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{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{about|the main museum in Washington, D.C.|the NASM's annex in [[Chantilly, Virginia]]|Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center}}
{{Infobox museum
| name            = National Air and Space Museum (NASM)
| logo            = National Air and Space Museum logo 2022.png
| image           = Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.jpg
| caption         = ''[[Ad Astra (Lippold sculpture)|Ad Astra]]'' sculpture at the museum entrance on the [[National Mall]]
| former_name     = National Air Museum
| established     = {{start date and age|1946}} (as the National Air Museum)
| map_type        = United States Washington, D.C. central#USA
| map_size        =
| map_caption     = Location within Washington, D.C.
| coordinates     = {{Coord|38|53|18|N|77|01|12|W|region:US-DC_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| location        = Washington, D.C.
| type            = [[Aviation museum]]
| visitors        = 3.1 million visitors (2023)<ref>[[List of most-visited museums in the United States]], March 2024</ref>
| director        = Chris Browne
| curator         = Peter Jakab
| publictransit   = {{WMATA link logo}} [[Washington Metro]] <br/> {{rint|washington|blue}} {{rint|washington|orange}} {{rint|washington|yellow}} {{rint|washington|green}} {{rint|washington|silver}} at [[L'Enfant Plaza (WMATA station)|L'Enfant Plaza]]
| website         = https://airandspace.si.edu
}}
The '''National Air and Space Museum''' ('''NASM''') of the [[Smithsonian Institution]] is a museum in [[Washington, D.C.]], in the United States, dedicated to [[history of aviation|human flight]] and [[space exploration]].
Established in 1946 as the '''National Air Museum''', its main building opened on the [[National Mall]] near [[L'Enfant Plaza]] in 1976. In 2023, the museum welcomed 3.1 million visitors, making it the [[list of most-visited museums in the United States|fourth-most visited museum]] in the United States and [[List of most-visited museums|eleventh-most]] in the world.
The museum is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and [[spaceflight]], as well as [[planet]]ary science and terrestrial geology and [[geophysics]]. Almost all of its spacecraft and aircraft on display are original primary or backup craft (rather than facsimiles). Its collection includes the [[Apollo 11]] [[Command module Columbia|Command Module ''Columbia'']], the [[Mercury-Atlas 6|''Friendship 7'']] capsule which was flown by [[John Glenn]], [[Charles Lindbergh]]'s ''[[Spirit of St. Louis]]'', the model of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|starship ''Enterprise'']] used in the science fiction television show ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', and the [[Wright brothers]]{{'}} ''[[Wright Flyer]]'' airplane near the entrance.
The museum operates a {{convert|760,000|sqft|adj=on}} annex, the [[Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center]], at [[Dulles International Airport]]. It includes the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar, which houses the museum's restoration and archival activities. Other preservation and restoration efforts take place at the [[Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility]] in [[Suitland, Maryland]].
The museum's main building on the National Mall is undergoing a multi-year, $360M renovation that started in 2018, during which some of its spaces and galleries are closed. As of August 2024, 13 of the museum's 23 galleries are open to the public, with 10 of them still closed for renovation. The remaining 10 galleries of the museum are expected to reopen some time in 2026. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Klein |first=Kristine |date=October 11, 2022 |title=National Air and Space Museum to reopen eight renovated galleries |url=https://www.archpaper.com/2022/10/smithsonian-national-air-space-museum-reopen-eight-renovated-galleries-museum-overhaul/ |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=The Architect's Newspaper |language=en-US |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113203322/https://www.archpaper.com/2022/10/smithsonian-national-air-space-museum-reopen-eight-renovated-galleries-museum-overhaul/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
==History==
=== National Air Museum ===
The Air and Space Museum was originally called the '''National Air Museum''' when formed on August 12, 1946, by an act of [[United States Congress|Congress]] and signed into law by President [[Harry S. Truman]].<ref>{{cite web |title=National Air and Space Museum Chronology |work=National Air and Space Museum |publisher=The Smithsonian Institution |url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/history/nasm25th/chronology/index.htm |access-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531053707/http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/history/nasm25th/chronology/index.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2010}}</ref><ref name=Small2003>{{cite web |title=History of the National Air and Space Museum |work=National Air and Space Museum |publisher=The Smithsonian Institution |url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/history.cfm |access-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206090941/http://www.nasm.si.edu/museum/history.cfm |archive-date=December 6, 2010}}</ref> Some pieces in the National Air and Space Museum collection date back to the 1876 [[Centennial Exposition]] in [[Philadelphia]] after which the Chinese Imperial Commission donated a group of kites to the Smithsonian after Smithsonian Secretary [[Spencer Fullerton Baird]] convinced exhibiters that shipping them home would be too costly. The [[John Stringfellow|Stringfellow]] steam engine intended for aircraft was added to the collection in 1989, the first piece actively acquired by the Smithsonian now in the current NASM collection.<ref name="kites to shuttle">{{cite journal |title=From Kites to the Space Shuttle, A History of the National Air and Space Museum |journal=Air and Space |date=January 2011}}</ref>
