National Air and Space Museum Reviews

A very nice visit. Many life-size artifacts, from the beginning of aviation to the conquest of space. The museum is free but you should remember to book your day and time of visit via their website before arrival because there are many people and it is quickly sold out. A nice visit that I advise.

You definitely need to spend some time at the museum if you are visiting Washington. There is so much to see and a lot of interactivity throughout that both adults and kids can get involved in.
I love planes, so the plane area was so fascinating.
Also highly recommend paying the little extra at the booth to book a slot into the planetarium, it is so mesmerising.
Really enjoyed our visit. Don’t miss out on this.

You need free advanced tickets to get in. Make sure you get them at least a few days in advance. The museum is under renovation until 2026, so half of the museum is closed. You can see it in less than 2 hours, including the planetarium (which is not free, 4 people is $32). It’s nice and educational for the kids.

Visited in July when the crowds were busy. The exhibitions were interesting, particularly the Wright Brothers and the Space ones. The musuem is free but you can give a donation. A huge amount of the exhibitions are being revamped, which obviously has to be done, but it did wipe out approx half of the musuem in one go.

FYI the museum is timed ticket entry only. You have to go online weeks before for a reservation or take your chances day of - those ‘sell out’ in 1 minute. The museum is at least 50% closed for remodeling. We arrived 15 minutes before 4pm and there was already a long line. The line did eventually move fast and we got in after 410. Good experience just one of those ‘wish we knew before…’

We expected to be there several hours but stayed much longer, and that's a lot considering a significant part of the museum was closed off as they changed displays. When all the renovation is complete, plan to spend all day. There truly is a lot to see. We especially liked the detailed account of the Wright Brothers' lives, and telling about the Wright Sister, too.

The restaurant in the basement has simple foods like sandwiches, wraps, salads, and soups along with various drinks including beer. The restaurant staff was pleasant, but several could be more on task. Sometimes workers behind the counters (never the cashiers who were always busy) were taking it easy instead of helping customers.

The planetarium show was like most other planetarium shows.

one of the great museums in the world

fantastic exposition of american and european history in the modern era
original wright flyer is here, Spirit of St Louis, X-1, multiple legendary craft

The museum was under partial renovation so about half the size of previous visits. The reduced size crammed a lot of people in a smaller area. That said, the exhibits are still fascinating and definitely worth the effort.

Half of the place was not open due to remodeling. It was also very crowded. The parts that were open had lots of information and I learned a lot. They should not remodel so much at one time.

If you like airplanes, this place is nirvana. Arrive early and plan to spend at least 4 hours. There is a Pearl Harbor survivor plane tucked in a corner. The SR71 and the Discovery space shuttle take center stage but there are some gems scattered throughout the museum.

If you love planes, jets, and history this is your place. A must see in DC. Two buildings to visit. We went to the one near Dulles Airport. Very large. Lots to see.

Between flight history and space exploration, there’s so much to see here! If you read everything you could really spend a ton of time here. If this is your kind of history or interest, make sure you see it! We also ate in the Mars Cafe on-site to avoid sitting in the sun with food truck food. At this point in the trip, air conditioning and shade were more important than price or quality. The lunch options are limited and it was expensive, but it did the job.

This is an Erik only review as Cheryl did not attend. I went here on August 25, 2025. I arrived around the opening time and learned that you had to get a ticket. The tickets are free and there is a sign that walks you through the process of securing a ticket. The process is easy to do. Once I get my ticket I had a short wait. Once inside there is plenty to see here. The museum covers the history of aviation in good detail. There are plenty of vintage aircraft and spacecraft on display. The display of aircraft from WWI was impressive. The highlights being a British Sopwith Camel fighter and a French Caudron G.4 twin engine bomber. Unfortunately for me the WW2 display was closed for renovations when I visited, which is the items I was looking most forward to seeing. This is a good museum with plenty to see. I would visit again.

The museum is very impressive…. from the history of aeronautics to space exploration to vehicular speed, there was a lot to see and do. The most impressive was the beginning, which described and showed how the original airplane came to existence……. Along with its evolution thereafter. The highlight was seeing Wilbur and Orville Wright’s original plane! Tickets are timed. Plan on being there at least 2-4 hours. The Air and Space was one of the highly recommended museums to attend by various family/mommy traveling website.

I looked forward to visiting this museum more than any of the other Smithsonian Museums. To say this was a let down, would be an understatement. Half of the exhibits were closed for renovation and had no warplanes on display. Mostly space and commercial flight items. We were all excited to see fighters and bombers and only saw commercial airline items and space items that were not that intriguing. Considering that this was the only museum that needed a time entry ticket, we waited in the line outside longer than we spent in the museum. What a shame.

We missed checking that tour needs to be booked in advance, at least a day or two. Thankfully it was a weekday and we managed to get evening slot.

Do remember to reach at least 30 mins before your slot and waiting line is huge!

Museum is amazing and will typically need more than half a day. So plan accordingly.

I can’t say this enough, when you come to DC plan out your trip and pre book your tickets. Too many places we have seen people miss out on tours because tickets are sold out so don’t chance just getting them on the day. I say this because when we arrived there was a big sign saying tickets were sold out which is astounding given the amount of people that were lined up just for our time slot . It’s very popular and it books out

We were shocked at how long the line was for our time slot but wow does it move fast once they open the door for your allocated time . So don’t stress about getting there early or lining up too long , if you have your ticket you will be in before you know .

Side note , if you rock up early they don’t let You into a different time slot

Currently half the place is closed due to renovations but there is still plenty to see. I especially liked the space section. Seeing relics from moon landings etc was quite exciting for me

My hubby could spend hours in a place like this so I managed to find seats while he investigated longer than me but all up I would suggest 2 hours is enough

A bit outdated and it could be more interactive, especially since it's such a famous museum, but other than that, really great place with profound artifacts of the past.

This museum was something everyone should experience. Seeing the "sewing machine" planes of World War I, the brilliant fighters and bombers of WWII and the extraordinary rockets of NASA will stay with us forever. As for the civilian section, seeing the renowned McDonell DC-3, an aircraft which played a large role in aviation history overjoyed us. Additionally, the picture of the Lockheed L149, also a very important plane in aviation history, while not as fascinating as seeing a plane itself, was still nice, especially for a picture in combination with the DC-3. It is worth visiting (again if necessary).

