Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum Reviews (Washington, D.C., United States)

A Great Museum for All Ages

Tustin, California

September 22, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated by all things aviation and space related. If you’re like me, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is one place you shouldn’t pass up. There are hundreds of different artifacts, original and ...Read more Since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated by all things aviation and space related. If you’re like me, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is one place you shouldn’t pass up. There are hundreds of different artifacts, original and accurate replicas, documenting our history off the ground. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is located off the National Mall, by Jefferson Street and 7th Street. It’s best reached from the Metro Station at L’Enfant Plaza, which is just south on 7th Street.

There is no entry fee, but there is always has the obligatory security screening. Once inside, I was immediately in the middle of the Milestones of Flight exhibit. This exhibit features the milestones, such as Robert Goddard’s first rocket, the Bell X-1 which broke the supersonic barrier, Charles Lindberg’s Spirit of St. Louis and the first transatlantic flight. One thing I found especially interesting is the display of an actual North American X-15, basically a hypersonic rocket plane that is the fastest plane ever flown. It only has a few minutes of fuel, yet often reached altitudes high enough to be considered space, qualifying the pilot for astronaut wings. In addition, the few minutes of fuel propelled the X-15 to over 6 times the speed of sound.

There is the Space Race exhibit, which mainly consists of rockets, missiles, and space capsules. There are exhibits of the German V-1 and V-2 rockets, both Soviet and US ballistic missiles, a test version of the Hubble space telescope, and mock-ups of a Soviet and US space capsule as they docked together in the cold war. An interesting observation is that the German V-2 rocket was built by slaves during World War 2. The metal skin of the V-2 is very rough and has lots of wrinkles, as compared to the smooth surfaces of the American and Soviet missiles.

There is an exhibit of the lunar landings, which have different lunar probes and a replica of the lunar landing vehicle. I was stunned by how small the unmanned lunar probes are, most of them could fit, folded up, in the bed of a pickup truck. There is also an exhibit of aerial and space photography. They have prints of photos from various altitudes and angles for all reasons ranging from mapping, topography, natural disaster survey, to military reconnaissance. One exhibit I found interesting is a display showing before and after photos of places that have been camouflaged and how to see through it. For example, there is a Cold War era photo of a Soviet oil tank farm where the tanks were made to look like residential homes, yet at a certain angle late in the day, their shadows were perfectly circular, as they came from the oil tanks.

There are also exhibits of military aviation, from famous fighter planes used in both World Wars, to the clothing and uniforms worn by the pilots, weapons, and instrumentation used. A Naval Aviation exhibit is in a room fashioned after an aircraft carrier’s hangar deck and features aircraft and artifacts from naval aviation. An unmanned aviation exhibit has highlights from early unmanned aircraft to the Predator drones, and experimental ones such as the Darkstar, which have the exhaust and and air intakes sealed due to their classified nature.

There is also a dedicated exhibit to the Wright Brothers and their first flight. There are interactive displays showing how the Wright Brother’s flight controls and control surfaces work. There is also a history of how the Wright Brothers turned a printing and bicycle manufacturing business into an aircraft manufacturer. There is a life size replica of the Wright Flyer 1, which made the first powered air flight. This exhibit is very interesting and taught me many things about the Wright Brothers that I never realized before.

There is an exhibit called America by Air, which chronicles commercial flight. There are such exhibits as older, propeller driven commercial planes. There's a front end of a Northwest Airlines 747 where you can walk into the cockpit.

There is an IMAX theater showing different aviation related movies which require $8.75 tickets. A planetarium showing movies on exploring the universe as well. There is a gift shop, a food court with McDonalds and Boston Market, as well as a pizzeria. There is jet fighter plane simulator, which requires paid tickets. All in all, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is an excellent place to learn about flight and space exploration, and a really great place to bring kids, even the adult ones like me. Close

From journal Our Nation's Capital

National Air & Space Museum

by sararevell

London, United Kingdom

April 6, 2008

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Best of IgoUgo Opened in 1976, the National Mall Building reveals only a fraction of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s collection. To see the other 90% you need to venture out to Washington Dulles Airport and tour the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. I ...Read more Opened in 1976, the National Mall Building reveals only a fraction of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s collection. To see the other 90% you need to venture out to Washington Dulles Airport and tour the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. I would hardly classify myself as an aviation fanatic but even I was impressed by this museum’s exciting mix of air and spacecraft.