[[File:Spirit of St. Louis1.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Spirit of St. Louis]]'', flown by aviator [[Charles Lindbergh]] in 1927 on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight]]
[[File:Apollo 11 Kommandomodul "Columbia".jpg|thumb|The [[Apollo 11]] [[Command Module Columbia|Command Module ''Columbia'']] carried astronauts [[Buzz Aldrin]], [[Neil Armstrong]], and [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]] to the Moon and back during the first human lunar landing mission, July 1969]]
After the establishment of the museum, there was no one building that could hold all the items to be displayed, many obtained from the [[United States Army]] and [[United States Navy]] collections of domestic and captured aircraft from [[World War I]]. Some pieces were on display in the [[Arts and Industries Building]], some were stored in the Aircraft Building (also known as the "Tin Shed"), a large temporary metal shed in the Smithsonian Castle's south yard. Larger missiles and rockets were displayed outdoors in what was known as Rocket Row. The shed housed a large Martin bomber, a [[Packard-Le Peré LUSAC-11|LePere fighter-bomber]], and an [[Aeromarine 39B]] [[floatplane]]. Still, much of the collection remained in storage due to a lack of display space.<ref name="kites to shuttle" />
The combination of the large numbers of aircraft donated to the Smithsonian after [[World War II]] and the need for hangar and factory space for the [[Korean War]] drove the Smithsonian to look for its own facility to store and restore aircraft. The current Garber Facility was ceded to the Smithsonian by the [[Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission]] in 1952 after the curator [[Paul E. Garber]] spotted the wooded area from the air. [[Bulldozer]]s from [[Fort Belvoir]] and prefabricated buildings from the [[United States Navy]] kept the initial costs low.
=== Construction of current building ===
[[File:Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Dedication of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian - NARA - 6829642.jpg|thumb|left|Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Dedication of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian]]
The museum's prominent site on the [[National Mall]] once housed the city's armory, which became [[Armory Square Hospital]] during the Civil War; it nursed the worst wounded cases who were transported to Washington after battles.<ref>{{cite book |last=Peck |first=Garrett |title=Walt Whitman in Washington, D.C.: The Civil War and America's Great Poet |publisher=The History Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-1626199736 |location=Charleston, SC |page=62}}</ref> The rest of the site was occupied by a cluster of [[National Mall#Temporary war buildings|temporary war buildings]] that existed from World War I until the 1960s.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |year=1946 |title=Public buildings in the metropolitan area of Washington, D.C. |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3851f.ct004565/?r=0.531,0.45,0.214,0.102,0 |publisher=[[Federal Works Agency]]: Public Buildings Administration: Office of the Buildings Manager |location=Washington, D.C. |format=map |via=[[Library of Congress]] |lccn=87694427 |oclc=16868955 |access-date=February 21, 2021 |archive-date=January 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124021033/https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3851f.ct004565/?r=0.531,0.45,0.214,0.102,0 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The [[space race]] in the 1950s and 1960s led to the renaming of the museum to the National Air and Space Museum, and finally congressional passage of appropriations for the construction of the new exhibition hall,<ref>{{cite web |title=National Air and Space Museum and Udvar-Hazy Center |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Archives |url=http://siarchives.si.edu/history/national-air-and-space-museum-and-udvar-hazy-center |access-date=August 1, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109200321/http://siarchives.si.edu/history/national-air-and-space-museum-and-udvar-hazy-center |archive-date=November 9, 2014}}</ref> which opened July 1, 1976, at the height of the [[United States Bicentennial]] festivities under the leadership of Director [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]], who had flown to the Moon on [[Apollo 11]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://airandspace.si.edu/about/history/museum-dc |title=Museum in DC |work=History |date=May 3, 2016 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: [[Smithsonian Institution]] |access-date=June 19, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706141805/https://airandspace.si.edu/about/history/museum-dc |archive-date=July 6, 2016}}</ref>
=== Later history ===
In 1988, a glass-enclosed pavilion named the Wright Place was constructed and opened at the east end of the museum. It contained a restaurant known as Flight Lane, but the restaurant closed in 2001 and reopened as a food court on May 24, 2002, with [[McDonald's]] (later added with a [[McCafé]]), [[Boston Market]], and [[Donato's Pizza]] serving as the tenants.<ref>{{cite web |title=McDonald's launches into Air and Space |publisher=CNN.com |url=http://www.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/08/29/mcdonalds.museum/ |date=August 29, 2001 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510003857/http://www.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/08/29/mcdonalds.museum/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=One Small McStep |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2002/06/20/one-small-mcstep/2ea6032a-9e4e-46e2-8004-3c64c0e5204b/ |date=June 20, 2002 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |archive-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327181231/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/2002/06/20/one-small-mcstep/2ea6032a-9e4e-46e2-8004-3c64c0e5204b/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center opened on December 15, 2003, funded by a private donation.
