Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is absolutely phenomenal! It’s one of the most inspiring and impressive museums I’ve ever visited. There’s so much to see and do, from real airplanes to actual spacecraft, making it a dream destination for anyone fascinated by aviation and space exploration. The museum is beautifully designed—huge, spacious, and easy to navigate, even with the sheer volume of exhibits. Every corner offers something fascinating, whether it’s historic aircraft, space modules, or interactive displays. The attention to detail and the wealth of information make the experience both educational and unforgettable. This museum stands out as the best I’ve ever visited, and I’d recommend it to anyone visiting Washington, D.C. It’s a must-see for all ages!

I visited the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum on Friday, June 14, 2024, at 10:00 AM with a Timed-Entry Pass. The pass made entry seamless and allowed me to explore the exhibits right away. The staff was knowledgeable and the displays provided a fascinating look into aviation and space exploration history. I highly recommend this experience for anyone interested in science, technology, and innovation.

National Air and space museum is the best tourist attraction of DC. Free and totally worth it. They take you in a journey from wright brothers to space age. I recommend taking a guided tour of the place. They explain things really well. You get to see how air travel and speed travel evolved through the years. They also have a planetarium where they run two movies , this section is paid but worth it. Suggest booking visit to this place in advance. Highly recommended.

Loved it! Free admission and $15 parking (huge lot). Free guided tours every half hour, which lasted about an hour and a half. Very interesting to learn from a pilot tour guide. Did the red flight simulator for $10. Wasn't worth it, but my easily motion sick son wasn't bothered by it at all. Make sure to go up to the observation tower. Ask where to look because we looked in the wrong direction and missed planes flying close. There is a restaurant (Shake Shack), but also a place to eat your packed lunch. Highly recommend!

Things are coming along rather well, a lil part was closed off, but there was still so much to see. The reservation process is so easy to use, Thank you for being free! I appreciate *Eli* over in the Dog Tag center in his through and accurate efforts to get the tags proper. He was very helpful and so nice, I'm glad to see that genuine customer service exists in the younger generation. Thank You ELI, keep up the great work! I also appreciate the security ladies keeping up great humor and wonderful personalities through they chaos that can be their job. Thank you, Smithsonian, for keeping our history alive and inspiring all.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a must-visit showcasing the history of flight and space exploration. From the Wright brothers’ plane to the Apollo 11 Command Module, its exhibits are legendary. Interactive displays and real artifacts—like a Moon rock—make it an unforgettable experience. A true tribute to human ingenuity and adventure! I recommend you reserve in advance and expect a good crowd of visitors. Unfortunately, some of the expositions are closed, as well as the Imax. Some shows are available in the Planetarium.

Plenty to do for the kids. Tickets are free. All you do is sign up for your time slot. The line outside was long but my husband is a disabled vet so the employees let us enter without having to wait on the long line. It was incredibly helpful for us and unexpectedly accommodating ♥️

-Visit: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is an incredible destination for anyone interested in aviation, space exploration, or simply learning something new. Like other Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., it’s free to visit, making it an accessible experience for all. Even though part of the museum was under construction or renovation during my visit, it still offered a wide variety of displays and educational sections. The exhibits are engaging and well-curated, providing fascinating insights into the history and science of flight and space exploration. This museum is a must-visit, especially for students or anyone eager to expand their knowledge. It’s both inspiring and educational—a perfect blend of learning and awe. I can’t wait to return once the renovations are complete to see even more!

How could you not like this place!!! I could come here everyday for a month and barely scratch the surface. I highly recommend the Smithsonian to anybody visiting the area.

Such an awesome museum in DC! My family and I went to the National Air and Space Museum on a very chilly Friday morning. We made reservations on the phone and walked right in. While walking through the exhibits was cool, I really wanted to highlight the tour we had with tour guide/volunteer Raul. He was so incredibly passionate and very educated on each exhibit. We learned so much through his tour and were captivated every step of the way! It's always refreshing to be surrounded by people who are in their element. The planetarium show was cool, too, but I think the main exhibits are just fine to do, as it's all free.

Showed up without reservations for a time slot but easily fixed via the QR code at the entrance. Went on a Sunday so I got lucky but half the exhibits were closed for renovations or restoration. Don't be like me and just show up because it's what you've always done, lol.