We visited the National Air and Space Museum during our trip to Washington DC, and it ended up being our least favorite stop. We had timed-entry tickets, but even with that, the museum was packed. It was hard to move around or take in the exhibits with so many people everywhere.

We normally love space museums and were excited for this one. The girls enjoyed looking through the telescopes they had set up outside, which was a nice touch. But once we got inside, the crowds made it difficult to enjoy anything.

The Wright Brothers exhibit was the one part that really stood out. It felt a little calmer and had interesting displays that grabbed all of our attention. Aside from that, the experience felt overwhelming and chaotic. We were honestly ready to leave not long after we arrived.

Went with my family and we were disappointed . Over half the museum was unavailable due to renovations in progress . Additionally , many of the planes were moved to the much bigger museum in Dulles Airport . To fill the gap and replace these spectacular planes they added a NASCAR room and a DEI civil rights exhibit !

Half the museum is closed.
One museum, two locations.
The Washington, DC museum requires a free timed-entry pass -> if you didn't have one, you could still queue outside, but who would do that in the blazing sun?
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA does not require a pass. -> We were there a few days earlier and liked it much better!

This was the top museum or teens wanted to visit. They loved it! Very impressed with all exhibits, but our favorite was the Wright Brothers exhibit. Seeing there actual airplane was amazing. Love that they limit tickets because it prevented the museum from getting too busy and congested. We enjoyed the 2 planetarium shows; these do require a paid ticket. TIP: Be sure to reserve your FREE tickets online, for this museum, when planning your visit.

I was mesmerized by the actual airplane that the Wright Brothers flew! I also learned about Amelia Erhardt, astronauts, and so much more about flight.

We had already ordered the entrance ticket online from home. This was necessary, as the museum was very full on this rainy day. The exhibition was varied and informative. Unfortunately, large rooms are still being renovated. We can still recommend it, as you learn a lot of new things, including about the moon flight, etc. Various film equipment is also on display.

Half the museum is blocked off for renovation.

Have been looking forward to visiting for years so was quite disappointed indeed.

Half of the museum is off display. No space shuttle on display. Finished in 90min. Expected it to be larger, no spacex stuff. glad it’s free.

We had a very interesting experience where we got an insight into the history of American aviation.The display was very elaborate and very well maintained. If you are interested in aviation history,then this is an ideal place to visit.

First off- this is a timed entry by ticket museum. There are a few tickets available online in advance, but the rest of the openings are released by the museum at 0830 online for same day entry. Be online at 0830 for a ticket- they will be gone in a matter of minutes. There are zero walk up entries. They do not allow early entry. It was very hot 98 degrees, the day we visited. We waited in the shade by the building edge until our ticket time. Once in line it moved very quickly- less than 5 minutes to get in. Those who tried to get in ahead of their time were not allowed and this did cause a slight backup on one of the entry points. A lot of the museum is closed for renovation but we did enjoy what was open. We were able to see the Wright Brother's Kitty Hawk, The Spirit of St. Louis and the Apollo 11 command capsule. This was exciting for me because my husband was on the recovery team for both Apollo 11 and Apollo 16. We paid extra for the planetarium movie feature which I really enjoyed. Cafeteria is available downstairs- food is pricey but there are really no restaurants in the general vicinity. Perhaps my favorite thing though was entering the museum and seeing the studio mockup of the USS Enterprise .

We visited this museum because I really needed to see the space shuttle.
It was actually the Steven F. Udvar Hazy location - which is in Chantilly Virginia.
There was no cost to visit, and only cost $15 USD for parking.
There is so much to do at this museum and we could have spent hours walking around and seeing all the aircrafts.

One of the best air and space museums in the world. You can see everything from the original "Flyer" by the Wright brothers, which inaugurated the era of aviation, to recent space modules, reviewing the entire history.
Curious gift shop, where one can buy astronaut food or meteorite fragments.
The visit is free, but you have to get your ticket online.

Another stop you can spend all day. There are tons of things to see above and below. We had to get our tickets online, but they're free, and we did it the same day... Probably to spread out the crowds. There are plenty of food trucks up and down the street if you get hungry with all the walking you'll do inside or out.

Meanwhile, in Washington, museums are free!
In this museum you can trace the history of man on the moon. A very old double-decker airliner, the first cell phones and other memorabilia from the 1980s

This is the most popular of all of the museums and we did not realise that you have to book your visit. Fortunately, we were in Washington for a few days and managed to book a slot online for our last day in the capital. If we had known, we would have booked a slot, which is free, before we left home. Even after booking, there was a long queue outside on a very hot day - but it was worth the wait.

Museum to visit at all costs (free) if you are passionate about flying objects ..... some objects of human history: the capsule that brought Amstrong back to earth, the spirit of Saint Louis, the Wright brothers plane .... pity it is under renovation. You have to book your passage time from 8:30 in the morning and not worry about the queue, it progresses very fast ....

I wish they offered guided tours. This was our quickest museum to get through.The air museum in Dayton Ohio was nicer in my opinion. They had tour guides at several exhibits to talk about them.

Superb museum, free access but reservation REQUIRED well before your visit date!
Many people on the day of our visit were trying to get places but everything was obviously full the coming weekend!
It takes a good half day to go through it without spending too much time on the comments.
The exhibitions are very well organized by theme in different rooms/halls: the pioneers (all Americans of course 😏), the army, space, air transport, speed, etc. and this in a very fun way (perfect for children) and through films, games, historical objects, etc.
Just a shame that everything does not always revolve very objectively on the USA and that foreign successes or pioneers are very very discreetly cited or even easily discredited (Soviet space advances, the Concord, the greatness of Boeing and Airbus almost not mentioned, etc. ...)
A large souvenir store in the basement as well as a self-service)

When I was a kid, this is the museum that I thought about when I would think of DC. This museum is still excellent, but I think the real Air & Space museum is now the expansion in Virginia. I'm not saying don't visit this location, it is still excellent (hence the 5 stars) the kids had a blast, but I'm suggesting that if you can only visit one, take the drive to the expansion.

We booked our time in advance (you book top of the hour and have until the next one to arrive), we came half past and just breezed in but there was a line forming for the next slot around the building so i recommend not to come earlier than your slot time, be late-less waiting. The Space part of the museum (very large part) was closed for repairs (it stretches over two floors) so we were a little disappointed. We enjoyed the rest of the exhibits very much- interesting, interactive and very informative.

