The New and Improved Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Did you know that the National Air and Space Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world? The museum is so large that its collection is actually housed in two locations one in Chantilly, Virginia and the other in Washington, DC. In this post, we’ll be discussing the DC location.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum has undergone a massive overhaul and re-opened their doors in October of 2022. Eight newly renovated galleries are now open. The remaining galleries are expected to be unveiled in 2025. The new exhibits invite visitors to explore air and space in new, interactive, and exciting ways. We can’t wait to visit again once the museum is completely open to see what this masterpiece evolves into! It is definitely a must-see if you’re in the Washington, DC area.

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History of the National Air and Space Museum

The Air and Space Museum was established in 1946. It opened its main building on the National Mall in 1976. In 2018, the museum had 6.2 million visitors, making it the 5th most visited museum in the world, and the second most visited in the United States. The museum includes iconic pieces such as the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the Friendship 7 capsule, Lindbergh’s the Spirit of St. Louis, and the Wright brothers’ Wright Flyer.

In March of 2022, the museum closed for six months for renovations and to make way for the future three-story Jeff Bezos Learning Center.

The Eight Brand New Exhibits Featured at the National Air and Space Museum

The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age

Wilbur and Orville Wright, the invertors of the airplane, completely opened up the world to the masses and helped changed the course of history.

The Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Aerial Age introduces visitors to the Wright Brothers and outlines their achievements and how they accomplished them. The highlight of the gallery is the 1903 Wright Flyer. There are other relics that belonged to the brothers including a stopwatch, the 1900 Wright Glider, and other full-scale models.

Early Flight

Between the Wright Brothers first flight in 1903 and the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the airplane evolved into an extraordinary machine that would help shape the future. This exhibit uses artifacts such as the Lilienthal Glider, the 1909 Wright Military Flyer and other displays to show how humans continued to push the boundaries of air travel and how aircraft evolved over time.

America by Air

The America by Air exhibit follows the journey of commercial aviation in the United States. The exhibit shows how the federal government helped shape the airline industry, showcases the evolution in technology and outlines how the flying experience has changed over the decades.

Our kids favorite part of the exhibit was getting to step inside actual airplanes and see how they’ve changed.

One World Connected

The One World Connected exhibit shows how humans have taken to the skies and stars, launched satellites, changed the way we communicate, and became a global society. The exhibit features an array of satellites and tools that have opened the doors for human connection.

The exhibit shows how we use satellite technology for things beyond communicating with people on the other side of the planet and with astronauts. It also shows how we use satellites to listen to music, watch television, track animals, monitor the ozone, view changes in our landscapes, and for wildlife conservation.

Destination Moon

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Air and Space Museum without an exhibit about the moon. This exhibit celebrates America’s journey to the moon by sharing the technologies that made Neil Armstrong’s 1969 lunar landing possible.

The exhibit features iconic objects like Neil Armstrong’s Apollo spacesuit, the Gemini VII Capsule, Apollo 11 Command Command Module, and so much more.

This was probably our favorite exhibit in the museum because it included so many iconic pieces and offered a glimpse into the lives on astronauts.

Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery

This exhibit is awesome! It is vibrant, colorful, interactive, and totally kid-friendly! The exhibit highlights all of the planets that circle our sun and demonstrates how exploring these far-off places helps us better understand our home planet.

It features many cool artifacts such as a stardust capsule, Mars Rover Curiosity, Mars Pathfinder and random things like Spock’s ears from Star Trek.

Thomas W. Haas We All Fly

The We All Fly exhibit demonstrates how aviation has impacted our society as a whole. It explores general aviation, sport aviation, and careers available in the aviation world. It includes several planes and helicopters including a Lear Jet 23, Aviation Specialties Unlimited Challenger III and Cirrus SR22.

Nation of Speed

This exhibit was a bit unexpected, considering it’s an Air and Space Museum. The Nation of Speed is centered around human ingenuity and American’s desire to become the fasted on the land, sea, air and space. It features iconic vehicles such as Mario Andretti’s Indy 500 winning race car, a 1906 motorcycle, Evel Knievel memorabilia, and more.

Plan Your Visit to the National Air and Space Museum

Location of the DC Museum

6th Street and Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560
Please Note: The only public entrance is on Independence Ave

Hours

10:00 am to 5:30 pm
Open every day except December 25

Free timed-entry passes are required for all visitors, regardless of age
Up to six free timed-entry passes can be booked for your visit.
If you are reserving for a group of 10 or more, you’ll need to book via the group reservations page.
Passes are released in six-week blocks.
A limited number of same-day passes are released online every morning at 8:30 am.
Prepare to wait outside for your timed-entry. Plan accordingly for the weather as you will not be allowed in the museum prior to your timed-entry.