National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution

National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution Celebrating the greatest feats of aviation and space at two locations in DC and Virginia. The Museum in DC is open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm.
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Timed-entry passes are required and can be reserved here: https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum-dc

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm. Passes are not required. The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum maintains the world's largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human

flight, as well as related works of art and archival materials. This page represents both the National Mall location in Washington D.C, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. Together, these facilities welcome more than eight million visitors a year, making it the most visited museum in the country. We encourage you to share your visits using . Please feel free to share thoughts about our posts, ask us questions, or tell us about your visit.

09/04/2026

The National Air and Space Museum just launched a new video series for middle school students called "On Air." Each month, we'll release a collection of videos on a different topic. This month's videos on weather are designed with classroom needs at the center — short videos, clear explanations, and real-world connections that make weather science click for students.

Check out the full collection: https://s.si.edu/3Suxnzv

50 years ago today, the Viking 2 lander touched down on the surface of Mars. You can see a Viking lander test article at...
09/03/2026

50 years ago today, the Viking 2 lander touched down on the surface of Mars. You can see a Viking lander test article at our Museum in DC. Discover the story that connects Viking and the Museum in a recent blog: https://s.si.edu/4pylgxa

On this day in 1925, the US Navy's first rigid airship, USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), broke apart in a violent storm over Noble...
09/03/2026

On this day in 1925, the US Navy's first rigid airship, USS Shenandoah (ZR-1), broke apart in a violent storm over Noble County, Ohio. The disaster reshaped US airship design. Take a deep dive and learn more about the airship's history: https://s.si.edu/4pdyT4v

The Grumman F4F Wildcat flew for the first time on this day in 1937. By 1942, every American Navy fighter squadron flew ...
09/02/2026

The Grumman F4F Wildcat flew for the first time on this day in 1937. By 1942, every American Navy fighter squadron flew the aircraft. More on the Wildcat in our collection: https://s.si.edu/2DmkzEv

Today in 1945, World War II officially ended when representatives from the Empire of Japan met with those of the United ...
09/02/2026

Today in 1945, World War II officially ended when representatives from the Empire of Japan met with those of the United States and other Allied nations to sign the surrender document aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

At first glance, it looks like just a large fan. In reality, the wind tunnel fan is one of the most essential tools in a...
09/01/2026

At first glance, it looks like just a large fan. In reality, the wind tunnel fan is one of the most essential tools in aerospace engineering. By generating carefully controlled airflow, it allows scientists and engineers to study how air moves around aircraft shapes before they ever take flight. Read more on the Air & Space Quarterly article: https://s.si.edu/4iH2lPl

H. Ross Perot Jr. and J. Coburn departed in the Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II "Spirit of Texas" on the first round-the-world...
09/01/2026

H. Ross Perot Jr. and J. Coburn departed in the Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II "Spirit of Texas" on the first round-the-world flight by helicopter on this day in 1982. “Spirit of Texas” is on display at our Udvar-Hazy Center: http://s.si.edu/3B8m44w

On this day in 1944, our Sikorsky JRS-1 ended active service after 1,850 flying hours. It is the only aircraft in our co...
08/31/2026

On this day in 1944, our Sikorsky JRS-1 ended active service after 1,850 flying hours. It is the only aircraft in our collection present at the attack on Pearl Harbor. Learn more: https://s.si.edu/4oWBAY5

In 1961, California-based Aero Spaceline Industries (ASI) solved the problem of transporting oversized cargo when it int...
08/31/2026

In 1961, California-based Aero Spaceline Industries (ASI) solved the problem of transporting oversized cargo when it introduced the first Guppy aircraft. Built from a heavily modified KC-97 Stratotanker, the Pregnant Guppy featured the largest cargo compartment of any aircraft at the time.

The program was so successful that ASI followed up with an even larger version of the aircraft in 1965, the Super Guppy. The Super Guppy flew for the first time on this day in 1965.

📷: NASA's Super Guppy in November 2019. NASA/ Bridget Caswell.

On this day in 1983, Guion S. Bluford became the first Black American astronaut to fly in space on board Space Shuttle C...
08/30/2026

On this day in 1983, Guion S. Bluford became the first Black American astronaut to fly in space on board Space Shuttle Challenger for the STS-8 mission. Prior to becoming an astronaut, Bluford earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering and flew F-4C fighters for the Air Force in Vietnam. We share Bluford's story on the blog: https://s.si.edu/45RJwze

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Independence Avenue At 6th St, SW
Washington D.C., DC
20560

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+12026332214

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