Reserve ahead! I tried to reserve 2 days ahead and we ended up getting 3pm admission. During March this museum was under renovations and only half of it is open. We used the public parking garage across the street which is very convenient! We walked around for the day from there. This museum is excellent for all ages but it was very crowded (even though they have timed admission) the day we were there which was a Sunday in March. There is plenty to see and read and has a 3 story gift shop!

Great museum with lots to see.
Unfortunately one wing was under reconstruction when we were there so missed a lot from space.

Good exhibition of what we saw and very informative and easy to absorb!

Book an appointment in advance as it is extremely popular and be on time, there are long queues but it works well with time slots!

The “To the Moon” exhibit on the third floor was exceptional! Look at their website days in advance of visiting as reserved entrance times are required. They book out quickly- free admission but plan in advance. Still under construction/ renovation at the time of our visit.

We were highly disappointed in this museum. We had to obtain tickets ahead of time and did so, but when doing so, no mention was made of the closures of the entrances. Nor was it mentioned that half the museum was not able to be viewed. My children were highly disappointed in certain things "missing". Very sad!

This is terrible experiment and ticketing idea .If it is free why you need tickets or it is about control who and when go to museum?They collect hundred people and then give them in and it impossible walk and exploring something in this crowd ,plus you already tired waiting outside. If it was naturally flow everything be much better .

Who doesn’t want to see the Air and Space Museum? Unfortunately they are renovating about 2/3 of the museum and the part that’s open, while interesting and educational, contains few planes or space artifacts. Lots of videos, displays, and a few planes on exhibit. Worth the visit, but just know you won’t need all day, a few hours is plenty. If you have limited time in DC, I recommend seeing other places and hitting this on another visit when more of the museum is open.

Several interesting exhibits but so crowded since the majority of the museum was under construction. Do NOT eat at the Mars Cafe. We purchased three sandwiches and two bottles of water. $54.

Come on people, it's FREE! Even with half of it closed, we still spent about 2 hours here. Some fascinating exhibits, with highlights being the Wright Brothers and Space. Highly recommended.

Second visit here this time with my son. (Last time as 2007). He loved it I was a little disappointed. With the building work going on alot is presently closed. It'll be amazing when it's fully reopened.

Interactive exhibitions were good particularly liked the space section.

We love this museum, but when we visited it was under construction in so many areas that actually I felt we were missing out on a lot. That said, what there was to see was still great and well curated.
One thing that had changed was that we were required to pre-book tickets. Which was a bit of a shock. Fortunately we were able to book online when we arrived.
We will return, but not until the place is fully open again.

The Air and Space Museum was excellent, especially the moon exhibit, but half of the building was under renovation and could not be accessed. The planetarium also was having trouble with its ticketing system and could not be used that day.

Such an entertaining and informative place to visit. I loved the exhibits. Everything is laid out well and left me wanting more.

Did not realize there were two Air and Space Smithsonian Museums. We went to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center as the other one the line was out the door and down the sidewalk. This one was really cool too and had an awesome selection of aircraft from over the years, including things from Lindbergh, Earhart, a plane from Pearl Harbor, the Enola Gay and more. Everything is displayed in an airplane hanger type way and is really cool to see the size of everything and how things changed over the years and from the different wars too. The Observatory is free and is super cool to see the airport and surrounding landscape from up there! An elevator takes you up. The space part was smaller but super cool and included the space shuttle, Discovery!

Nice room on the Moon and Space Trips, the others nothing special. You must book your ticket and admission is possible up to 1 hour after the time written on the ticket.

I visited the National Air and Space Museum with a friend and enjoyed my visit. The exhibits are cool and they have a handful of interactive ones with good information. I'm not personally that interested in aeronautics but I think it was still a good museum overall.

The museum is undergoing a major renovation and as a result only some of the exhibits are open. Those that are open are good if you are interested in space travel, planets or flights. But it is a lot less than what was there before the renovation. We also enjoyed the planetarium show. Entry is free but you do need to make timed reservations in advanced.

Very good collection of flying apparatus, from a plane of the Wright brothers to spacecraft. We stayed from 11 am until closure. If you can get early day entrance tickets, go for it!
Two huge parts of the museum are closed for renovation at the moment though: everything related to WW1 and WW2, also jet engines and water bound airplanes. If you are interested in those, wait until next year.
Explanations given are well done. There are often guides who do small experiments to explain things. We liked the planetarium a lot.
What could be improved? The cafeteria is a plastic waste hell. Why not invest in a dish washer and hand out reusable dishes. If you fly you can see that earth is precious- and resources are finite.

It is the best known and most visited museum in Washington. Alas alas alas it is under construction and it is closed to the third quarter. Only the conquest of the Moon part can be visited. If you can, come back in 2026 or check out the remarkable annex near the international airport.

Half of the museum was under renovation and caused over crowding even with timed entry tickets. The exhibits were lacking. It was a very hot day and no shade to wait for the entry time. The museum staff managing the lines were rude and inconsiderate of the elderly and children standing in the heat. The management team should do more to make this a better guest experience.

We didn't realise the museum was under renovation when we booked our time slot online. As a result only about a third of the museum was open so we only spent an hour in there.
What we got to see was very interesting and well laid out, I also appreciate that renovations need doing. Just a shame we didn't realise before booking

A large portion of the Air and Space Museum was under renovation. It was disappointing to not be able to see everything that is usually on display.

The museum was recently renovated and a certain part is not yet completely finished. Definitely worth entering. Our children love the part about the moon landing and the video about the planets. As a visitor you can also walk through an old airplane. Very neat museum

The hall in which the Spirit of St Louis is displayed was closed for renovation. It's a shame.
Be careful, even if the museum is free, you should remember to reserve your time slot.

First time visiting the museum and discovered a few things. One, it's free to get in, however, you have to sign up online before going to get a ticket to get in on a certain day and time. Two, the museum is undergoing renovations so only half of the museum is open which was disappointing. What they had open was done nicely but a bummer that I'll have to return at a later date to see the other half of the museum.

Went during the summer so it was extremely busy and not sure what the purpose of getting tickets beforehand was all about unless they try to determine how often people leave and control how many come in.

