The International Peace Museum facts for kids
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Interior view of the main exhibit space of the International Peace Museum
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| Former name | Dayton International Peace Museum |
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| Established | May 27, 2003 |
| Location | 10 N. Ludlow Street Dayton, OH, 45402, USA |
| Type | Peace museum |
| Founder | Chris and Ralph Dull |
The International Peace Museum is a special place in Dayton, Ohio, USA. It used to be called the Dayton International Peace Museum. This museum is all about teaching people how to create a more fair, kind, and peaceful world.
It focuses on important ideas like solving problems without fighting. It also teaches about treating everyone equally and being kind to our planet. The museum remembers the 1995 Dayton Agreement, which helped end a war in Bosnia. It is known as "America's only brick-and-mortar peace museum."
Besides being a museum, it's also a place where people who care about peace can gather. The museum has different exhibits that show how people have found peaceful ways to solve problems. They also highlight how we can live in a way that helps our natural world. The museum often hosts new exhibits from guest artists and groups.
The Peace Museum is located in the Courthouse Plaza Building. It has a library, a podcasting studio, and a gallery for art. There are also permanent and traveling exhibits. You can find a stage for events and a small gift shop. The museum holds fun events like book clubs, live music, storytelling, and talks from interesting speakers.
The museum is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM for everyone. From Tuesday to Thursday, it welcomes school groups and special tours. Admission costs $5, but it's free if you are a member.
Contents
History of the Peace Museum
How the Museum Started
The International Peace Museum was started in 2004. It was founded by farmers Ralph and Christine Dull. They worked with J. Frederick Arment, Lisa Wolters, and Steve Fryburg. The very first peace museum in the world opened in Switzerland in 1902.
The Dayton museum was the second peace museum in the United States. The first one, called The Peace Museum, was in Chicago, Illinois, but it closed in 2006. The International Peace Museum is now the only large peace museum in the Western Hemisphere that has a physical building. Another museum, Peace Museum Colorado, opened in 2018. It focuses on people who are heroes for peace.
Moving to a New Home
In 2005, the museum moved into a historic building in Dayton called the Isaac Pollack House. This building was built in 1877. In 2014, it was updated with modern technology. This new equipment helped the museum create interactive exhibits. It also allowed them to share programs and virtual exhibits in many rooms.
The Founders' Vision
Ralph and Christine Dull were peace activists for a long time. They were part of a group called the Fellowship of Reconciliation. They received many awards for their books and their work in the local area. Ralph was honored for his work in green energy and for protecting the environment.
After the Dulls left, the museum continued to focus on making changes in the local community. They met with local leaders. They also encouraged people to think about peace in many different ways. In 2017, the museum joined a local project called "Building Peace Through the Arts." They worked with the University of Dayton and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.
More recently, the museum worked with the Facing Project. They published a collection of 16 stories. These stories shared the experiences of people affected by community challenges. The book was released on August 1, 2020.
Recent Changes and Reopening
In September 2021, the museum temporarily closed to visitors because of the pandemic. During that time, they offered online yoga classes, discussions, and educational talks. The museum reopened in May 2022 in a new building on Courthouse Square. Their first new exhibit after reopening showed photos by Bernard Kleina. These photos were about Martin Luther King Jr.'s Chicago Freedom Movement.
In September 2024, Kevin Kelly, who was the Executive Director, stepped down. Alice Young-Basora, who used to be the Director of Education, took over. She became the first female Executive Director of the International Peace Museum.
What the Museum Does Now
Working with Others
The museum is an active member of several global groups. These include the Peace in Our Cities initiative and the Austrian Service Abroad program. They are also part of the Association of Children's Museums. The museum is on the advisory board for the International Network of Museums of Peace in Kyoto.
The museum partners with many organizations. These include International Cities of Peace, the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, and ThinkTV. They also work with the Kyiv Peace Museum and the Srebrenica Genocide Memorial in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Exhibits and Programs
The museum has many permanent and temporary exhibits. A very important one is about the Dayton Peace Accords. This exhibit has interactive screens where you can learn more. It is the most complete exhibit of its kind. It was made digital in 2020 for its 25th anniversary. You can find it on the museum's website.
The museum also shows the "positive work people are doing all over the world to promote peace." This includes stories of "Dayton Peace Heroes."
Besides exhibits, the museum has ongoing programs. They host "Building Peace" talks by guest speakers on many topics. They also have community discussions about Martin Luther King Jr.'s writings, called "MLK Dialogues."
The museum also holds an annual summer camp for kids. They offer programs on Kingian Nonviolence, which is about solving problems peacefully. They also teach about mediation, peace literacy, and compassionate education. The Dayton Peace Trail highlights local "spaces of peace and justice."
Community Events
The museum has also held larger events for the community. They partnered with former NFL player Chris Borland, who is from Dayton. They held the first Dayton Peace Festival. This three-day event included music and free yoga. It also had serious discussions about community challenges and peace.
The museum's former Executive Director, Kevin Kelly, wrote articles for local newspapers. He wrote about racial and social justice. He also wrote about the legacies of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis. He connected their ideas to current events and political tensions.
The museum is also where all the books submitted to the Dayton Literary Peace Prize are kept. This prize honors books that promote peace. Famous winners include John Irving, Alice Hoffman, and Elie Wiesel.
See also
- The International Peace Museum
- Peace museum
- List of peace activists
- The Peace Museum, Chicago