Our main reason for visiting was to view the temporary exhibition of the 150 objects from the National Museum of American History on view whilst that museum undergoes renovation. We shuffled along, viewing a variety of entertaining items ranging from Kermit the Frog and Muhammed Ali’s boxing gloves to Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone and Edison’s light bulb.

We then ventured next door to Gallery 210 and the "Apollo to the Moon" exhibition where the ingenious display of an F-1 engine is mirrored in a way to show the configuration of the actual five engines that sat at the base of the Saturn 5 rocket. The Saturn 5 was the largest rocket in the world and the F-1 was the most powerful rocket engine, enabling the rocket to reach speeds of 6,000 miles per hour shortly after launch.

On to the next gallery and we toured the striking Wright Brothers exhibition. Boards and illustrative displays tell of their family life and lead on to their work in the early 1900s that led to the invention of the first powered airplane. In the centre of the gallery is their masterpiece, the 1903 Wright Flyer. The exhibition then continues, looking at the fast development of flight in the decade that followed.

In the main galleries, planes and spacecrafts are impossibly suspended overhead, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the aircraft piloted by Charles A. Lindbergh in 1927 from New York to Paris in the first solo transatlantic flight.

The National Air and Space Museum at the National Mall could easily occupy a full day and we barely scratched the surface, sadly missing out on many galleries including World War Two aviation, Flight Simulators and the Planetarium. (I can’t imagine how much time you would need at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center though!) It also seemed to cater well to children although I was sad to see that they’ve allowed a McDonald’s branch a berth in their food court on the first floor.

www.nasm.si.edu

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From journal The Two-Day Tourist in Washington DC

National Air and Space Museum

by Bruce Horne

Seaford, Delaware

June 3, 2007

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It's worth the time, even if only marginally interested in air/space exploration since other topics are represented. For example, Archie Bunker's chair is there since its museum (Amer. Hist.?) is being renovated.

From journal D.C. Trip

National Air and Space Museum

by winwiz88

Panama City Beach and Orlando, Florida

March 22, 2007

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Best of IgoUgo The National Air and Space Museum is quite possibly one of my favorite museums in all of Washington, D.C. From the beginning of aviation to SpaceShipOne, this museum is sure to be exciting for both adults and children. Planning Your VisitBefore ...Read more The National Air and Space Museum is quite possibly one of my favorite museums in all of Washington, D.C. From the beginning of aviation to SpaceShipOne, this museum is sure to be exciting for both adults and children.

Planning Your Visit
Before going to D.C., you may wish to consult the National Air and Space Museum web site to get an idea which, if any exhibits are closed. As of March 2007, several exhibits including Jet Aircraft and the Civil Aviation hall were under renovation. Also on the website you can get the operating hours, special programs, make reservations for the IMAX theater, and guides to help orient you with the museum.

Visiting the Museum
There is a lot to see, and if this is your first time visiting, I strongly suggest you either sign up for a 90-minute tour or pick up a brochure upon entering. Also, it should be noted, just like everything else in D.C., there is a security checkpoint when you enter.

There are several areas to explore of the museum. There are the main displays of aircraft in the long hall which displays some of the more famous aircraft to ever grace the skies. The Bell X-1, SpaceShipOne, the nose of a ex-Northwest Airlines Boeing 747 and more. Of course there are also spacecraft, ranging from early space capsules, a Apollo-Souyz display, various rockets, from World War Two era through the space race and to today.

Of course there are many side galleries that are more specific. For example, there is a naval aviation section, and another meant to feel like an early 20th aviation exhibition. In addition to the galleries on various aircraft exhibits, there is also a temporary exhibit that is not Air and Space related on the second floor. It is called Treasures of American History and is on display here while the National Museum of American History is being remodeled.

In addition to the displays, there is also an IMAX theater and a room that features various motion simulators. The IMAX films, like many others are a great experience, and the motion simulators should keep children happy.

If during your stay, you become hungry, be assured there is a food court at the museum featuring McDonalds, Donatos, and Boston Market. Before leaving make sure to stop by the gift shop. They have a wide collection of museum and aviation memorabilia. Close

From journal Spring Break in Washington, D.C.

