Museums & Galleries in Greenfield

More than 50 years old and 8,500 members strong, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) strives to promote percussion through education, research, and performances across the world. To carry out this mission, the organization includes more than 50 chapters in the US and 28 chapters abroad, all of which communicate online via resources such as lessons, free practice exercises, and annual events. Each year PAS hosts the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention—the largest of its kind in the world—in which exhibitors convene to showcase the newest developments in percussion technology, instruments, and publications. The convention also includes over 120 clinics and performances with lauded artists covering all genres and styles of music.

The firefighters of Engine Company #45 Firehouse extinguished their last blaze in 1962 after 56 years of fearless public service. Although the team dissipated, the elegant, 1906 firehouse—with Renaissance Revival details and three doors wide enough to accommodate horse-drawn fire engines—remained, languishing as a city storehouse until 1980, when the Fire Museum of Greater Cincinnati moved in. The building was recognized on the National Register of Historic Places and filled with special exhibits acknowledged by Fox19.com and 365 Things to do in Cincinnati. It was also filled with antique firefighting gear that is in excellent condition in spite of years of smoke inhalation.

The collection reveals early 19th-century firefighting tactics with an alarm drum that once warned of fire from the roof of a carpenter shop and was later used to provide rhythm during disco infernos. In the Safe House exhibit, families diagram their homes and create personalized emergency plans while learning tips about fire prevention.

The Drake Planetarium & Science Center captivates young minds with educational shows as well as after-school programs that teach creative problem solving and teamwork. Planetarium shows cover a wide range of topics and teach audiences to recognize seasonally changing constellations, planets, and lunar foliage. Starry Nights at the Cincinnati Astronomical Society invite stargazers to peep into the universe through the facility's powerful telescopes or highly magnified monocles, and laser light shows also grace the planetarium dome with 2-D, 3-D, and abstract animations choreographed to classic rock and holiday-theme recordings.

Every time the Darke County Historical Society unearths a new finding, there’s a good chance that the public’s first look at it will come in the exhibition halls of Greenville’s Garst Museum. More than 300,000 American artifacts fill the museum's six wings, many of which were discovered—or rediscovered, as the case may be—over the course of the society's archeological digs, genealogical research, and historic preservation activities.

Among the century-spanning exhibits, the softer side of sharpshooter Annie Oakley unfolds in the Coppock Wing, and antique cannonballs and Humvees speak of the wartime exploits of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Down on the first floor, a painting of Chief Tarhe, Grand Sachem of the Wyandots, presides over a collection that focuses on America during the 1700s but leaves room for anachronistic elements such as mastodon bones. The newest exhibit, "Diversity in Darke County: The Story of Longtown," celebrates local history with its visual chronicle of a tri-racial settlement in Greenville.

Aside from the main two-story brick Colonial home—which was built as an inn in 1852, according to Touring Ohio—the society and the museum maintain several properties of historic note. A free, self-guided tour of Bear's Mill and its 800-foot water channel can be capped with a cup of gourmet coffee, and the Lowell Thomas house provides insights into the childhood of the broadcaster and adventurer who once famously dined with the Prince of Wales inside an actual whale.

Red steel plates that seem to be taking flight, a warped obelisk, and a dome made of metal dragonflies—these are just a few of the 64 statues nestled among the gardens and meadows at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park. In addition to delighting visitors with massive objects d’art, the 265-acre outdoor museum exhibits the naturally occurring beauty of wooded thickets, seven lakes, and flowers that have never undergone plastic surgery. After wandering along the hiking trails, driving along paved roads, and peering into the remains of a stone house built by pioneers, guests can visit the 10,000-square-foot Ancient Sculpture Museum. The museum showcases Roman, Egyptian, Greek, and Etruscan statuary, which was chiseled before mankind invented the frames that forced all art to become flat.

In addition to curating sculptures, the park hosts a slew of activities relating to art and the environment. Its Summer Concert Series beckons music lovers, and a Summer Series for Kids organizes programming such as puppet shows for little ones.

After walking through the doors, visitors find themselves surrounded by treasured sports memorabilia and artifacts from colleges across the nation. On the first floor, 23 interactive kiosks each immerse users in a different NCAA sport. Interactive screens illuminate with stories of past champions, trivia questions, and footage of Bobby Knight screaming in different arenas. After a stroll up to the second floor, visitors immerse themselves in simulated and actual athletic competitions, such as throwing a virtual football and measuring their vertical leap. A fully realized 1930s-style gymnasium invites modern folks to shoot hoops just like their grandparents did—uphill both ways in the snow.