National Air and Space Museum facts for kids
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Ad Astra sculpture at the museum entrance on the National Mall
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| Former name | National Air Museum |
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| Established | 1946 (as the National Air Museum) |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Visitors | 3.1 million visitors (2023) |
| Public transit access |  Washington Metro     at L'Enfant Plaza |
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) is a super cool museum in Washington, D.C.. It's part of the Smithsonian Institution. This museum is all about the amazing story of human flight and space exploration.
It first opened in 1946 as the National Air Museum. The main building you see today on the National Mall opened in 1976. In 2023, over 3 million people visited the museum. That makes it one of the most popular museums in the world!
The museum is a place where experts study the history and science of planes and rockets. They also learn about planets and Earth's geology. Most of the aircraft and spacecraft you see there are the real ones, not just copies! Imagine seeing the actual Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia that went to the Moon. You can also see John Glenn's Friendship 7 space capsule. Don't forget Charles Lindbergh's famous Spirit of St. Louis plane. The museum even has the Bell X-1, the first plane to break the sound barrier. And for science fiction fans, there's a model of the starship Enterprise from Star Trek: The Original Series! Right near the entrance, you'll find the Wright brothers' Wright Flyer, the very first successful airplane.
The museum also has a huge annex called the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. It's located near Dulles International Airport. This center has a special hangar where they restore and store many more aircraft.
The main museum building on the National Mall is currently getting a big makeover. This renovation started in 2018 and will take about seven years. Some parts of the museum might be closed during this time.
Contents
History of the Museum
How the Museum Started
The Air and Space Museum began on August 12, 1946. It was first called the National Air Museum. President Harry S. Truman signed the law to create it. Some items in the museum are even older! For example, some kites from the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia were given to the Smithsonian. The Stringfellow steam engine, meant for aircraft, was added in 1889. This was one of the first items the Smithsonian actively collected for the museum.
After the museum was created, there wasn't one big building to hold everything. Many items came from the United States Army and United States Navy. These included planes from World War I. Some pieces were shown in the Arts and Industries Building. Others were kept in a temporary metal shed called the "Tin Shed." Larger rockets were displayed outside in "Rocket Row." Many items stayed in storage because there wasn't enough display space.
After World War II, many aircraft were given to the Smithsonian. There was also a need for hangar space for the Korean War. This made the Smithsonian look for its own place to store and fix planes. The current Garber Facility was given to the Smithsonian in 1952. This happened after a curator named Paul E. Garber saw the wooded area from the air.
Building the Main Museum
The museum's spot on the National Mall has a lot of history. It was once an armory and a hospital during the Civil War. Later, temporary buildings from World War I stood there until the 1960s.
The exciting Space Race in the 1950s and 1960s led to the museum's new name. It became the National Air and Space Museum. Finally, money was approved to build the new exhibition hall. It opened on July 1, 1976. This was during the big United States Bicentennial celebrations. Michael Collins, who flew to the Moon on Apollo 11, was the director then.
Recent History of the Museum
In 1988, a glass area called the Wright Place was added to the museum. It had a restaurant, which later became a food court in 2002.
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center opened on December 15, 2003. This huge annex was built with money from a private donation.
The museum also has some very special space items. It received COSTAR, a special instrument from the Hubble Space Telescope. It also holds a backup mirror for the Hubble. In 2018, the museum got the Schmitt Space Communicator. This device sent the first tweet from space!
Museum Architecture
The museum is very close to the United States Capitol building. So, the Smithsonian wanted a museum that looked impressive but didn't stand out too much. Architect Gyo Obata designed the museum with four simple marble cubes. These cubes hold the smaller exhibits. Three large glass and steel areas connect them. These areas display bigger items like missiles, airplanes, and spacecraft. The museum uses the same pink Tennessee marble as the National Gallery of Art. It was finished in 1976. The large glass wall on the west side of the building can open. This allows them to bring in airplanes!
Renovations and Updates
Since 1976, the museum has had some basic repairs. In 2001, the glass walls were replaced.
In 2014, the museum announced a big renovation for its main entrance hall. This hall is called "Milestones of Flight." The company Boeing donated $30 million for this project. The hall will be renamed the "Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall." Some older exhibits will be moved, and new ones will be added. For example, the famous filming model of the USS Enterprise from Star Trek will be moved into this hall. New touch-screen kiosks will help visitors learn more about the exhibits.