Decent experience, but not as exciting as I expected. The museum is very informative and well-maintained, but a lot of areas are currently under construction, which limited the exhibits available to see. While the displays that were open were interesting, I was hoping for a bit more interactive or immersive experiences. That said, the museum is clean and well-organized, and it's still a good stop for aviation and space enthusiasts. Might be worth waiting until construction is finished for the full experience.

So much to see and so much to do! There's so much rich information and history here. There were some games that were out of service, which sucked bc our kids were looking forward to playing them. Nevertheless, the amount of things they have available to learn, touch, and play with was enough to make up for the non functioning devices. This is an entire day type of experience. This museum is free admissions. You'll just have to get a reservation ticket online. Get ready to learn about all types of airplanes; old and new. Did I mention: There's an interactive game simulation where you can pilot a plane. Our mission here was incomplete - so we'll be back!

Another must-visit if you're in DC. It's not as flashy as the one in Dulles, but there's definitely a charm that you get from the older building and smaller exhibits. If you can dodge the construction, that is! The cafe and gift shop is the typically overpriced stuff you'll find at any tourist spot, but they've got to offset the free admission somehow. It's an investment, I say! The pizza also looked much better than I thought it would. Classic frozen midwestern pub style. There are a ton of really cool interactive exhibits that take some hard to conceptualize concepts like the sheer scale of space, and make it easy for anyone to wrap their head around. Not to mention in the last few years they've really upped the A.V. game in the special exhibits. It's a great time for the family and nerds like me.

Fantastic and free!! You first need to go to the website and get tickets there! Don't waste time by going there first. After you get the tickets, you get to enter after lining up outside. Beware, lines are very long. They go to the end of the light by the fountain! Inside, you must go see the planes and go inside if the lines aren't too long. Also, the astronaut suit is very cool along with the planets video on the third floor. The entry had half the first floor blocked for construction. We saw very amazing things it's hard to miss anything. Plan for a good two hours at the least. Have fun!

Need reservations (free) for admission (2024). Must see! Half the museum was closed for renovations but still worthwhile.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a fantastic experience, and the fact that it's free makes it all the more impressive. It's not just a museum--it's a deep dive into the history and future of aviation and space exploration. The exhibits are engaging, with actual planes and spacecraft displayed throughout, some so close you feel like you can touch them (but, of course, you shouldn't!). The interactive activities and videos really stood out. They make the museum accessible to all ages, whether you're there to learn about the Wright brothers' first flight or the latest in space travel technology. The educational aspects are thoughtfully designed, so whether you're an aviation enthusiast or a casual visitor, you'll find something fascinating. The gift shop is another highlight, offering unique aviation and space-themed items that make for great souvenirs. It's well-stocked and not overly expensive, making it easy to take a piece of the experience home. Overall, this museum is a must-visit for anyone curious about flight, space, or human innovation. Whether you're a local or just passing through D.C., I highly recommend stopping by--it's informative, fun, and an iconic part of the city.

Normally I would give this Smithsonian 5 stars. However during this visit, a big selection of exhibits were missing due to an expansion of the building. Unbeknownst to us, visitors now need timed entry tickets. In the event you don't already have tickets, the scan code is outside of the museum for visitors. Not everyone is familiar with using this scan code. Staff will assist you and walk you through the process. You are not allowed in early. If you have an 11 o'clock entry, you will be admitted at 11 am. There are two gift stores available at the museum. You can visit 2 different floors for the exhibits.

Coming here was one of the highlights of our trip to D.C.. Admission to visit any of the Smithsonian museums is completely free, and you are able to reserve tickets with a time slot online. The process was actually pretty simple and when we arrived we were able to get in immediately. When you first walk in, you are made to go through a security stop. So the less you bring to any of the museums or attractions in DC, the better. We did the entire museum in about an hour and a half. My child enjoyed the gift shop the most, which actually had a pretty awesome assortment of souvenirs. If you have limited time in DC, and are trying to narrow down which sites to see, this one is definitely worth a visit.

One of my favorite Museums. Well laid out, very cool exhibits, unfortunately over half was closed down due to updates. FYI- it is free, but you do need to reserve a time to tour.

We didn't know that we had to get timed tickets to get into the museum. The process is easy. Just scan the bar code ( they are outside) and select the available time slot and answer a few questions. Then stand in line until it's time to enter. There was some work being done so we could not view all of the exhibit. I noticed children being engaged and having fun! So this museum is great for the young and old ! There are elevators and escalators to take up and down instead of the steps.

