayton and the Miami River. Moreover, staff are friendly, facilities are well-kept, and admission is by suggested donation. The collection, while having no stand-out pieces of work, is encyclopedic. Whether you are into Old Master paintings or Japanese woodblock prints, or artifacts from ancient cultures, there is always something to hold your interest. On the downside, some galleries, such as the Southeast Asian Art one, are much less curated compared to the others. Also, many vitrines have highly reflective glass, which results in a less enjoyable viewing experience. Last, for display cases with numerous objects inside (e.g. in Art of the Ancient Americas gallery), numbers should be placed to help match interpretive text to corresponding objects. But these shouldn't discourage you from visiting this museum. It is about an hour's drive from either Cincinnati or Columbus, and it's worth the drive.

Joyce Gallagher

Fantastic! Always looking forward to the new exhibitions!!

Roz Smith

Wonderful experience as always at the 100th DAI Oktoberfest!! Excellent beer, tasty food, outstanding artwork and a fun crowd of people!

Frank DeLigio

Beautiful in every way!

Rodello's Studio

Great pokéstop location, and oh look a museum.

Kriba 5

Had a wonderful visit. The facility is gorgeous. The staff were all really friendly, and we all loved the Art Adventure for the kids.

Farzad Ehtemam

I went there for a banquet but I got to see several of the galleries. It was amazing! They have a really good organization that allows you to move through time and era and see all paintings and artifacts of each period grouped together. It goes from early European movements to modern American art.

Anna Maria Ross

Loved the artwork inside. Very nice display, and placement of pieces.

Tammy CAIN

Went on Saturday it was a free admission day. The Dorothy Height hat exhibit was wonderful!

Josh Plandowski

I visited for the Monet collection and was satisfied I got to see two Monet paintings. The museum is larger than I expected and has a solid collection of paintings spanning from Europe, America, and to Asia. The 15.00 price to get in is a little high, but I am a UD student so it's free for me. If you have a free day, it's worth the visit!

Betty Herre

Oktoberfest was wonderful.

Matthew Goins

They have a lot of great art, and I enjoy the design and layout of the facility. They also have quite a few activities for kids and families. I would highly recommend checking their website for more details. A great place to pass the time.

Kevin Vardaman

There 100 years celebrations have been so much fun . We love the art museums location too!!!!

Lori Cochran

Great place to take the whole family

Jacquelyn Williams

I took a group of clients out for healthy fun, but it now costs $15 per person! Not too long ago it was free!!! I love the museum, but I don't like that it can't be enjoyed by anyone.

Jenni Pedicini

Excellent museum but very small

Amy Jenkins

I loved The Dayton Art Institute! It was wonderful to experience all the different cultures in one building. All the artifacts, sculptures, paintings.. beautiful. I have been there one other time. It was a great experience both times.

Maria Buchanan

A great local art museum. It has several well known artists and always has an exhibition coming through. It is somewhat small, but it's great for kids and visitors. We usually bring visitors especially when they have some of the awesome visiting exhibitions. Watch the website for an exhibition you may like!

Alexander Kidd

It's a really nice place to go if you're looking for something relaxing to do!

Steph R

Love the art institute! A great place to go on a rainy day...or any day really! It’s so nice that small town Dayton has an art museum that we can go to and enjoy!

Robert Kent

The Dayton art institute has a very diverse collection of art of exceptional quality. I greatly enjoyed the photography exhibit I saw on Sunday. The photographs in the exhibit really captured details that are not as common in modern photos.

Jim White

Very pleasant way to spend a few hours. Nice collection, well presented, great gift shop, nice cafe.

Jinmin Zhou

Better than expectations!

Sean Perkins

My home art institute! I have always loved coming to the DAI since i was 12. I have enjoyed the exhibit's especially the chihuly glassware! I have since become an adjunct professor and i take my class to DAI for field trips. Keep up the good works! Some of the pictures that we did were inspired by this trip. Love Oktoberfest!

Jennie Bertke

Great day at the institute with artventure program

Mike Crotty

It is beautiful except for the construction in the great hall i believe it was called.

Timothy Cizadlo

The Dayton Art Institute is an underappreciated community treasure that provides a great degree of cultural enrichment to the entire Greater Dayton area. Their ability to pull in traveling exhibitions from around the United States and the world makes available art that would otherwise require trips to Chicago or beyond.

Darren Traylor

Really cool Museum kind of small but underrated a lot of nice artwork

Tausha Metz

Very nice, impressionist exhibit was very nice...

Ishara Henry

Amazing! It was too big for me to see all in one day but it's definitely a must see! You don't have to be an art lover to appreciate this gorgeous artwork. There are little unexpected surprises everywhere. Loved it!

Anthony Hough

Special exhibits are nice. Small museum but worth taking kids who are interested in art. Wouldn't suggest bringing kids under 6 or 7.

Steve Shelton

Visited for the Oktoberfest and really enjoyed the visit

Asia Roberts

Cultured tour of the Art Institute. Paintings, statues and exhibits. Installations of world renowned artists.

Nana G

This is a definite must see attraction here in Dayton. Beautiful works of art on display, a children's play area, snack lounge and the staff are phenomenal!

Tara Philander

We have our Employee Recognition Banquet here every year. It's so beautiful

Andrew B

1st class art. Great exhibits.

brenda horner

Saw the Monet and American exhibits. The Monet had several if his paintings, along with others.The American exhibit was nice and in several rooms.I would recommend going,but not for children under 10.We have been members of DAI since we moved here 3 years ago. Really enjoy and appreciate all the effort and work they do at the museum to acquire and put together great exhibits .