With 22 different galleries housing many original exhibits, the National Air and Space Museum offers the largest collection of air and spacecraft you’ll find anywhere in the world.
Here you’ll find exhibits on display which will take you through the incredible history of aviation, from the Early Flight section with its primitive vessels through to the space age craft on show in the Apollo to the Moon gallery. Explore the showcase gallery Milestones of Flight, in which you’ll see the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s famous Spirit of St Louis in which he crossed the Atlantic, and the command module from Apollo 11.
The museum’s interactive exhibits offer plenty of fun for all the family. Youngsters can see how a jumbo jet makes it into the air at the How Things Fly exhibit, or you can get into the cockpit of a flight simulator to see what it’s like to fly in a modern fighter jet. You can even explore the cosmos on a spacecraft.
Alongside all of these incredible and inspiring displays, the museum hosts many events and lectures throughout the year. Every Wednesday evening, you can go along to an Ask the Expert lecture. Many of the events held here are free. Check with Reception what’s on when you visit.
Check out the IMAX Theatre and the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the museum too, both of which offer great flight and space experiences. Screenings cost a little extra, but will keep you entertained for some time. To enjoy a bite to eat, there is also a food court area available.
It’s best to arrive early as the museum fills up quickly. If you’re eager for more, check out the companion facility at the Steven F.Udvar-Hazy Centre near Washington Dulles International Airport, where thousands more artefacts can be found. Both of these facilities are open every day except for Christmas Day and entry is free.
