The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC is one of the most popular in the world.
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world – reserve your free timed-entry tickets to visit the space and the newly unveiled exhibitions.
Be sure to check out our guide to accessibility for DC's Smithsonian institutions.
Renovations
While it remains operational, the museum is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce galleries and public spaces both reimagined and brand new. Learn more about the transformation.
The renovation of all 20 galleries, which began in 2018, will unveil five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance on July 28. The project as a whole is scheduled to conclude next year on July 1 – the 50th anniversary of the museum in Washington and the 250th anniversary of the United States.
This summer, thousands of artifacts will go back on display, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock. The Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A series rocket are among new additions to the galleries. The exhibits include Futures in Space, World War I: The Birth of Military Flight and more.
A museum that goes above and beyond
Glimpse the 1903 Wright Flyer, run your hands over moon rock and experience the larger-than-life world of aviation and space travel at the National Air and Space Museum. Since opening on the National Mall in 1976, this hub of all things flight has educated and inspired future generations of pilots and astronauts from around the world. The museum (along with its second location, the Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Va.) contains the largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. All components of human flight are on display, including related art and archival materials.
National Air and Space Museum hours and location
The museum is located on Jefferson Drive, between 4th and 7th Streets SW and admission is always free. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The easiest way to reach the museum is via Metrorail or Metrobus. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines). Learn more about the museum's accessibility features on its website.
The Museum’s second facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located just south of Dulles Airport’s runways in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center website for more information.
National Air and Space Museum
What’s inside the National Air and Space Museum?
The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. Our fascination with flight is still alive and well, as the museum (and the Udvar-Hazy Center) is one of the most visited in the world year-after-year.
The historical objects on display are breathtaking – fundamental to the story of flight. The 1903 Wright Flyer, which completed the world’s first successful flight, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, are two fan favorites.
The Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth, is currently at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Visitors can also see the spacesuit astronaut Neil Armstrong wore during his mission to the moon and, beginning in July, touch a sample of a lunar rock brought back from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Browse the full lineup of exhibitions, current and upcoming.
A stellar Only1DC experience
Look through the lens of a high-powered telescope and watch as celestial bodies come into focus. Held on select evenings throughout the year, astronomy program events like nighttime stargazing at the National Air and Space Museum’s Public Observatory bring out volunteer experts (many of whom share their personal telescopes) to give families, couples and curious visitors a taste of the cosmos. On a given night, you may be able to look through three different telescopes, each focused on a different point in the sky.
