Smithsonian National Air And Space Museum

Apollo 11 Command Module Tour

Examine the real Columbia module that carried Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon in 1969, displayed alon…

Moon Rock Touching

Handle a genuine lunar basalt sample from Apollo 17 in 1972, one of few places worldwide offering direct contact with extraterrest…

Spirit of St. Louis Inspection

Gaze at Charles Lindbergh's 1927 transatlantic solo flight plane, which flew nonstop from New York to Paris and turned him into a …

Stand beneath the 1903 Wright Flyer, the first powered aircraft that launched human flight with Orville and Wilbur Wright's 12-second hop. This centerpiece in the Early Flight gallery captures the dawn of aviation innovation.

Examine the real Columbia module that carried Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon in 1969, displayed alongside Armstrong's spacesuit in the Destination Moon exhibition. Touch history in this Space Race pinnacle.

Handle a genuine lunar basalt sample from Apollo 17 in 1972, one of few places worldwide offering direct contact with extraterrestrial material. This tactile encounter bridges Earth and space exploration. All seasons

Gaze at Charles Lindbergh's 1927 transatlantic solo flight plane, which flew nonstop from New York to Paris and turned him into a global icon. Suspended in the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, it embodies solo endurance.

Study Chuck Yeager's 1947 orange jet that first broke the sound barrier, marking supersonic flight's breakthrough. Its sleek design highlights engineering daring in aviation history.

Confront the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945, a polarizing artifact in the Virginia hangar that sparks debates on WWII's endgame. Its scale dominates the Boeing Aviation Hangar.

View Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 suit dusted with moon particles and Ed White's helmet from the first American spacewalk. These garments reveal astronaut life in vacuum.

Explore the Lockheed SR-71 at Udvar-Hazy, the fastest manned air-breathing jet that flew Mach 3+ reconnaissance missions. Its titanium skin and shape defy physics. All seasons

Circle the full-size Space Shuttle Discovery at Udvar-Hazy, NASA's most-flown orbiter with 39 missions including Hubble deployment. Peer into its payload bay for orbiter engineering.

Step inside the Anglo-French Concorde at Udvar-Hazy, which halved transatlantic flight times at Mach 2. Its delta wing and luxury interior define supersonic passenger travel.

Inspect the 1957 Soviet satellite replica that ignited the Space Race as Earth's first artificial orbiter. It underscores Cold War technological rivalry.

Enter the cutaway jumbo jet nose to see cockpit and cabin layouts of the iconic airliner. This rare slice reveals commercial aviation's giant scale. All seasons

Operate a supersonic wind tunnel and flight simulators in this hands-on gallery with a Cessna 150 and ISS model. Principles of aerodynamics come alive through play.

Admire the jet flown by the first woman to break the sound barrier, setting eight world records in 1961. It celebrates women's aviation milestones.

Learn about the first African American and double-amputee professional race pilot via his red WR-3 racer. This exhibit honors barrier-breaking diversity in flight.

See the parachute of the first woman to jump from an airplane in 1913, a 5-foot pioneer who started at age 15. It traces parachuting's daredevil origins. All seasons

View the Mercury spacecraft from America's first manned spaceflight in 1961, reaching 116 miles altitude. Shepard's suborbital hop kicked off U.S. astronaut era.

Examine the Lockheed Vega flown by the aviation pioneer in record-setting flights. Its role in women's endurance records defines trailblazing.

Study the world's first pressure suit worn in 1935 high-altitude flights by the solo round-the-world pilot. It pioneered stratospheric gear.

Tour the 1938 pressurized fuselage pioneer at Udvar-Hazy, the first commercial high-altitude airliner with riveted metal shine. It advanced passenger comfort. All seasons

Check the rocket plane that hit Mach 6.7, pushing speed envelopes in the Milestones Hall. It bridges aviation and spaceflight.

Trace flight's beginnings with this 1876 Centennial Exposition kite, the museum's earliest aeronautical artifact. Kites predate powered machines.

Wander vast hangars packed with suspended fighters and bombers at the Virginia site. The sheer volume overwhelms aviation fans.

Stand near Armstrong's Apollo 11 suit steps from Columbia in Destination Moon. The pairing intensifies lunar landing drama.

See Mars lander Viking and outer solar system probe Pioneer 10 in Milestones Hall. They mark robotic exploration's triumphs. All seasons

Details must-see exhibits like the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, and Apollo 11 amid DC museum renovations. https://notboredindc.com/smithsonian-air-and-space-museum-dc/

Highlights Udvar-Hazy Center gems including Discovery Shuttle, Concorde, and Enola Gay in Virginia. https://www.grownuptravels.com/best-things-to-see-smithsonian-air-space-museum-virginia/

Showcases 10 new highlights like Armstrong's suit, Cochran's T-38, and Wright Flyer in renovated galleries. https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/10-highlights-new-air-and-space

Lists legendary artifacts such as Wright Flyer, Bell X-1, and interactive How Things Fly gallery on the Mall. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/points-of-interest/national-air-and-space-museum/385397

Profiles treasures including SR-71 Blackbird, Shepard's Freedom 7, and Wiley Post's pressure suit. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-books/2023/10/19/ten-treasures-from-the-national-air-and-space-museum/