National Air and Space Museum

by stomps

Houston, Texas

December 30, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo After visiting the US Botanic Gardens, we worked our way west and into the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. I was particularly interested in checking out what the museum had to offer, since my only memories of my previous visit, during a spring ...Read more After visiting the US Botanic Gardens, we worked our way west and into the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. I was particularly interested in checking out what the museum had to offer, since my only memories of my previous visit, during a spring break trip in 5th grade, were of giant airplanes hanging from the ceiling and only being able to find a unisex bathroom that sported a stall… with no stall door. Embarrassed, I decided not to use it and ended up spending the entire visit crossing my legs instead!

Apollo 11 greeted us in the entranceway, and after turning a few more corners, we found plenty of other spacecraft. Unfortunately, living right next to the Space Center and taking countless visitors there has somewhat dulled the excitement of seeing spacecraft up close and personal, so I wandered on. James didn’t idle for long in front of these giant vehicles, since we didn’t have a lot of time and he knew he’d be visiting Space Center Houston shortly anyway.

We went through a few exhibits but didn’t spend long in any of them until we found the Wright Brothers Flyer. This was the one thing in DC that enchanted James more than anything else. Our pace slowed immediately as he pored over all of the signs surrounding the Wright Flyer, absolutely enthralled (apparently, he was fascinated because he had done a report on the Wrights in grade school). For some reason, I didn’t get a picture of him in front of it, but we did get a good shot of the Flyer on its own, which has been his desktop background ever since. We also got a good picture of one of the best descriptions in the exhibit, stating that the Wright Flyer was “The World’s First Power-Driven Heavier-than-Air Machine in Which Man Made Free, Controlled, and Sustained Flight. Invented and Built by Orville and Wilbur Wright, Flown by Them at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, December 17, 1903. By Original Scientific Research the Wright Brothers Discovered the Principles of Human Flight As Inventors, Builders, and Flyers they Further Developed the Aeroplane, Taught Man to Fly, and Opened the Era of Aviation.”

After dragging James away from the Flyer and skimming a few more exhibits, we acquainted ourselves with the Smithsonian food court. It was full of lesser-known restaurants like McDonald’s, where we bought ourselves a snack to tide ourselves over until lunch, which we planned to eat in Georgetown. We then arranged with my friend Debbie to meet outside the Museum of Natural History, so we took off quickly in that direction so we could take in the most important parts of the museum (read: the Hope Diamond) before she arrived. Close

From journal DC, in the Rain, With an Aussie

The National Air & Space Museum

by mafnet

Lake Forest, California

November 20, 2006

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Out of the many buildings of the Smithsonian, my group went to this one. There are replica of space ships along with real shuttles, planes, flying machines, etc. This is one of the most interactive museums of the Smithsonian collection. There is a ...Read more

From journal Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum

by grannola

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

October 9, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo We went here because the 4-year-old studied rocket ships last year at pre-school. OK, I'm lying, we went so I could see the Enterprise from Star Trek. I had gone to the museum with my Mom when I was a teenager. We split up so we could both see what ...Read more We went here because the 4-year-old studied rocket ships last year at pre-school. OK, I'm lying, we went so I could see the Enterprise from Star Trek. I had gone to the museum with my Mom when I was a teenager. We split up so we could both see what we were interested in, and met up at the door after an hour. When we met, she said "Did you see the Enterprise?", and I had not, so I've been waiting to get back ever since.

I had looked on the smithsonian.org website before we left to make sure the Enterprise was still there (which it is), and where to find it. There had been a Star Trek display a few years ago, but it is gone now. The Enterprise though is hiding in the basement of the gift shop. Knowing where it was allowed us to enjoy looking around at the rest of the museum. The Air & Space Museum did not interest my kids nearly as much as I thought it would. They loved the American History museum, but this one was just OK.

There were not as many hands-on exhibits as some other museums. There are a lot of airplanes hanging from the ceiling, but they did not hold much interest for my kids. The spaceflight section was a bit more engaging, but still not the kids favorite. They did enjoy the space section a bit better. We got there less than a month after Pluto's demotion to dwarf planet, but the Smithsonian had already started fixing things to reflect that. There was a really neat "In Memoriam" sign that explained what happened.

