Do you fantasize about soaring high above the clouds or visiting galaxies far, far away while traveling in spaceships? The National Air and Space Museum has been feeding those dreams for countless hopefuls since opening in 1976.
One of the most visited museums on the National Mall, it’s also one of the largest, holding some 60,000 aviation artifacts and 9,000 space artifacts ranging from the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Flyer to passenger jetliners, rockets, lunar rocks, and spacesuits. The museum also houses the Planetarium, where you can tour the galaxies from the safety of your seat.
Having reopened eight reimagined and expanded galleries in 2023, the facility is still undergoing renovations that are expected to be completed in 2026. Consequently, some exhibits might be periodically closed.
10 must-sees:
• Wrights Brothers’ Flyer (1903), the first powered airplane with a propulsion system (Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age, first floor)
• Northrop T-38 Talon (1959), the world’s first supersonic trainer plane (West End, first floor)
• Boeing 247-D (1934), a major innovation in passenger air travel (America by Air, first floor)
• Mars Curiosity (2012), a model of the small robot that explored the red planet (Kenneth C. Griffin Exploring the Planets Gallery, first floor)
• Apollo 11 Command Module (1969), where astronauts lived during most of the first manned lunar landing mission (Destination Moon, second floor)
• Blériot Type XI (1914), the type of plane used for the first crossing of the English Channel (Early Flight, first floor)
• Star Trek Enterprise (1965), a model of the fictional starship Enterprise used in the iconic sci-fi TV show (Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, first floor)
• Cirrus SR22 (2003), an innovative aircraft with pioneering safety features (Thomas W. Haas We All Fly, first floor)
• Brawner-Ford “Hawk” (1965), the first rear-engine racing car, driven by racing legend Mario Andretti (Nation of Speed, second floor)
• Douglas DC-7 (1956), a record-setting passenger airliner from air travel’s golden age (America by Air, first floor)