Date Night at Dayton Art Institute: $5 After 5 p.m. on Select Thursdays

The Dayton Art Institute is offering an opportunity to experience the galleries in the evening and for only $5. 5 After 5 at the Museum takes place from 5-8 p.m. on select Thursdays in July, August, and September.

The Experience

When I found out about 5 After 5 at the Museum, I immediately made plans to check it out. I grew up going to Dayton Art Institute (DAI) for hours on end any time we could get someone to take us, but in my adult life, I haven’t made it there nearly as often.

With the timing being after work and toward the end of the week, it’s the perfect date night or even a solo date to explore a part of the city without spending a ton of money. (Regular admission is just $15, so any time you’d like to visit isn’t going to break the bank either.)

After getting checked in, we started in the upper section on the European side. We walked all around the galleries, eventually coming out on the American side. We decided to stop in at the Museum Store before heading to dinner and found some great little souvenirs.

We viewed probably around half of the museum and spent exactly an hour at the museum from start to finish, which was perfect for an after work date night.

The Art

I have a lot of great memories roaming around these galleries in my youth, so seeing many of these pieces feels like hearing a mixtape you haven’t picked up in a long time.

My favorite section is contemporary art, and at DAI it’s a whole experience. It’s colorful, larger than life, and feels like the exact vibe I must be expecting to find at a museum.

There are sections for just about everyone with paintings and pieces dating back centuries.

One tip is to take advantage of the benches placed in front of some of the pieces to take a little more time exploring the work. At DAI, they seem to be placed in front of pieces that have a lot going on and a lot to take in.

Visiting DAI is almost like stepping into a piece of art itself. The building is gorgeous and so often for me an ornately carved doorway, stained glass window, or the Gothic cloister ends up stealing the show.

The Museum Store

You don’t have to exit through the gift shop, but you might want to in this case. The Museum Store is a lot of fun to shop because they do a great job filling it with great books, fun gifts, and gorgeous jewelry and accessories.

The Museum Store is now located in the space once occupied by the cafe, and it doubles as a ticket counter as well. They still have a few grab-and-go drinks and snacks for sale in addition to tons of great souvenirs.

The Details

5 After 5 at the Museum Dates:

• August 6
• August 20
• September 10
• September 17

For 5 After 5, to get the $5 admission, you’ll have to purchase admission inside the Museum Store. Any other time you can purchase admission at the kiosks in front of the Museum Store.

They don’t allow backpacks or backpack-style purses, but they have lockers you can reserve and a coatroom for coats and jackets if you don’t want to lug those around with you. There’s a security person who will check your bag as well.

Make your date night even more special by having dinner in Dayton before or after your visit to DAI.

Dayton Art Institute
456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton, Ohio
(937) 223-4ART (4278)
Website: daytonartinstitute.org