I wanted to love this museum, and there are plenty of interesting displays but in all fairness my experience was three stars, just average. For takeoff, let's mention the long lines and timed entry. With these restrictions, one would think the museum was going to be packed to the gills to or the tours would be guided as with the Capitol. So to paraphrase the USPS, with snow, sleet, heat or hail you would stuck outside. They were not; in fact, as my ticket wasn't loading in the email they sent, I went to the desk to ask. They keyed in my number and let me in. While I appreciate the access, it's indicative they could have a better system of crowd control. Yes, general admission is free but the planetarium shows are extra. Also, part of the museum is under renovation and thus not accessible. This would be like riding coach class and not getting your Biscoff cookies & small cup of soda I did enjoy the airplane cutaway displays especially where you can get close to see the cockpit techie displays and fixtures. Some of the interactive displays were nice as well. The displays on the space program gave balanced coverage to the Russian space program as well, including Layka! There were a few displays in the environment and cultures which may have been better suited to the Natural History museum. To me, an air & space museum should have more space dedicated to a technology geek out. How about some more displays on military aircraft, or on blimps? Here's hoping the renovations do include those.

Air and Space is a very cool Smithsonians. From pedal power to rocket power it's all here. Nice exhibits from the Wright brothers to air travel in the late 50's to current. So many nuggets abound here. Should be on your list of must hit Smithsonian experiences. I highly recommend getting here early. We came during off peak season which also helped.

Planning ahead is absolutely necessary as this is one of the busiest museums we encountered. Timed-entry passes are required and I would say chances are slim trying to reserve a spot on the day of your visit. I was shocked to see lines form at least 30 minutes before the allotted time slot and they literally wrapped around the block. It's no wonder why so many food trucks park right in front of the museum since there's a constant crowd! At the top of the hour, the line moved swiftly as everyone got their tickets checked and then walked through the security screening. Despite a wing of the museum being under renovation, there was still an abundance of exhibits to view. Those on the first floor are more history-focused while the second floor is more science-centric. One can easily spend over half a day here. We had about three hours to explore and felt rushed as we were trying to read and see as much as possible. At times, it felt like information overload, but in the best way. In my opinion, these were the highlights: * Destination Moon: See a variety of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo artifacts. Learn about the technology and journey that led us to stepping foot on the Moon. * Exploring the Planets: Delve into the solar system surrounding us. There's so much knowledge to absorb here. * The Wright Brothers: See the original 1903 Wright Flyer... yes, the actual one! Before leaving, we stopped by the cafe on the ground floor to pick up packages of astronaut ice cream. It was $2 cheaper here than in the gift shop. This museum turned out to be one of my favorites of our trip. With diverse exhibits and many interactive aspects, I highly recommend for visitors of all ages, especially science enthusiasts!

If you're a big fan of aviation and space like me, you have to check out this museum. This was definitely my favorite Smithsonian museum I visited. It's free entrance but you have to book a ticket online. Once you arrive within your time slot, they'll scan your emailed digital ticket. There was so many cool things displayed like the Wright Brother's flyer, first astronaut suit, items from space missions, plane simulation, variety of planes, etc. The planes hanging from the ceiling reminds me of the Museum of Flights from Seattle. There's a huge gift shop as well as these crank machines for coin pressed souvenirs. Also, there is a cafeteria that serves food on the ground floor. The only downside is we visited while they were remodeling so we missed a lot of the big exhibits. I would love to come back in the future to see the rest of the museum!

One of my favorite museums to visit, I had the honor of coming back to the air and space museum after over 15 years. It is currently under renovation which may be a bit of a downer for some just coming by. You also need to reserve a time slot ticket so be ready for that (they are free). Even with these setbacks, this museum was a reason I got so into planes and space as a child and being able to revisit it, amidst the renovations, was breathtaking. Everyone needs to come here, learn a bit about flight and space, and explore that curiosity.

This is always a great place to visit with the kids when you're in the area. I prepaid for parking at a nearby lot which cost $25 for the whole day and was only an 8 minute walk. Although it was very busy, we didn't wait in line to get in. We did reserve tickets online in advance and getting through security was quick. We first went downstairs to grab a bite to eat. Like other museums, the food was pricey but we just ended up getting the combo hot dog meal which included a drink and a bag of chips for $13. Luckily, we were able to find seats for a family of four. We took our time exploring the exhibits, trying out the video game simulations, and watching the short films and demonstrations. There is definitely a lot to see, and so plan to spend at least three hours here.