The museum received [[Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement|COSTAR]], the corrective optics instrument installed in the [[Hubble Space Telescope]] during its first servicing mission ([[STS-61]]), when it was removed and returned to Earth after [[Space Shuttle]] mission [[STS-125]]. The museum also holds the backup mirror for the Hubble which, unlike the one that was launched, was ground to the correct shape. There were once plans for it to be installed to the Hubble itself, but plans to return the satellite to Earth were scrapped after the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]] in 2003; the mission was re-considered as too risky.
In 2018, the museum received Schmitt Space Communicator, the device with the on-flight internet connection launched by [[Solstar]] on a [[New Shepard]] rocket to send the first tweet from space.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Solstar Space Company: WiFi for astronauts (First Internet Service Provider in space) |url=https://wefunder.com/solstarspacecompany |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=Solstar Space Company on Wefunder |language=en-us |archive-date=January 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104130834/https://wefunder.com/solstarspacecompany |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=November 16, 2019 |title=MSUA Member Interview. Brian Barnett, Founder & CEO, Solstar Space |url=https://www.msua.org/single-post/2019/11/15/msua-member-interview-brian-barnett-founder-ceo-solstar-space |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=msua |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113194315/https://www.msua.org/single-post/2019/11/15/msua-member-interview-brian-barnett-founder-ceo-solstar-space |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=That Space Podcast: Solstar Space Co. CEO Brian Barnett |url=https://thatspacepodcast.libsyn.com/wifi-in-space-with-brian-barnett |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=thatspacepodcast.libsyn.com |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113192812/https://thatspacepodcast.libsyn.com/wifi-in-space-with-brian-barnett |url-status=live}}</ref>
The Smithsonian has also been promised the [[International Cometary Explorer]], which is currently in a solar orbit that occasionally brings it back to Earth, should NASA attempt to recover it.
==Architecture==
[[File:National Air and Space Museum Entrance.JPG|thumb|left|The ''Milestones of Flight'' entrance hall of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Among the visible aircraft are ''[[Spirit of St. Louis]]'', the [[Apollo 11]] [[Command module Columbia|Command Module ''Columbia'']], [[SpaceShipOne]], the [[Bell X-1]], and (far right) [[John Glenn]]'s [[Mercury-Atlas 6|''Friendship 7'']] capsule.]]
[[File:USA-National Air & Space Museum0.jpg|thumb|left|[[Macchi C.202]] and [[North American P-51 Mustang|P-51D Mustang]]]]
Because of the museum's close proximity to the [[United States Capitol]], the Smithsonian wanted a building that would be architecturally impressive but would not stand out too boldly against the Capitol building. [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]]–based architect [[Gyo Obata]] of [[Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum|HOK]] designed the museum as four simple [[marble]]-encased cubes containing the smaller and more theatrical exhibits, connected by three spacious steel-and-glass atria which house the larger exhibits such as missiles, airplanes and spacecraft. The mass of the museum is similar to the [[National Gallery of Art]] across the [[National Mall]], and uses the same pink [[Tennessee marble]] as the National Gallery.<ref name="bldgsdc">{{cite book |last=Scott |first=Pamela |author2=Lee, Antoinette J. |title=Buildings of the District of Columbia |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |date=1993 |page=[https://archive.org/details/buildingsofdistr0000scot/page/91 91] |chapter=The Mall |isbn=0-19-509389-5 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/buildingsofdistr0000scot/page/91}}</ref> Built by [[Gilbane Building Company]], the museum was completed in 1976. The west glass wall of the building is used for the installation of airplanes, functioning as a giant door.<ref>{{cite book |title=A Guide to Smithsonian Architecture |orig-year=2006 |date=2005 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |page=15}}</ref>
===Renovation===
Since 1976, the Air and Space Museum has received basic repair. In 2001, the glass [[Curtain wall (architecture)|curtain walls]] were replaced.<ref name=neibauerrepair>{{cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2015/06/a-popular-smithsonian-museum-is-falling-apart-weve.html |last=Neibauer |first=Michael |title=The Air and Space Museum is falling apart. We've got the details on the $365M fix |work=Washington Business Journal |date=June 30, 2015 |access-date=June 30, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150826083156/http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2015/06/a-popular-smithsonian-museum-is-falling-apart-weve.html |archive-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref>
[[File:NCC-1701 Prop.jpg|thumb|right|[[Paramount Pictures|Paramount's]] filming model of the [[Star Trek: The Original Series|''Star Trek'']] starship [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701)]] under restoration for NASM exhibition]]