We made a reservation in advance and had an 11:00 reservation for a Saturday. Also made a parking reservation for $19 only two blocks away, perfectly located. The only thing I would mention, eat before hand and bring snacks, we had a snack at the cafe and it coast more than Walt Disney World!

$4.25 for a small weak cup of iced tea, it really was horrible, my mom had a bottle of fruit punch that she could not drink, more grams of sugar that two snickers bars, come on.

The foods choices were awful, not good for you and of course our mistake for taking an 80+ year old and not bringing snacks.

The exhibits were wonderful, when you walk in you see the Star Trek enterprise. Move on the Orville and Wilbur Wright. There were sights to be seen regarding first woman flights, first black man in space, kids getting involved, then they move on to speed, planets and beyond ;)

There are also two movies playing throughput the day. Go, enjoy and bring snacks ;)

The only reason I gave this 4 out of 5 is because I only got to see half of the museum. It is currently under renovation with fully half of the museum closed off. Despite this, you can still see the Wright Flyer as well as dozens of other famous aircraft, spacecraft, aviation exhibits, space exhibits, artifacts & memorabilia. I cannot wait to see the museum once all of the renovations are complete. There are several interactive displays and exhibits. The onsite cafe’ is good (but expensive) and the gift shop is stacked.

Parking can be difficult to find. I parked in a public garage by the Warf and walked over (about a 1.25 mile distance). It wasn’t cheap, but it is safe and easy to find. Plus, the Warf is loaded with great restaurants and bars. Tickets to the museum weren’t overly expensive and well worth the money. Plan ahead though, I had to buy my tickets 3 weeks ahead of time, because the museum is regularly sold out.

The National Air and Space museum was a highlight of our trip, and we would definitely recommend it! Whether or not you’re into space or flight, this museum is fascinating and fun. But if you are, this museum is perfect for you! It is fun and interactive while providing history on flight and space, and this museum is a must-go.

By far one of the crown jewels of the Smithsonian museum family. If you are even remotely interested in aircraft, space exploration, and the history, this is a must go. As you would expect with a Smithsonian museum the exhibits are world class and engaging.

Timed entry - must sign up a month in advance. I suggest 10 am and get in line by 9:30. Half the museum is under construction right now. It only took us 45 minutes to go through, though most people will want to spend an hour or two.

Fabulous.

Rare exhibits (e.g. the space suit that Neil Armstrong wore when he walked on the moon), large, clean exhibition rooms, clear explanations, everything you need to spend a few interesting hours there.

The epic journey to the moon was a return to childhood for me.

The room on planetary exploration too.

A very well-kept, quality place.

Nice and large museum with various exhibitions. The museum really takes you through the story and history of space travel, the galaxy and there is also a large part decorated with aviation. We also visited the planetarium movie. This one was definitely interesting. Too bad the entrance fee for this was $10 per person.

This is a great place to visit and even trying to avoid the holidays, when we assume there are lots of visiting kids, it turned out to be very busy with screaming kids. One little girl even decided to pull my long hair and then run away!!!! At least her father was hands on, yet the girl decided to cry anyway as if it was my fault I was in her path while I was reading some information near a wall!!!

1. We booked this place, which is free hence the many people, for the timed entry yet no one asked for the printed tickets
2. There are some 'modules' for kids to get shaken for which you have to pay thus getting some little queues
3. Away from the busy entry, the place is quieter and you can see at your own pace the shuttle Discovery and many bigger and smaller space devices/installations/modules etc. There is also a Concorde donated by AirFrance, the famous Enola Gay which is bigger than I realised, a stealth plane right as you descend from the entrance area, lots of planes since the invention of planes including the first plane with a paid ticket (by the mayor of Tampa transporting him across the bay to St Pete in Florida for the price of 400 USD 100 years ago!!!!) lots of WWII planes brought over from Germany - if you are into technology, aviation and space advancement this is a great place for adults, nevermind kids who were only making noises not understand the wealth of information they were having in front of them
4. There is also an area you can view from above as they restore planes etc - I highly encourage you to take the stairs above and have this perspective: this is not a place you can visit fast in one hour unless you live locally and can come back over and over again
5. Take a map from the entrance or find a map on their website to learn what you want to visit and plan accordingly
6. There is a food area and a souvenir shop at the entrance - equally mad with screaming kids
7. Don't forget to go to the Viewing Tower with great views all over to Dulles Airport and 360 degrees good views around - locate it on the map, descend the stairs and take the elevator to this area. There was a small queue when we were there but everything was moving fast: in the elevator you are stuck though near people from around the world so you might want to bring a mask with you to protect your lungs etc
8. There is also an IMax theatre if you have time for this too
9. Massive car park with lots of buses proves this place is a hit, especially during holidays or summer time

Most surely we will be back in the following years, just the way we always seem to travel to Cape Canaveral in Florida all the time.

It was a great museum, it's amazing they have it near the center of Washington D.C. They had many airplane models, including a description of it, and they had dome theaters for some 'aviation entertainment.' If you're visiting Washington D.C, it's a MUST-SEE!

Make sure to get your reservations in advance! We had a 3:00PM entry. They will not let you in early. The line begins forming and gets long but moves rapidly. Once inside, get a map and take in all of the amazing history. The attractions are well thought out and there is plenty of room to see everything, including the planetarium. Large tour groups of kids were there, but that's expected.

The National Air and Space Museum is a fine example of how public stewardship should not be done!

Their website does not tell you that over half of the museum is closed for renovations. Even more surprising, exhibits that it says are open… the planetarium… are “closed for renovations.”

I failed to find a single manipulative that actually worked. Many locations were just empty with a note saying the item or exhibit had been removed.

To make matters worse, the staff were just rude and clearly had no desire to be there, much less serve the taxpayers supplying their (arguably large) salaries.

If you find yourself at the museum with the same surprise that I had, take a nice stroll across the mall to the Natural History Museum. That museum is much older than the air and space yet much better maintained. The staff clearly enjoy showing off their fine museum. Look at the employee ownership model of management if you are wondering why there would be a night/day difference between 2 museums in the same system that are walking distance apart.

To sum up, after years of going to the Smithsonian, this is the first time I regretted heading downtown.

We were so excited to see the Air & Space but unfortunately 2/3’s was closed & under construction. What was opened was extremely overcrowded. I would not recommend it at this time.