Another highlight was the video narrated by 'Albert Einstein' in animation form explaining how Star Trek and Star Wars could not really happen because they break the laws of physics. They also have an IMAX theatre and a space simulator that have admission fees. One of our first stops was the rest room. There was a huge line that went all the way out the door for the women's washroom on the main floor. The 4-year-old had to go, so we waited. When we got to the second floor a few minutes later, there was no lineup at all.

At the end of the visit we made a trip to the gift shop to see the Enterprise. We also bought some Space Ice Cream for the kids to take home as a souvenir. By this time, we were all getting hungry so we decided to go to the food court. They have McDonald's and Boston Pizza in a large room attached to the museum. We walked in and the noise was so overwhelming we left. We decided that a hot dog from the vendor outside made more sense. It was a beautiful day and the hot dogs were $3.50 each. Close

From journal Washington -- Smithsonian

National Air and Space Museum

by kwasiak

Tucson, Arizona

January 16, 2006

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Best of IgoUgo The National Air and Space Museum is located on the National Mall. The closest metro station is L'Enfant Plaza, which is located on the Blue and Orange Lines. You can also use the Smithsonian station, which runs on the same lines. The museum is open ...Read more The National Air and Space Museum is located on the National Mall. The closest metro station is L'Enfant Plaza, which is located on the Blue and Orange Lines. You can also use the Smithsonian station, which runs on the same lines. The museum is open every day, except Christmas, from 10am to 5:30pm.

The National Air and Space Museum is not only the most popular Smithsonian Museum, but also the most visited museum in the whole world. You can enter the building from either Independence Avenue or the National Mall. The first exhibit you will encounter no matter which way you enter is the Milestones of Flight exhibit. There are a variety of aircrafts displayed from the ceiling in this exhibit. Just two of the aircrafts are Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis and Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne, which is the first privately owned spacecraft to be flown over 62 miles in altitude twice in two weeks.

The museum is divided into two wings. The west wing of the building contains exhibits relating to airplanes on two floors, with the exception of the Exploring the Planets exhibit on the 2nd floor of the West Wing. The east wing of the building contains mostly exhibits relating to space travel on two floors, but also has a couple of the aviation related exhibits, such a The Wright Brother’s Exhibition that is on display on the 2nd floor of the East Wing until October 17, 2006, at which time the plane will be placed back in the Milestones of Flight exhibit. On the first floor of the East Wing you will also find a food court that services Boston Market, McDonalds, Donatos, and McTreats.

The airplane related exhibits that are found in the West Wing are Golden Age of Flight, Jet Aviation, Interactive Flight Simulator Rides, and Early Flight on the 1st Floor and Sea-Air Operations; World War II Aviation; Legend, Memory, and the Great War in the Air, and Pioneers of Flight. Out of all the aviations exhibits I found the Golden Age of Flight the most interesting mostly because it contained the Polar Star, which was the first plane to do a Trans-Antarctic flight. I also found the Legend, Memory, and the Great War in the Air exhibit interesting as it gave the history of the first war that airplanes played a role in.

The space related exhibits found in the East Wing are Looking at Earth, Explore the Universe, Rocketry and Space Flight, and Space Race on the 1st Floor and Apollo to the Moon, Flight and the Arts, and Beyond the Limits on the 2nd Floor. My favorite space related exhibit was the Space Race exhibit, as it was interesting to learn the different ways the U.S. and Russia raced to be the first to do things in space, as well as to see actually models of the related spacecrafts. Close

From journal Visiting the Smithsonian While Studying in DC

Smithsonian Air and Space

by catronma

Nixa, Missouri

November 14, 2005

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There are several different rooms that feature various time periods and landmarks through air and space travel. Many of the rooms have kid's activities, including walking through a plane and "flying" a small charter plane. There is ...Read more

From journal Washington, D.C., 2005

National Air & Space Museum

by lgarcia45

McAllen, Texas

June 30, 2005

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Best of IgoUgo The National Air and Space Museum is supposed to be the most visited museum, not only in D.C. but in the world. After our visit, I think this is true. The museum highlights the development of Aviation and Space travel, including the role of Aviation ...Read more

From journal An Eight-Day Vacation in Washington, D.C.

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