The Air and Space Museum announced a two-year renovation of its main entrance hall, "Milestones of Flight" in April 2014. The renovation to the main hall (which had not received a major update since the museum opened in 1976) was funded by a $30 million donation from [[Boeing]]. The gift, which will be paid over seven years, is the largest corporate donation ever received by the Air and Space Museum. Boeing had previously given donations totaling $58 million. The hall will be renamed the "Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall". The renovation (whose total cost was not revealed) began in April 2014, and will involve the temporary removal of some exhibits before the hall is refurbished. Because some exhibits represent century-old achievements that no longer resonate with the public, some items will be moved to other locations in the museum while new exhibits are installed.<ref name="renovation1">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-and-space-museums-milestones-of-flight-gallery-begins-two-year-renovation/2014/04/03/71fb1244-ba88-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html Boyle, Katherine. "Air and Space Museum's 'Milestones of Flight' Gallery Begins Two-Year Renovation." ''Washington Post.'' April 3, 2014.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403172602/http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-and-space-museums-milestones-of-flight-gallery-begins-two-year-renovation/2014/04/03/71fb1244-ba88-11e3-9a05-c739f29ccb08_story.html |date=April 3, 2014 }} Accessed April 3, 2014.</ref>
The first new exhibit, a 1930s wind tunnel, will be installed in November 2014.{{needs update|date=April 2024}} Following completion,{{when|date=April 2024}} the hall will present a "more orderly" appearance, and allow room for the placement of future new exhibits (which will include moving the filming model of the [[USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)|USS ''Enterprise'']] from the original 1960s ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' television series into the hall). The renovation will also include the installation of a "media wall" and touch-screen information kiosks to allow visitors to learn about items on display. An additional gift from Boeing is funding the renovation of the "How Things Fly" children's exhibit, new museum educational programming, and the creation of an [[Accreditation|accredited]] course on flight and space technology for elementary and secondary school teachers.<ref name="renovation1"/>
[[File:1959 Chevrolet Corvette at the National Air and Space Museum, 1 February 2024.jpg|thumb|1959 [[Chevrolet Corvette C1]] on display in the NASM’s ''Nation of Speed'' exhibit]]
In June 2015, the Smithsonian made public a report which documented the need for extensive renovations to the Air and Space Museum. Many of the building's mechanical and environmental systems were redesigned during its construction from 1972 to 1976, which left them inadequate to handle the environmental, visitor, and other stresses placed on the building and its exhibits. Subsequently, these systems are in serious disrepair and exhibits are being harmed. The report noted that the [[HVAC]] system is close to failure, and the roof has been compromised so badly that it must be replaced. The Tennessee marble façade has cracked and become warped, and in some areas is so damaged it could fall off the building.{{Efn|The marble was backed with spray-foam insulation, which insufficiently blocked water and air and worsened the extensive fracturing. The marble cannot be repaired without irreversibly damaging the insulation behind it, which necessitates the replacement of the entire façade.<ref name=neibauerrepair />}}
The museum's glass curtain walls (among those elements of the 1976 structure whose design was altered for cost reasons) are too permeable to [[ultraviolet]] radiation. Several exhibits (such as the [[spacesuit]] worn by [[John Young (astronaut)|John Young]] during the [[Gemini 10]] mission, and the coating on the ''[[Spirit of St. Louis]]'' aircraft) have been damaged by this radiation.<ref name=neibauerrepair /> Additionally, the Smithsonian's report noted that cutbacks in building design prior to and during construction left the museum with too few amenities, main entrances which are partially obscured, and exhibit space which does not meet current [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|ADA]] accessibility standards. New security measures, required after the [[September 11 attacks]] in 2001, have created extensive [[Queue area|queues]] which extend outside the building. Exposed, lengthy queues are both a security hazard and often cause visitors to wait in inclement weather.<ref name=neibauerrepair />
On June 30, 2015, the Smithsonian began seeking approval for a $365 million renovation to the National Air and Space Museum. The agency hired the firm of Quinn Evans Architects to design the renovations and improvements. Interior changes include improving handicapped accessibility, main entrance visibility, and perimeter security. The entire façade will be replaced (using Tennessee marble again).{{Efn|The Smithsonian considered using "Echo Lake granite" quarried near [[Ely, Minnesota]]; ceramic tile; and titanium tile for the façade, but settled on Tennessee marble because it matches the original and provides a good balance between durability, strength, and weight. The new panels will be {{convert|2.5|in|cm}} thick, whereas the existing panels are {{convert|1|in|cm}} thick.<ref name=neibauerrepair />}} The glass curtain walls will be replaced with triple [[Glazing (window)|glazed]], [[Thermal break|thermally broken]] panels set in an aluminum [[Window#Frame and sash construction|frame]]. The curtain walls will be reinforced with steel to help improve their resistance to explosive blasts.<ref name=neibauerrepair />
Additional changes the Smithsonian would like to make, but which are not contained in the $365 million price tag, include the installation of 1,300 [[solar panel]]s on the roof and the [[Independence Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Independence Avenue]] side of the museum, the construction of [[Vestibule (architecture)|vestibule]]s over the main entrances, and reconstruction of the [[Terrace (building)|terraces]] (which leak water into the [[parking garage]] and offices beneath the structure).<ref name=neibauerrepair /> The Smithsonian said it would submit its designs to the [[National Capital Planning Commission]] (NCPC) on July 9, 2015, for review and approval. If the NCPC authorizes the changes, the museum could begin work in 2018 and finish in 2024.<ref name=neibauerrepair />{{needs update|date=April 2024}}