Mais um belo museu da Fundação Smithsonian. By the site reserve free of charge the ticket (necessary) . There are several aircraft and ships on display very well organized and all with narratives of their jobs in the past and in the space race.

Lots to see!! Loved the Wright Brothers exhibit and the space experience. Even with a portion of the museum closed for renovation, still plenty to take in and enjoy! Highly recommended!!

Free entrace museum, just need to "buy" though QR code with no price your entrance. The museum is amazing and very impressive. There are lots of topics covered related to air and space, including cars! Iterative games and information for better understanding the space is another aspects that is better than many others museums. There are some pics regarding some of the topics covered.

The museum was undergoing extensive renovations. Some of the exhibits were excellent, original and thought provoking but don’t go there for a lot of them because I suspect that right now they may be elsewhere. What was most interesting was the educational displays, explaining the science of man’s mechanical achievements. At the moment, I saw some very bored irritable young kids (below 10 years) . Teenagers were however very much engaged.

Incredible exhibits with so much to learn. We thoroughly enjoyed the history behind air and space conquests and loved the interactive exhibits.

The exhibits are very dated and do not really teach something attendees do not already know. Why not have more hands on experiences with military aircraft no longer in use? Or more information about recent space exploration?

Even though only half the museum is open due to construction, it was still worth a visit. The highlights are still accessible including the Columbia moon capsule, Aldrin’s moon landing suit, and moon rocks. Also, getting to see the Wright Brothers original plane was a treat. I enjoyed everything I saw in the three hours I was there. It didn’t seem too busy or overcrowded. I like the timed entry process. Worth the visit.

Only a small portion is open. Better to spend limited time in DC at other attractions/museums. Sad, but not surprising that the gift shop is still huge.

Was to be the highlight of our trip but had not been told you must book a pass in advance. The next available slot was in 7 days time.

None of the other Smithsonian sites require this - wish I had known

Amazing museum!!! Must see when you visit DC!!! I visited primarily to see the original Star Trek Enterprise TV series studio model and was very impressed!!! It’s right there at the entrance immediately on the right. This is the actual restored model from the original 1966-1969 series. Hard to believe it aired for only 3 seasons. It’s housed in a large display case and is 11 feet long, the saucer is 4 feet 11 inches wide. Make sure to see the Enterprise at the top of the hour. Every hour on the hour for 5 minutes the lights turn. So watch at 1:00, 2:00 or 3:00 on the hour any hour of the day when the ship comes alive!!! Looks amazing when the lights are on. Timed free tickets to the museum are available on line from the museum website. I went on a cold windy Sunday afternoon in January and it wasn’t busy. All the exhibits at this museum are fascinating. The destination moon wing is great!!! It’s a small museum with amazing stuff. You can easily see everything in an hour or two. Definitely visit The National Air and Space Museum.

We went to specifically see the space shuttle and that part didn't disappoint. There were a lot of activities going on in general which is great, and lots to look at. But the disappointment was that the many aircrafts felt squashed together wherever they fitted with no real link or chronological order in terms of history and development, so it just felt a bit of a random chaos with no coherence. We were lucky that we decided to visit first thing in the morning when they opened as when we left, there was a huge queue outside to get in. It would not have been pleasant to walk around with that many people in there. We had planned to get lunch there, but gave up as soon we saw the queue to the only restaurant on site. No other option. We ended up buying some popcorn from the imax to keep us going until we got back to the city. So, if visiting, it is strongly advised to go first thing in the morning. The many volunteers working there were all friendly and the security checks quick.

Would have given it a higher score, but half of the museum is under renovation so we couldn't see everything. Everything is well displayed and labeled. I wish it flowed better, but with that many people it would be impossible. Very busy. You have to get timed tickets online (for free). We had an hour after the start of our time to enter so we waited until 10 minutes after the time to show up. We walked right in and did not have to stand in line.... always a plus when you have an autistic child!

The museum has taken a little youthful step since our last visit. Always playful and interactive: ideal for teenagers.

I remember visiting here many years ago as a teenager and loving it immensely. This visit was similar. I especially enjoyed the exhibits on lunar exploration and our solar system. The Wright Brothers exhibits were also fantastic. But all of the open exhibits were well done for the most part.

There were a few issues that detracted from our experience. Despite having an entry reservation and arriving a few minutes early, we were told to go to the end of a line of people (without reservations?) that literally stretched to the end of the building. We managed to avoid most of the line, but it was a stressful, needless misunderstanding. A couple of the interactive displays were broken. And most disappointingly, nearly half of the museum was closed for renovation. I recommend you wait until the renovation is finished. It'll be twice as good.

Really cool museum with a lot of interesting things to see. Unfortunately half the museum was under renovation when we visited, but you could still see cool things. Like Wright's first prototype of an airplane, Armstrong's spacesuit he wore on the moon landing. Remember to book tickets before, can be very crowded. When we were there there were no problems so booked on the spot, but you never know

I recently visited the Museum of Aviation and Space in Washington DC, located near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, and it was a memorable experience.Although the museum is under renovation and more than half is closed, it did not diminish our enjoyment. It is important to book a free ticket the same day, as seats are limited. You can make the reservation online from 8:30 am, which is very convenient.Among the open exhibitions, I particularly loved the model used for the filming of the series "The Patrol of the Cosmos". Exhibitions on the Wright brothers, the Apollo mission, and old planes and engines were also fascinating. My 17-year-old loved the visit as much as I did, making it a perfect outing for the whole family.Despite the renovations, the Aviation and Space Museum remains a must-see destination for aviation and space enthusiasts.

Having timed tickets for arrival, we were sure looking forward to this museum, but it fell short. Over half of the museum was hidden away under construction. If you're expecting to see Lindberg's Spirit of St. Louis, think again. When we asked about its whereabouts, we were instructed to return in a couple years when renovations are completed.

Maybe construction information could be placed on the website?

What was available to see, was interesting.

Museum made to perfection... for lovers of the genre but which involves everyone and of all ages... we also did the virtual tour inside a hunt for 12 euros... it was worth it... after 4pm no you don't even pay for parking... the only one

It is an excellent option for space and airplane fans. It will take approximately 2-3 hours to see all the exhibits. The museum is very close to the Congress.