The Air and Space Museum has always been one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it's been undergoing major renovations since 2018. I honestly don't recommend visiting it until their work is finished. There's usually an overwhelming amount of exhibits to see here. I know this from many prior visits over the years. It was definitely missing half of its inventory. We were done in less than an hour. It was very disappointing. Also, keep in mind that you have to reserve timed tickets for entry. You're not going to enter immediately by walking through the doorway. No, you're going to wait in a long line with everyone who has the same entry time. All the way out to where the food trucks are along the sidewalk. Get there earlier than your time of entry if you want to be under the overhang. They do warn you about it on their website. I'll give them that. The line does move quickly once they allow entry. The highlight for me was the Wright Brothers Exhibit. The 1903 Wright Flyer is the focal point. I love that it's up close for all to see. The newer look of the rest of the exhibits appear more organized, but are now encased in plexiglass. The lighting and glare are not optimal for pictures. I'm sure it will all look amazing once all the galleries are reimagined. I'll update this review in 2026. That's when they say the full building will be open. Oh, and the Lightsaber cooler drinks at the Mars Café were not good. You've been warned.

I was there when it opened in 1976 & have gone back many times since. The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum is one of the most popular museums in the world. It is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce all new galleries and public spaces. The 50,000 sq ft three-story, Jeff Bezos Learning Center is under construction. A new planetarium, 8 new galleries, a new museum store and a cafe reopened in 2022, with more coming later in 2024. There is so much to see here & it never gets old! The Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo modules, space suits, Hindenburg, soviet missiles ... telescopes... Unfortunately, they mowed offer timed tickets at 8:30 & for the past week we've tried & couldn't get onto the website.

It's been quite awhile since I last visited this museum which happened to be when Night of the Museum2 was first released. Now timed tickets are required to be booked in advance before one can enter. The staff were quite strict managing the entry times noted on the eticket and turned away the people in front of me who were more than two hours early. However they will let you in up to one hour after the entry time on your ticket. They made a few changes and some others were still in process. About half of the museum was still under renovation according to the map. The Wright Brothers exhibits was one of the original rooms still the same while the racing room downstairs was new. The space room was one of my favorites with an Apollo capsule, remnants of rocket stages and engines on display along with lots of other historical items, videos, etc. The lines to walk into parts of an old Northwest Airlines 747 and American Airlines prop plane were just a few minutes wait. If you like sci-fi movies then checkout the Star Trek Enterprise model at the entrance and the Star Wars X-wing fighter on the second floor near the theatre. One could spend more time here but due to my short time in DC, I wrapped up my visit in a little over one hour. Will come back after all the renovations finish up in 2025.

I have been to over a dozen science museums across the US and in other countries, the Air and Space Museum remains brilliant and at the top of my list of things I highly recommend people to see if they're in DC. If you have any interest in space or flight, this is a museum you simply cannot miss. It is REQUIRED to have timed entry tickets reserved in advance simply because of how popular this museum is. I've been 3 times; they have been accommodating when I have showed up once 45 mins late (traffic into the city remains my mortal enemy) and each and every employee I've ever spoken with has been incredibly kind and inviting. The beginnings of flight section and entire space section is simply breathtaking. No matter what words I come up to describe it, nothing can compare to seeing these incredible museum pieces in person. The sheer volume of historic air and space artifacts takes my breath away every time. You can very easily spent 2-3 hours in this entire museum just reading each description piece and delighting in all that there is to offer. I do prefer real historic air and space related paraphernalia, but there is also some fictional paraphernalia available to Star Trek + Star Wars fans. I haven't been to the cafe that they have so I cannot speak on that. They do sell custom dog tags you can make for $8 which seems like a sweet souvenir deal to me. Their gift shop is a massive two story endeavor that you can enjoy although their shirts do tend to sell out in smaller sizes so you might not get one in your size which is a bit unfortunate since most of their stuff isn't offered on the Smithsonian's online gift shop ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Going here was so cool. Biggest downside was 1/2 the museum was closed for construction. Definitely a good way to spend the day in DC.

Washington DC - love the Smithsonian museums, how they are free of charge! This is a great place if you're into space exploration. Some hands on stuff, some demo, I'd say it's more for ages 7 or above to truly enjoy most things since it's involves quite a bit of reading. Not as much science aspect of astronomy as I would hope. There's more of the space exploration, aircraft and different vehicles displayed than the science of astronomy itself. Worth to pay extra for the dome theatre. Make sure you sit at the very back for the best view. Overall good experience.