In March 2016, Smithsonian officials said the project's cost had risen to $600 million.<ref name=mcglonebillion>{{cite news |last=McGlone |first=Peggy |title=Air and Space Museum's Makeover Estimated at $1 Billion |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=June 23, 2016 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-and-space-museums-makeover-estimated-at-1-billion/2016/06/22/dfc35a30-3893-11e6-8f7c-d4c723a2becb_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623135701/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-and-space-museums-makeover-estimated-at-1-billion/2016/06/22/dfc35a30-3893-11e6-8f7c-d4c723a2becb_story.html |archive-date=June 23, 2016}}</ref>
In late June 2016, Smithsonian officials projected the museum's renovation to cost $1 billion. This included $676 million for construction, $50 million to build new storage space, and $250 million for new exhibits. The Smithsonian said it would raise the exhibit funds from private sources, but asked Congress to appropriate the rest. Demolishing the building and erecting a new structure would cost $2 billion, the agency stated.<ref name=mcglonebillion />
In October 2018, the museum announced a 7-year renovation process and began closing some galleries between December 2018 and January 2019, began closing some of the galleries.<ref>{{cite news |title=Partial closure of popular Air and Space Museum set for December |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 3, 2018 |access-date=May 6, 2022 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/partial-closure-of-popular-air-and-space-museum-set-for-december/2018/10/02/8ea79c30-c5b6-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html |archive-date=October 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022110342/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/partial-closure-of-popular-air-and-space-museum-set-for-december/2018/10/02/8ea79c30-c5b6-11e8-b1ed-1d2d65b86d0c_story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The museum remained open throughout the renovation process until its closure in early 2020 with the other Smithsonian museums because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].
On March 3, 2022, the museum temporarily reopened as it continued to operate through the month until March 28, 2022, when it closed for six months.<ref>{{cite news |title=National Air and Space Museum to Temporarily Close March 2022 to Finish Brand New Galleries |work=Smithsonian Magazine |date=November 24, 2021 |access-date=May 6, 2022 |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/air-space-museum/2021/11/24/national-air-and-space-museum-to-temporarily-close-march-2022-to-finish-brand-new-galleries/ |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506221521/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/air-space-museum/2021/11/24/national-air-and-space-museum-to-temporarily-close-march-2022-to-finish-brand-new-galleries/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Air and Space museum will close in March for at least six months |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 23, 2021 |access-date=May 6, 2022 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-space-museum-renovation-closing/2021/11/19/b8afb9fe-493e-11ec-b05d-3cb9d96eb495_story.html |archive-date=January 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121160349/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/air-space-museum-renovation-closing/2021/11/19/b8afb9fe-493e-11ec-b05d-3cb9d96eb495_story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The renovation includes demolishing the food court pavilion (closed in 2017) to make way for the {{convert|50000|sqft|adj=on}}, three-story, [[Jeff Bezos]] Learning Center.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gyo Obata's restaurant pavilion on the National Mall to be demolished to make way for $130 million Bezos Learning Center |work=The Architect's Newspaper |date=April 7, 2022 |access-date=May 6, 2022 |url=https://www.archpaper.com/2022/04/gyo-obatas-restaurant-pavilion-national-mall-to-be-demolished-for-bezos-learning-center/ |archive-date=May 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506063156/https://www.archpaper.com/2022/04/gyo-obatas-restaurant-pavilion-national-mall-to-be-demolished-for-bezos-learning-center/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The western side of the museum featuring eight new galleries, the planetarium, museum store and a cafe reopened on October 14, 2022, as part of Phase I while the eastern side scheduled to reopen in 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Air and Space Museum reopens Oct. 14. 'Star Wars fans should cheer |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 2, 2022 |access-date=August 2, 2022 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/08/02/air-space-museum-reopen-october/ |archive-date=August 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802153630/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/08/02/air-space-museum-reopen-october/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=National Air and Space Museum reopening National Mall location after extensive renovation |website=abc7chicago.com |date=October 9, 2022 |access-date=October 14, 2022 |url=https://abc7chicago.com/smithsonian-museum-national-air-and-space-dc-the/12307890/ |archive-date=October 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015010355/https://abc7chicago.com/smithsonian-museum-national-air-and-space-dc-the/12307890/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Controversies==
{{criticism section|date=April 2024}}
=== Enola Gay ===
Controversy erupted in March 1994 over a proposed commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the [[atomic bombing of Japan]]. The centerpiece of the exhibit was the ''[[Enola Gay]]'', the [[B-29]] bomber that dropped [[Little Boy]] on the Japanese city of [[Hiroshima]]. When the first draft of the script for the exhibit was leaked by ''[[Air Force Magazine]]'', the responses were very critical. Two sentences described as infamous that sparked controversy were, "For most Americans, this war was fundamentally different than the one waged against Germany and Italy – it was a war of vengeance. For most Japanese, it was a war to defend their unique culture against western imperialism."