We loved this . The exhibits and commentary’s were fascinating. I am not a museum person but this was so interesting and entertaining

My grandson liked it. I was expecting more. I had allotted several hours but we were out of there within two hours. I'm glad we went.

We had noticed long lines to get into the museum but we got our timed tickets and was able to get in quickly. There is so much to see. We are children who grew up with the space race to all of the space artifacts were interesting and informative. The display of planes and size of the building were awesome to see.

A huge museum that is being expanded and rebuilt. The entry into the space sector began with a “discovery station”, meaning that interested parties could test and “try on” long original space gloves that have already been in space for material and strength – a great idea. Highlights include the aircraft Charles Lindbergh used to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 1927, small and large aircraft that hang under the ceiling or can also be visited, Neil Armstrong's moon suit, the Colombia command module for the astronauts' landing in the sea. Moon vehicles and much more. You could easily spend a day in the museum.

A very interesting museum.

Opening hours: daily 10:00 – 17:30

Definitely worth a visit. Free entry and lots to see. It was quite crowded, but not enough to spoil the experience. We watched the Blue Angels film there, which was definitely good and also a chance to sit for a while in the cool! It might seem odd to comment on this, but given the US role in Air & Space, I was expecting even more to see. Allow 2 hours to see the majority, though 3 hours would be better.

The National Air and Space Museum is one of the most iconic and engaging museums in Washington, D.C. I’ve visited several times, and it never gets old. Whether you’re a space enthusiast, history buff, or just curious, there’s something here that will impress you—even if it’s just the building itself.

The museum has an extraordinary collection of aviation and space artifacts. Favorites of my family include the original Wright Brothers Flyer (you can see it up close and will be baffled by the simple design) and the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia. This is truly incredible—and again, you’ll wonder how three astronauts fit inside and accomplished what they did.

Helpful Tips: Admission is FREE (like all Smithsonian museums), but you do need to reserve a timed-entry pass online. If you’re visiting during the summer or near a holiday, be sure to book early, as time slots can fill up quickly.

The museum is open seven days a week, 364 days a year (closed on Christmas). You’ll go through security at the entrance, but the process is very quick.

This is a top-tier D.C. museum—equal parts inspiring, educational, and just plain cool. Don’t miss it!

This was one of best museums in DC. They time-gate it so the crowds weren't as bad as in other museums. Just make sure to go on-line and reserve your time.

This is an information dense museum but if you like planes and space travel then it is the place for you! Mu husband loved it but my kids got bored easily!

Educational, interactive, beautifully done. Even if you do not have an interest in flight, this is a great stop on a DC trip to learn about the beginning of flight to where we are at now. Our kids enjoyed this visit. We took 1 1/2 hours here, but could have easily made it 3-4.

The museum is only half open due to construction but is still an interesting 3 hours. Even though admission is free, be sure to go on line and get timed entrance tickets. We were there at the opening on a frigid January day, and the line to get in was very long. There was no entrance without a ticket.

The main halls were closed for renovations. Would have been nice to know that beforehand. Maybe it was posted somewhere, but somehow we missed that. Moon rock and many things (shuttles and so on) were not on display when we visited... had we known, we would have skipped it.

While over half of the museum is undergoing refurbishment (see photo, I visited on 29 Feb 2024), I still managed to spend almost 6 hours here with only reading two of the exhibit rooms in detail. It’s very interesting. Would love to go back once the return is finished if I get the chance and see the rest. The items on display are incredible as so many are the originals.

I loved this Smithsonian. One of the best museum I ever visited. The air history explained by real planes, uniques pieces of aircraft, rockets, etc. Simply marvelous!

Like others have said, I wish we would have known 1/2 of the museum was closed. It took us 2 hours tops to go through it. We would have gone to Dulles instead but by the time we figured that out, it was too late.

The space sections of this museum are exceptional (moon / mars) and the aeronautical halls are quite nicely displayed but: it's crowded and some spaces are mediocre (speed room for example). In addition this month of August half of the rooms are closed

This museum is located on the National Mall. As its name suggests, it has a wide variety of exhibits related to aircraft and space. Among the interesting ones, there is a section where you can actually touch the moon stone. It is a popular tourist attraction, so it is necessary to reserve and purchase tickets online with a designated time. At first glance, it may seem troublesome, but once you get used to it, it's not difficult.

Pay attention - you need a ticket (free) to enter and the tickets go fast so you need to go to their website a few days before the day and place your reservation. There are sometimes additional tickets available at 8:30am and 12:30 pm of the same day but they go in less than a minute (!!!) so don't count on this option. These is along line outside but the moment your time to enter arrives it takes about 2min to enter (so don't waste time to come 30minutes ahead of time to be first in line).
Also be aware that about 50% of the museum is closed for renovation (March 2023) but it is still worth your visit.

A truly stunning collection of historic artefacts from the world of Space and Aeronautics.
The building in itself is spectacular. The collection together with the sister collection at Dulles Airport is probably the finest in the world. A positive point is that it is not too big but what they display is off the absolute highest quality.

A free museum that takes about 3 hours to walk through. Interesting memorabilia, fun exhibits, very crowded.

Even under renovation this place is cool. The amount of space history here is breathtaking. This is at least 3-4 hours in its being renovated state. The planetarium is awesome

My teenage son’s by far favorite place to visit while we were in DC. If you get a chance to go on tour with a docent, it is well worth your time! The toy store was fabulous. The bathrooms were clean. Very cool exhibits. Highly recommend!

Always amazed at the exhibits and tons of information. Too bad large segments of museum was closed for renovations. Missed the IMAX theatre.
Place was crowded and timed passes needed. Mars Cafe could offer better food options. Also crowded to find seating.

It's a great museum. Don't get me wrong, but there are pros and cons.

Pros:
•It's a great museum.
•It's a free museum.
•it has other things besides air and space (race cars, motorcycles).
•it has a planetarium.

Cons:
•Half of it is under renovation.
•It's pretty one of the smaller Smithsonians because of the renovations.
•You have to get reservations to get in.

The museum was amazing for an air and space enthusiast. My only problem is the ruined entry passes. Still loved everything

Large part of museum closed off and second floor lost electricity sooo not much to see very disappointing

For Air& Space enthusiasts, while in DC, strongly recommended
the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on The Mall
(among the amazing offer in the city, and most of them FREE!).