4/9/24 Tickets are required to enter. It's free, but it's timed, so check at least 2-3 weeks before your trip. Unfortunately, we still had to wait in a line as they waited for exactly the time on our ticket before they let us in. Half of the building is still under construction. The half that was open is still a large space to walk around. I especially like the space exhibits. There are models of some planes that the sign said to see the real plane at the Udvar Hazy Center in Chantilly VA. I will keep an eye on the construction so I can go back when it opens. It would be so cool if the under construction side will have exhibits that show the Sci fi item and then the RL item. For example, the flip communicator in OG STAR Trek vs the Motorola Startac.

Wowwww!!! If you are visiting DC, this place definitely should be on your to do list if you like museums! There is a lot of history, details and information about air and space transportation!!! I actually enjoyed my time exploring and appreciating all the visuals. I was in awe with all the memorabilia gathered, just imagining how life was in the past and how far we've come today. Lastly... be sure to go on the website to reserve your tickets. It's free but you need a ticket to enter. (choose available date and time)

Very fun museum and it's been on my list for a while. You need to book a week in advance. Love the section of speed with motorcycles or speed boats and jets. So cool what humankind has accomplished. This museum is beautiful. Lots of walking.

If you love aerospace and airplanes, then you will love this museum. I think it's a great museum but it was a bit underwhelming due to required time tickets, waiting outside in a really long line until your exact ticket time, it was so crowded inside, and it was a bit small. It was very cool to see the history of aviation, though. I think if we had opportunity to come during a weekday and early in the morning, then it would have been a much better time.

This was near the top of the list for friends visiting from out of town. Their boys loved engaging the various interactive displays. We were a bit late for our timed entry, but it wasn't a problem. Staff were very friendly, helpful, and welcoming. One entrance is closed due to construction so be mindful Of where you need to enter otherwise you'll be walking around the block. We had a great afternoon here!

Cool museum! I booked my ticket online probably a week or two in advance. It did not appear to have day of times remaining (at least for the afternoon) I spent around 2 hours here. At most, I could see myself spending another hour. I appreciate the timed entry to help control the crowds. Some of the lighting in the museum made it hard to read the exhibits. Some of the exhibits were a little busy. Check it out!

SPAAAAAACEEEE!!! Needs more space and less air, but I think that may be solved once they finish renovating half the building. What they have is gorgeously displayed, and I'll never turn down being able to see a Voyager spacecraft, four Mars rovers and the original Columbia module all in an hour. Five stars, would absolutely stand in line again.

If you haven't visited this place in 20 years, you're in for a surprise. It's a newer building and the viewing areas are much wider than the previous building. And some of the things that were in the previous building or no longer here, but it other Smithsonian buildings in the DC area. That was minorly disappointing for me because I was hoping I'd be able to see everything I remembered. But they have a really great café that although expensive the portion sizes are good. The coffee in particular was very good. There are food trucks outside too. Be advised that some of them seem to take lunch hours around one or 2 PM. There's no place to sit and eat your meal but it's more reasonably price than inside the museum.

Fabulous place!! It is free so please people don't cheap out on the donations. The place is huge and we could have stayed all day but that is never an option when you have a timeline. So many planes I could name off but the highlights were, SR-71, F-14, F-35 ( saw prototype because of work), Me109 (Nazi), The beautiful Enola Gay and the space shuttle Discovery. Truly feats of engineering and design. The place is clean, filled with history and so much reading. Go during the weekday like we did and it will not be as crowded. So glad I went and recommend all of you to go...This is true history at its best. Also donate generously if you appreciate the history of flight!

This was a fun museum, but a little underwhelming. Entrance is free, but you have to book a ticket for a specific time slot in advance. You will line up outside of the museum at your booking time. The line gets very long, but moves super quickly. The museum is mostly split across two floors. The lower level focuses on aviation and the upper level focuses on space. The exhibits offered a nice balance of science and pop culture. Lots of interactive displays that were fun for kids. I particularly enjoyed the Wright brothers exhibit. A lot of the museum was under renovation so it will likely have more to offer when all sections are reopened.