Veterans' groups, led by the [[Air Force Association]] and [[The Retired Officers Association]], argued strongly that the exhibit's inclusion of Japanese accounts and photographs of victims politicized the exhibit and insulted U.S. airmen.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21418541.html?dids=21418541:21418541&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+3%2C+1995&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=21&desc=Head+of+Air%2C+Space+Museum+Quits+Over+Enola+Gay+Exhibit |title=Los Angeles Times, May 3rd, 1995, p. 21 |publisher=Pqasb.pqarchiver.com |date=May 3, 1995 |access-date=March 6, 2012 |archive-date=June 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120619072259/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/21418541.html?dids=21418541:21418541&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+3%2C+1995&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=21&desc=Head+of+Air%2C+Space+Museum+Quits+Over+Enola+Gay+Exhibit |url-status=dead}}</ref> Editorials called the National Air and Space Museum "an unpatriotic institution"<ref name="Temple University Press">{{cite book |last1=Wallace |first1=Mike |title=Mickey Mouse History and Other Essays on American Memory |date=1996 |publisher=Temple University Press |location=Philadelphia |isbn=1566394449 |page=278}}</ref> due to the political nature of initial proposed script. Due to harsh backlash from the Air Force Association, The Retired Officers Association, and numerous members of Congress, a revision was created and a second draft proposed.<ref name="Temple University Press" /> This second revision was greeted with a large amount of Congressional involvement that resulted in line-by-line reviews of the script, which led to the less radical display that was seen in 1995. This was not met without resistance from the scholarly community, though. The Organization of American Historians felt as if Congress's attempts to police and penalize the Smithsonian Institution led to a "transparent attempt at historical cleansing."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wallace |first1=Mike |title=Mickey Mouse History and Other Essays on American Memory |date=1996 |publisher=Temple University Press |location=Philadelphia |isbn=1566394449 |page=280}}</ref>
=== Other ===
On October 8, 2011, the museum was temporarily closed after demonstrators associated with the [[Occupy Wall Street|Occupy D.C.]] demonstration attempted to enter the museum. Some protesters were pepper sprayed by museum security after a guard was pinned against a wall. One woman was arrested.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-10-08/wall-street-protest/50704774/1?csp=34news |work=USA Today |title=Air & Space Museum closed by demonstrators |agency=The Associated Press |date=October 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011132952/http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-10-08/wall-street-protest/50704774/1?csp=34news |archive-date=October 11, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-08/politics/politics_dc-protest-museum_1_pepper-spray-protesters-space-museum?_s=PM:POLITICS |work=CNN |title=Pepper spray used on demonstrators at Air and Space Museum |first1=Alex |last1=Zuckerman |date=August 28, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111012114009/http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-08/politics/politics_dc-protest-museum_1_pepper-spray-protesters-space-museum?_s=PM%3APOLITICS |archive-date=October 12, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44829459 |title=Washington's Air & Space museum shut after protesters storm in |publisher=NBC News |date=October 8, 2011 |access-date=March 6, 2012 |archive-date=October 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030070201/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44829459 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/air-and-space-museum-closes-after-guards-clash-with-protesters/2011/10/08/gIQAx0x2VL_blog.html |title=Air and Space Museum closes after guards clash with protesters |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 9, 2011 |first1=Emma |last1=Brown |first2=Del Quentin |last2=Wilber |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016172912/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post_now/post/air-and-space-museum-closes-after-guards-clash-with-protesters/2011/10/08/gIQAx0x2VL_blog.html |archive-date=October 16, 2011}}</ref>
On December 5, 2013, Smithsonian food workers protested about a [[living wage]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lazlo |first=Matt |title=Fast Food Workers Protest Wages At Air And Space Museum |url=http://wamu.org/news/13/12/05/fast_food_workers_protest_wages_at_air_and_space_museum |website=WAMU |access-date=December 16, 2013 |date=December 5, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216235643/http://wamu.org/news/13/12/05/fast_food_workers_protest_wages_at_air_and_space_museum |archive-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Smithsonian fast-food workers strike over minimum wage |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/smithsonian-fast-food-workers-strike-over-minimum-wage/ |website=Fox News |access-date=December 16, 2013 |date=December 5, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217021831/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/05/smithsonian-fast-food-workers-strike-over-minimum-wage/ |archive-date=December 17, 2013}}</ref> A journalist was detained for illicit filming.