Highlights for me the first airplane by the Wright Brothers (1903),
and the Charles Lindbergh Spirit of St. Louis, 1st. to cross the Atlantic
from New York to Paris in 1927.

Visited twice, once during a flight layover at Dulles airport to see the large collection just off the Airport (Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center) and again on the ‘Mall’ during a trip to DC. The big stuff is held out at Dulles and is very well worth a visit.. this can be reached pretty simply from DC by train. If you’re travelling through Dulles and have time, there’s a shuttle which goes by the museum from the airport… although you’ll need a longer stay over in order to do it well. I transferred from an internal flight to an international, so engineered 5 hours which was fine.
Both collections are amazing… if you’re doing the museums in DC the mall is a must, but to see the full collection don’t miss the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles.. space shuttle alone is with the effort !…

Such a lovely museum! So many things to learn and see, would absolutely go again. I love the exhibition about exoplanets and our solar system. You could easily spend half a day in here :)

Fantastic air and space exhibits. Some of the coolest things made available for display include used shuttle parts, Neil Armstrong suit, Alan Sheppard suit, Wright Brothers full room display and planes, and multiple other things we quite enjoyed. Highly recommend, need advance tickets to enter.

This is the only museum that currently still requires getting passes ahead of time (they are free, but you need a time slot). Only about 1/3 of it is open right now and the rest is under renovation. There are great exhibits and you should definitely go, but be aware that you will not have the full experience. Our favorites were the moon landing and planet exhibits. If you really want to see aircraft, go to the location near the Dulles airport.

A fantastic experience, I am a big AG fan and I work in the industry so to get this close up to so many AG and to see the write ups in details was fantastic. I would say a must see for all AG enthusiasts .

I went back with excitement since the last time I visited was before 9/11. I wanted to see the combat plane displays again.

On the onset, their queue management wasn’t that good. Starting point was not clearly marked. The queue line was not well defined and we (and a lot of others) ended up lining up with a bunch of people who were actually just staying in the shade! There was no one going around to guide the people and eventually when one came, he wasn’t that effective.

When we entered it was only then did we know that there was a renovation going on and half the display area was not available. Only the commercial and space displays were open to my great disappointment.

Currently the museum is undergoing renovation, so free online tickets need to be ordered to book a time slot for a particular date.
There are some large sections that are being renovated, but there is still plenty to see from the world of aviation and space travel.
It's a great way to spend a good hour whilst you are staying in Washington DC.
Although the queue may seem long for your time slot, it moves very swiftly.

My 9 year old grandson loved the Air and Space Museum. We had to get timed entry passes in advance and were NOT able to enter early. (FYI)
There is a huge LEGO Astronaut on display in the Gift Shop that was fun to see.

Got free tickets on their website and went there for 2pm really big inside and lots to see and do lots to play with as well really good experience recommend this lots of info about history of flight and space

There is so much to see at the Air and Space Museum! Kids will especially love all of the planes and other displays. Be sure to get a map of the museum so that you will not miss any of the exhibits. There is also a cafe area where you can buy pre-packaged sandwiches, drinks and other snack foods - a little pricey but was a welcomed opportunity to eat and sit for a few minutes. We went on a weekend, and it was crowded with families, so going on a weekday would be recommended. As with so many of the DC museums, passes are FREE but are timed and should be reserved in advance - go online to select the time of your visit. Plenty of restrooms, elevators, escalators. Entry lines were long but moved quickly.

Even though half was under construction, the rest of the museum was very good. The exhibits are very well done with plenty of interaction. It’s great to see it’s still free, you do need to book a timed entry slot so make sure you do that in advance to avoid disappointment. Only negative was the lack of signage outside for queuing, if you are not careful you can queue and wait only to be told you need tickets when you get to the door - we seen this happen a lot.

I’ve scored this average for a couple of reasons:
You need a timed entry ticket which is fine. We had one for 11 am. The queue at 10.40 when we arrived was very long. Again we expected this. However visitors are allowed to enter up to an hour after their allotted time. As a consequence we saw people going in without queuing at all because they opted to be late. Personally this is a bit frustrating to me and makes no sense.

Secondly having never been before we are not aware of what there is to see normally when it is fully open so when you read the website and it tells you which areas are under renovation it doesn’t really fully explain how much is going to be shut. I appreciate it is free but when you have a limited time in a city you need to make the best choices. I know my husband was a bit disappointed that 50-60% of the exhibitions were closed

All of that being said we both, having visited Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks earlier on this tour of the USA , were thrilled to see the actual Wright Brothers plane.
Secondly seeing the future with the flying car was amazing.
Like someone else I wasn’t sure why there was an exhibition on speed and the space section unfortunately diminished in significance having visited Kennedy Space Centre on this trip already.

This is a wonderful museum and you will learn a lot about space race and flight. It is just a pity so much is closed off at present. Give urself 2-3 hours here. You all need time pass to enter so pre book is essential

Very interesting for lovers of aviation, planet, space travel and satellite
It's free, you just have to make a reservation

Parts of this museum are closed for renovations but there's still a lot to see. I especially enjoyed seeing the space suit that Neil Armstrong wore on the moon. Also the Wright Brothers plane. Very interesting if you're interested in planes, space etc. This museum has free entry but you need to book a day and time in advance.

Visiting the National Air and Space Museum was a very unique experience! It’s incredible to see how planes first existed and how far aviation and space travel have come The museum has a wide variety of aircraft space shuttles and astronaut gear and you can learn so much about air and space history in one place It’s a free admission which is great you just need to make sure you reserve your spot online ahead of time The whole experience was smooth and very enjoyable This museum is perfect for all ages Whether you’re traveling with family friends or even solo you’ll find something fascinating here I highly recommend visiting if you’re in DC it’s truly one of the highlights of the city!

I loved this museum, it differs from other nearby museums due to its theme. I really liked. It had an extra attraction about fast vehicles.

Hard to be too disappointed in a free museum with some very cool things. The moon landing area was the highlight for me and seeing the original Wright brothers aircraft was cool too. I’m an engineer and a big fan of air and space but I didn’t feel like this museum had the same volume of cool things to see as some others (natural history was amazing!).

