Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Washington D.C. · United States · Founded 1946
The most visited museum in the United States, housing the Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 command module, and Space Shuttle Discovery. Free entry.
About Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum consistently ranks as the most visited museum in the United States, with over 7 million visitors annually before the pandemic. Established in 1946 and opened on the National Mall in 1976, it holds the world's largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft.
The museum recently completed a major renovation of its flagship National Mall building, reopening it with entirely new permanent galleries in 2022. A second facility — the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport — houses Space Shuttle Discovery, the Enola Gay, and a Concorde.
Collections & Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
A small ask before you go
You've just explored one of humanity's greatest collections of beauty. Art has the power to move us, inspire us, and change how we see the world. But millions of people will never see beauty like this — not because the art isn't there, but because they can't see at all.
Preventable blindness, caused by conditions like cataracts and trachoma, affects people of all ages across the world's poorest communities. A small gift — for the cost of a museum ticket — can provide a simple surgery to restore someone's sight and transform their life.