In 2015, the Smithsonian shared a report about the museum's renovation needs. Many of the building's systems were old and breaking down. The heating and cooling system was failing, and the roof needed to be replaced. The marble outside was cracking. The glass walls let in too much ultraviolet light. This light was damaging some exhibits, like John Young's spacesuit and the coating on the Spirit of St. Louis.
The museum also needed to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. New security rules after the September 11 attacks in 2001 meant long lines outside. These lines were not safe or comfortable in bad weather.
The Smithsonian started seeking approval for a $365 million renovation in 2015. The entire outside of the building will be replaced with new Tennessee marble. The glass walls will be replaced with stronger, better insulated panels. These changes will make the museum safer and more modern.
By 2016, the project's cost had grown to $600 million. In late June 2016, officials said the total renovation would cost $1 billion. This included money for construction, new storage, and new exhibits.
In October 2018, the museum announced a seven-year renovation plan. Some galleries closed between December 2018 and January 2019. The museum stayed open during most of the renovation. However, it closed temporarily in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 3, 2022, the museum reopened for a short time. It then closed again on March 28, 2022, for six months. The renovation includes building a new, three-story Jeff Bezos Learning Center. The western side of the museum, with eight new galleries, the planetarium, and a cafe, reopened on October 14, 2022. The eastern side is planned to reopen in 2024.
Museum Leaders
Carl W. Mitman was the first head of the museum from 1946 to 1952.
Here are some of the directors who have led the museum:
- Philip S. Hopkins, 1958–1964
- S. Paul Johnston, 1964–1969
- Frank A. Taylor (acting), 1969–1971
- Michael Collins, 1971–1978
- Melvin B. Zisfein (acting), 1978–1979
- Noel W. Hinners, 1979–1982
- Walter J. Boyne, (acting 1982–1983) director 1983–1986
- James C. Tyler (acting), 1986–1987
- Martin O. Harwit, 1987–1995
- Donald D. Engen, 1996–1999
- John R. Dailey, 2000–2018
- Ellen Stofan, 2018–2020
- Christopher U. Browne, (acting 2020–2022) director 2022–present
Photo Gallery
The main museum on the National Mall has 61 aircraft, 51 large space artifacts, and over 2,000 smaller items.
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Apollo Lunar Module LM-2, used for testing the spacecraft on the ground.
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An Apollo lunar space suit.
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The space suit worn by David Scott on the Moon during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971.
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The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project Display.
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The Bell X-1, the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.
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The Breitling Orbiter 3, the first balloon to fly non-stop around the Earth in 1999.
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Chicago, the first aircraft to fly around the world in 1924.
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A Douglas DC-3 airplane.
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A 25-foot-long model of the LZ 129 Hindenburg airship.
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A Lockheed U-2 spy plane and a spacecraft.
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The Mercury Friendship 7 spacecraft. It was the first American spacecraft to orbit Earth with a crew in 1962.
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Missiles: The Soviet SS-20 and the U.S. Pershing II.
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Ballistic missiles on display.
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The Pioneer H spacecraft.
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SpaceShipOne, the first private spaceship to carry a human crew in 2004.
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A Pitcairn Mailwing airplane.
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The North American X-15 experimental aircraft.
Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory
The Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory opened in 2009. It was part of the celebration for the International Year of Astronomy. This observatory has a 16-inch telescope and special telescopes to view the Sun. You can visit the observatory from Wednesday to Sunday, from noon to 3 P.M. It also opens about once a month at night for stargazing!
Public Programs and Learning
In 2014, the museum started a TV show for middle school students called STEM in 30. This show teaches students about science, technology, engineering, math, art, and history. It uses the museum's artifacts and features special guests from air and space history. The museum also has programs called "What's New in Aerospace" with special guests.
Research Opportunities
The museum offers several research fellowships. These are special opportunities for scholars to study aerospace history. One famous fellowship is the Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History. It helps a scholar write a book about aerospace history.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Nacional del Aire y el Espacio de Estados Unidos para niños
- Continuum a sculpture outside the museum entrance.
- Delta Solar another sculpture on the west side of the building.
- List of most-visited museums in the United States
- List of aerospace museums
- National Air and Space Museum Film Archive
- RKK Energiya museum, a similar museum in Russia.
- Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics
- Architecture of Washington, D.C.