<ref>{{cite news |last=Berman |first=Matt |title=Smithsonian looking into incident involving photojournalist at Air and Space Museum |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/12/13/smithsonian-looking-into-incident-involving-photojournalist-at-air-and-space-museum/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 16, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214155706/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2013/12/13/smithsonian-looking-into-incident-involving-photojournalist-at-air-and-space-museum/ |archive-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Sarah Anne |title=Interview/Photo: Smithsonian Guards Grab Photographer Shooting Protest Inside Air and Space Museum |url=http://dcist.com/2013/12/smithsonian_guards_tackle_photograp.php |access-date=December 16, 2013 |newspaper=DCist |date=December 6, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209191302/http://dcist.com/2013/12/smithsonian_guards_tackle_photograp.php |archive-date=December 9, 2013}}</ref>
==Directors==
Carl W. Mitman was the first head of the museum, under the title of Assistant to the Secretary for the National Air Museum, heading the museum from 1946 until his retirement from the Smithsonian in 1952.<ref name=FARU0162>Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution, [http://siarchives.si.edu/findingaids/FARU0162.htm#FARU162h Record Unit 330: Series 1] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207085634/http://siarchives.si.edu/findingaids/FARU0162.htm |date=December 7, 2008 }}, National Air and Space Museum, Records, 1912–1971</ref>
Directors have included:
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* Philip S. Hopkins, 1958–1964<ref name=FARU0162/>
* S. Paul Johnston, 1964–1969<ref name=FARU0162/>
* Frank A. Taylor (acting), 1969–1971<ref name=FARU0162/>
* [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]], 1971–1978,<ref name=FARU0338>Finding Aids to Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution, [http://siarchives.si.edu/findingaids/FARU0338.htm#FARU338h Record Unit 338] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207085639/http://siarchives.si.edu/findingaids/FARU0338.htm |date=December 7, 2008 }}, National Air and Space Museum, Records, circa 1972–1989</ref>
* [[Melvin B. Zisfein]] (acting), 1978–1979<ref name=FARU0338/>
* [[Noel W. Hinners]], 1979–1982<ref name=FARU0338/>
* [[Walter J. Boyne]], (acting 1982–1983) director 1983–1986<ref name=FARU0338/>
* [[James C. Tyler]] (acting), 1986–1987<ref name=FARU0338/>
* [[Martin O. Harwit]], 1987–1995<ref name=FARU0338/>
* [[Donald D. Engen]], 1996–1999<ref name=nasmod>{{cite web |url=http://siarchives.si.edu/research/ah00115nasmod.html |title=National Air and Space Museum, Office of the Director - Agency History |publisher=Siarchives.si.edu |date=August 29, 2002 |access-date=March 6, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208003720/http://siarchives.si.edu/research/ah00115nasmod.html |archive-date=February 8, 2012}}</ref>
* [[John R. Dailey]], 2000–2018<ref name=nasmod/><ref>{{cite web |title=Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Director Announces Retirement |url=http://airandspace.si.edu/newsroom/press-releases/smithsonian%E2%80%99s-national-air-and-space-museum-director-announces-retirement |website=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |access-date=April 19, 2018 |date=September 20, 2017 |archive-date=April 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420135632/https://airandspace.si.edu/newsroom/press-releases/smithsonian%E2%80%99s-national-air-and-space-museum-director-announces-retirement |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Ellen Stofan]], 2018–2020<ref name="Smithsonian Institution">{{cite web |last1=Browne |first1=Christopher U. |title=Welcoming Our New Director, Dr. Ellen Stofan |url=http://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/welcoming-our-new-director-dr-ellen-stofan |website=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |access-date=April 19, 2018 |date=April 6, 2018 |archive-date=March 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323185459/https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/welcoming-our-new-director-dr-ellen-stofan |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Christopher U. Browne, (acting 2020–2022) director 2022–present
}}
==Photo gallery==
{{main|List of aircraft in the Smithsonian Institution|List of space artifacts in the Smithsonian Institution}}
The main museum on the mall includes 61 aircraft, 51 large space artifacts, over 2,000 smaller items as of June 1, 2007.<ref name=museumfacts>{{cite web |title=Building on the National Mall Fact Sheet |work=National Air and Space Museum |publisher=The Smithsonian Institution |url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/presskits/museumkit/facts_mall.cfm |access-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509200133/http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/presskits/museumkit/facts_mall.cfm |archive-date=May 9, 2010}}</ref>
<gallery widths="170px" heights="170px" mode="packed">
File:ApolloLunarModule.JPG|[[Apollo Lunar Module]] LM-2, which was used for ground testing the spacecraft
File:~DSCN2698.JPG|Apollo lunar space suit
File:Apollo 15 Space Suit David Scott.jpg|[[Apollo 15]] mission: space suit worn on the Moon by [[David Scott]] in 1971
File:Apollo-soyuz.jpg| [[Apollo–Soyuz Test Project]] Display
File:Boeing747Smithsonian.jpg|Side view of [[Boeing]] [[Boeing 747|747-100]]
File:Breitling Orbiter Side.jpg|''[[Breitling Orbiter 3]]'', first non-stop [[Balloon (aircraft)|balloon]] [[circumnavigation]] of Earth (1999).