They just reopened after a multi-year renovation project, and I could not be happier! We visited on a Sunday in February, but you know how winter in DC is... could be cold, could be warm! This is important to know, because they are currently doing timed tickets, and you will have to wait outside in line before going in. Get there early, though! Our line was maybe only 25-30 people deep when we arrived for our 11am entry. When we left, though, the 1pm crew was going in, and the line went on for ages! Huge difference an hour or two makes! Once inside, you'll see plenty of staff offering maps and answering any questions. These team members are super helpful, so don't hesitate asking questions if you have them. About a half of each level (ground and second) are still closed for remodeling, which is understandable I suppose... but the exhibits that are open are still well worth the visit! The new Wright Brothers exhibit, for example, puts the plane at ground level and includes a TON of artifacts not previously on display! I don't want to give away any spoilers, but keep an eye out for a bicycle towards the entrance of the exhibit. The huge murals by the front door are still there, still in their radiant glory. I'm very happy those haven't changed, as they truly are icons of the museum and testaments to flight and exploration. The café was open, and the offerings were... okay. The sandwiches are quite pricy, but when you consider they're going to pay for this FREE museum, it balances out. The gift shop didn't change too much, which is a good thing since it was recently renovated prior to COVID anyway. Not much change called for there. The only entrance and exit right now is on the Independence Avenue side (the non-Mall side), so keep that in mind. The sidewalk is also under construction, so plan and traverse accordingly. Overall, this is one of the destination museums in Washington, DC, maybe even the country (or beyond!). I'm glad it's reopened finally, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the place looks like once everything is finally ready!

Half the facility was closed for remodeling. We figured one of our favorite museums are air and space; so we allotted several hours. In and out within an hour. Not impressed.

The Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC is an incredible experience! The exhibits are both educational and awe-inspiring, featuring historic aircraft, spacecraft, and interactive displays.

Pro trick on the lines: come at the end of your stated hour. We got there at 2:50pm for our 3:00pm ticket and there was a giant line that went from the main entrance past the corner of the building. It wasn't moving because they let everyone in at once, at 3pm, but that afternoon sun is very punishing and there is no shade in the line at that time of day. However, at the front door, they were letting people in with no line, and it turns out these were the 2:00pm ticket holders. The museum is pretty well set up, and great for either adults interested in learning about this type of stuff (like engineers - the adult engineers in our group all said they could spend 4 hours in just one area of the museum if they had time), or older kids who can read and learn from the displays, or younger kids who are obsessed with planes. Not as much for toddlers (it's not as interactive), but there is 1-2 hour's worth of things for toddlers to just look at. While the museum is free, you do need to book timed tickets, and they do sell out. our group got ours about a week in advance for a Sunday, and there were only 3pm tickets left.

Great museum, a lot of interesting exhibits and it's free! I learned a lot from this visit about the history of aviation, it was amazing to see full scale models of first planes by Wright brothers and by Otto Lillenthal. The exhibit about the Apollo 11 moon landing was very interesting, took a lot of pictures for my dad who still believes that the moon landing was a hoax. Unfortunately I couldn't see space shuttles as the space wing of the museum is closed for innovations until 2026. My recommendation is to book far in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before your time slot, even if you pre-booked your visit you have to stand in long line before they let you in.

A fun and educational experience! Also make sure to get on their website for the free tickets. They have only number of people that they accommodate. We weren't able to get in the first time and that's our mistake.

The National Air & Space Museum is a museum that opened in Washington, D.C. in 1946. Originally called the 'National Air Museum', it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. Almost all of its spacecraft and aircraft on display are original primary or backup craft (rather than facsimiles). The museum's current main building (which opened in 1976) is undergoing a seven-year renovation that started in 2018, during which some of its spaces and galleries are closed. Since the museum is a member of the Smithsonian Institution, admission is FREE. My family and I recently visited the National Air & Space Museum while we were staying in DC for a short vacation. Located along the National Mall, it is one of the more popular Smithsonian Museums. Although it is free, make sure to reserve an entry time. Some of the highlights of the museum include the original Wright Brothers' Wright Flyer airplane, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the Friendship 7 capsule, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the Bell X-1 (which broke the sound barrier), and the model of the starship Enterprise that was used in the original Star Trek TV series. Although my two young sons liked looking at everything, they were a little disappointed that nearly everything was behind glass. At their young age, they prefer more interactive exhibits where they can press buttons, etc. Maybe this is something that the museum can work on for the future. Aside from that, it is a very interesting museum and it's easy to see why it is one of the more popular Smithsonian museums!

My nephew is an aviation enthusiast and wanted to visit the Air and Space Museum. I must say we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We order tickets online.

Wonderful free museum, just a joy to behold. We went here during construction and part of it was closed off, so looking forward to next time after they finish renovations. Still, there's plenty of stuff to see. Spent a lot of time in the Moon area and enjoyed the film looking at history of space juxtaposed with history of the world over the past several decades. Clean restrooms (with interesting space facts on the wall), air conditioned, high ceilings, fun for the whole family, and did I say free? Love it. Easy to get to on the Metro, near the L'Enfant Plaza station. Came here with a reservation, pretty straightforward process.

I'm such a huge fan of the Smithsonian, and this Air & Space does not disappoint! They also have a sister location in Chantilly (aka, Udvar-Hazy Center), and one requires a free timed-entry pass to enter. Note that currently, they are going through various phases of renovations - it is anticipated that the full building will become available in '26. They have special exhibitions, Discovery Stations, on-site drop-in story time, drop-in science demonstrations, and various events. On the lower level, there is the Mars cafe, which is open daily and offers a full espresso/coffee bar, seasonally-inspired sandwiches, paninis, salads, and pastries. The set-up was super cute, as it seems as if you're actually dining on Mars! This absolutely tickled me! I recently came here for a PD, and everything was professionally and well-presented, super engaging, and fun! All staff here are super welcoming and friendly - a huge shout-out to the security at the front as well, as he made to greet and say farewell to all patrons! Restricted metered and garage parking is available in the area. +requires a timed-entry pass for entry +friendly staff! +restricted metered and garage parking available

This place is one of my favorite museums in D.C. I really enjoy spending time in there and looking at all the aircraft and reading about the history. They have space suits from decades ago and great exhibits. It's amazing to see the artifacts of aviation and space exploration history up very close. The entrance is free, and you are able to reserve tickets and choose the time online. All the process was actually pretty easy and all free.

This was a nice day excursion. We went as a family and sort of split up to see different parts of the museum. At the time the are under a major renovation/addition, didn't bother me and didn't impact anything other than an area or two was closed. Fascinating space and capsule exhibits, historical flight visits and it all ties together every well.

Parking is close by and for around $21-$22 for the day, we found with a family it made more sense than taking public transportation to/from the city for the cost. The museum is free, but it does require a reservation. Saturday, the day, we visited, we had an 11:00 reservation + got there around 11:20 and walked right in. When we left around 3:00 there was a long line. A bit of background, it is close to so many other museums and found out it is the 2nd most visited museum in the world! It is a museum not only for aviation/space crafts but also for geology/geophysics and planets. It was a wonderful day learning and relearning about Apollo 11, Charles Lindberg, the Wright brothers + even Star Trek! They have some of the original places and space crafts, which is very exciting + lots of opportunities to take photos, I LOVED the Star Wars craft with R2D2 overhead! They do have so much to read, interact with, it would take you days to read it all. There are also movies, we skipped this time but there are small screens to interact with to keeps kids interested. I would bring snacks as the snack bars tend to be underwhelming in their offerings + the prices are a bit high. AND there are food trucks outside and folks were enjoying a range of treats from ice cream to sandwiches, but we had a dinner reservation outside of the downtown area. Perhaps do just a bit of digging before you go to ensure this is the type of museum that will interest you and your family. We did enjoy and look forward to going back in a few years.

Technically, this should be a 3.5 star review, but math rules say I need to round up. I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed with the museum. I think we visited during the wrong time because half of the museum was under renovated. Fortunately, I live in the area so I can always visit once the renovations are complete. Although you have 2 hours to explore the museum, I don't think anyone really checks how long you been in the museum. Then again, we did not stay for the full two hours. That said, 2 hours is plenty of time to see everything (at least until the renovations are complete) if you are visiting without children. Since this is a VERY kid-friendly museum, you should visit during an off-time if you are not into the kiddos. Overall, I thought the museum staff were very nice and helpful. Hopefully, I can visit again once the renovations are complete. Oh, I was a bit disappointed that the souvenir shop did not carry model airplanes. I mean, the model sets where you have to construct the entire plane bit by bit. When I was a kid, I remember pestering my parents to buy me a model airplane set after each visit. I guess nowadays model airplane means sticking three pieces together to construct the plane because the model sets looked pretty basic.