File:DWC Chicago at NASM.jpg| ''[[First aerial circumnavigation|Chicago]]'', the first [[Douglas World Cruiser|aircraft]] to fly around the world (1924)
File:IMG 7723.JPG|[[Douglas DC-3]]
File:Hindenburg Model.JPG|25-foot-long model of the [[LZ 129 Hindenburg|LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'']] used in the 1975 film ''[[The Hindenburg (film)|The Hindenburg]]''
File:SmithsonianU2leftside.JPG|[[Lockheed U-2]] and a spacecraft
File:Capsule, Mercury, MA-6.jpg|[[Mercury Friendship 7|Mercury ''Friendship 7'']] spacecraft, first crewed American earth orbiter, 1962
File:National Air and Space Museum Rockets.JPG|Missiles: Soviet [[SS-20]] and U.S. [[Pershing II]]
File:NationalAirAndSpaceMuseum 10290004.jpg|Ballistic missiles
File:PioneerH2011.jpg|[[Pioneer H]]
File:SpaceShipOne National Air and Space Museum photo Don Ramey Logan.jpg|[[SpaceShipOne]], first private space ship to carry a human crew (2004)
File:Pitcairn pa-5 mailwing National Air and Space Museum photo D Ramey Logan.jpg| [[Pitcairn Mailwing]]
File:NASM-A19690360000-NASM2018-10037.jpg|[[North American X-15|X-15]]
</gallery>
==Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory==
{{Main|Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory}}
The [[Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory]] opened its doors to the public in 2009 as part of the celebration of the [[International Year of Astronomy]]. It has a 16-inch [[Boller & Chivens]] telescope, a [[Sun Gun Telescope]] and [[hydrogen-alpha]] (red light, to see the [[chromosphere]]) and [[Calcium K line|calcium-K]] (purple light) telescopes. The observatory opens to public from Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 3 P.M. and is open about once a month at night time.
== Public programs and outreach ==
{{Main|STEM in 30}}
In 2014, the museum began a television show for middle school students, called ''[[STEM in 30]]''. The show teaches students science, technology, engineering, math, art and history through artifacts at the museum and special guests from air and space history. The show is currently in its seventh season. The museum also has regular programs called What's New in Aerospace that feature special guests.
==Fellowships==
{{see also|Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History|Verville Fellowship}}
The museum has four research fellowships: [[Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History]] (also known as the Lindbergh Chair,) the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Fellowship, the [[Verville Fellowship]], and the Postdoctoral Earth and Planetary Sciences Fellowship.<ref name="NASM Fellowships">{{cite web |url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/getinvolved/fellow/index.cfm |title=National Air and Space Museum Research Fellowships |work=Get Involved: Internships & Fellowships |publisher=National Air and Space Museum |access-date=May 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410065957/http://www.nasm.si.edu/getinvolved/fellow/index.cfm |archive-date=April 10, 2011}}</ref> The Lindbergh Chair is a one-year senior fellowship to assist a scholar in the research and composition of a book about aerospace history. Announced in 1977 at the 50th anniversary of Lindbergh's famous solo flight,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/presskits/museumkit/siflight.cfm |title=National Air and Space Museum Press Kit: The Smithsonian and Flight |work=Press Room |publisher=National Air and Space Museum |access-date=May 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306040520/http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/presskits/museumkit/siflight.cfm |archive-date=March 6, 2012}}</ref> 1978 was the first year that the Lindbergh Chair was occupied—British aviation historian [[Charles Harvard Gibbs-Smith]] was selected as the first recipient.<ref name="VAObit">{{citation |url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/periods_styles/features/history/staff_obituaries/photography/gibbs_smith/index.html |title=Charles Harvard Gibbs-Smith |work=Staff Obituaries |publisher=Victoria and Albert Museum |quote=Reproduced with kind permission of The Times ©Times Newspapers Limited |access-date=May 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115163356/http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/periods_styles/features/history/staff_obituaries/photography/gibbs_smith/index.html |archive-date=January 15, 2011}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Continuum (sculpture)|''Continuum'']] a sculpture that sits on the south side of the building entrance.
* ''[[Delta Solar]]'' a sculpture that sits 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]], the museum's equivalent in Russia
* [[Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics]]
* [[Architecture of Washington, D.C.]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|National Air and Space Museum}}
* {{official website|http://www.nasm.si.edu}}
* [https://siarchives.si.edu/history/national-air-and-space-museum-and-udvar-hazy-center/ History of the NASM]
* [http://www.shapeofamerica.org/shape/id/3 American Institute of Architects on the building]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPvBGwFjFD8#t=0m13s Rocket displays outside Arts and Industries building prior to construction of Air and Space Museum]
* '[https://web.archive.org/web/20071102073534/http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/StarWars/start.htm ''Star Wars'': The Magic of Myth], virtual walk through of the past NASM exhibit
* [http://www.c-span.org/video/?408592-1/first-halfcentury-aviation/ C-SPAN American History TV Tour of the museum looking at "First Half-Century of Aviation"]
* [http://www.c-span.org/video/?408406-1/space-exploration-moon-mars/ C-SPAN American History TV Tour of the museum looking at "Space Exploration From the Moon to Mars"]
* [https://archive.org/details/aplaceofdreamsthenationalairandspacemuseum ''A Place of Dreams'' (1978)]—available for free download at the [[Internet Archive]]
{{Smithsonian museums}}
{{authority control}}
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[[Category:Astronomy museums]]
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[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1976]]
[[Category:Gyo Obata buildings]]
[[Category:Members of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington]]
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[[Category:Science museums in Washington, D.C.]]
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