I’m Canadian, and have looked forward to visiting this venue for years. At last, the missus and I sojourned in DC this weekend and had to do the major sites. This museum (among several Smithsonians in central DC, all within walking distance) was top of the list. A fantastic history of flight and space exploration, it offered much to touch of the the stuff we’ve all seen in books and on TV. Too much to describe, it even will send Trekkers and Star Wars fans over the moon. Highlights for me were the Wright Brothers exhibit, the origins of flight exhibit, the Apollo 11 command module, the Freedom 7 and Mercury capsules, and the display of Mars rovers. A major disappointment, however, was the absence of the iconic Spirit of St Louis, the one plane I wanted to see. Now, I know the museum has another location in Virginia for the bigger stuff, but currently a large part of this location is closed for “renovation” where I suspect Lindbergh’s display is. Still, I remain amazed that all of these Smithsonian museums are free. Just check to see if you have to book online, like here.

Extremely well done. Absolutely amazing presentation. A definite must see. You need several hours to scratch the surface. Don't forget to get a timed entry ticket.

Timed passes are now needed to enter. Very long line in the hot sun. Half the museum is closed off. Favorite exhibits like Amelia Earhart’s are no longer there. Totally disappointed. I may return in 2026 when everything that is closed should be open.

Expected it to be different. Wish it was More interactive but it wasn’t. Most of it was still under construction. Dayton, Ohio Air Force base is 10000x more better!!!!

Very informative- lots of updates from last visit. Lots of good gift options. Appropriate for all ages.

Although, like all museums in Washington, it is yet another propaganda showcase of the greatness of the USA, I must admit that it impressed me very positively. It's amazing what they've got in there! It's probably the best museum in aerospace history in the world. But you have to watch for details. When everyone is hallucinating the Wright brothers’ original plane (with which they made the first flight!!), no one notices that in a small side display case there is a piece of wood from that plane that the first astronauts who set foot on the Moon carried with them as an amulet. In other words, a piece of the first plane in history was on the moon, when the first man stepped on it in history. And things like this thousand. The part dedicated to amazing space exploration. And for the geekiest, a real Star Wars x-wing.
The pity is that it is a huge museum, which requires 2 or 3 days to see it well.

I was let down buy half the building being blocked off. You could see the moon lander and other stuff but it was walled off. That was the bad. The good was all the other stuff. The confusing was having car displays where the Navy display was back in the 90's that you could see and watch aircraft launching from an Air craft carrier. The really bad was the Mars cafe! The cafe prices were nuts and not much to eat. There was a nice store on the ground level. We had tickets for 10 but the line was long got in easy and the place was overrun with people. All in all the displays we got to see were great. The staff was great. Finding the elevators not great, I am disabled and walk with a cane. The elevator situation was confusing. The need more benches. They also need more security inside to deal with unruly people and there were plenty of them. I think some of these folks forgot they were in public.

We were not aware of that only about half of that museum was available to view. The other half was under construction or closed off.

I admit I didn't expect much from this museum, but it surprised me. It has a collection of aircraft and spacecraft, plus smaller objects related to space.

I do not recommend going at this time but later on when construction is done, then yes.
It seemed like half of the displays were closed and under construction. Plus you have to book a time on line to get in. There is a line once its your time and everyone is released at once. I recommend getting tickets upstairs right away for the planetarium show. We liked that. I will come back but Not until it's done. I spend the time elsewhere for now. So much else to see and do on Washington DC.

Very nice but bummed when we got there and found out half the museum is closed for renovation. We were done in 1.5 hours. Go online up to 6 weeks in advance and get free timed tickets. Its very clean and will be better when the whole thing is open. It does have a very nice three story gift shop.

Seems like this museum has been under construction for sometime. Pretty ugly to approach via the street. Also, having to download an app for admittance is discouraging.

Half of the museum is closed for renovations, which really brings down the experience. The other half is fun and interesting, but you can cover everything in 2 hours. We were disappointed that so much is not open.

Arrived today (30th April 2023) and very disappointed by the experience at security. My husband was holding an empty coffee cup and he was told by the person checking tickets on entry he could take it in as it was empty. Then he was told by the security guard by the metal detectors that in fact he couldn't put it in a small bin just to his right, and instead that he had to put it outside. I was behind him in the queue so I put it outside for him. The same guard then barked that I couldn't leave it there - so we then had no idea where to leave this coffee cup. Another guard then brusquely told me that I should put it in the same small bin the other guard told us not to put it into! All were very rude and impatient which made us feel very unwelcome and like we had already done something wrong before even visiting! This was annoying because we had been given several contradictory instructions about what to do with this blooming coffee cup! All guards could hear each other telling us different things but nobody apologised for the confusion. Then the first guard said that I had to get my small handbag checked, but somehow failed to notice the large rucksack my husband was carrying, so he never got that checked! He could have had a bomb in there for all he knew. The entry is a shambles and none of the guards are doing their job. They were rude and incompetent and they would be better off focusing on ensuring all bags were checked properly rather than wasting time and energy worrying about an empty coffee cup! Total security risk.

Brilliant morning. Even though a lot of the museum is under refurbishment, there is still tons to see. The moon landing area was very moving and inspiring. Also some great exhibits with close ups of inside various planes. Very enjoyable to spend a few hours here. The souvenirs are quite expensive and there is usually a truck outside selling the same stuff for chair cheaper

We were in DC for a short time so we had to make decisions on what we actually wanted to see while there. There are so many museums that we wanted to visit and the Air and Space Museum was high on our list. My husband especially is interested in anything air related. The Wright Brothers exhibit was very interesting and well done. We are from NC so we have a special place in our hearts for them. As 9th graders Kitty Hawk was THE field trip to go on. A good bit of the museum was closed off for renovations. I'm sure it will be great when it is finished but it does make the building seem crowded in places. The store takes up more space than many of the exhibits...along with the cafe. Seeing that it is free entrance I guess they have to make their money up somehow.

The museum is laid out well with escalators and stairs easily found. It seemed to be geared more towards children than adults. The staff member manning the entrance was rude and condescending. Everyone that I came across that worked there seemed to wish to be anywhere else. No smiles or pleasant attitude from those employees.

I think this is a great museum if you have children . This would be a must see. For myself I wish I had chosen another for this trip.

One other plus...This museum has more than adequate restroom availability. They are easy to find and like the rest of the museum very clean. That is certainly not always the case in similar places.

Loved it here, a great place to visit and it’s free! We spent about 2 hours there and had to queue up for our time slot (11am) but was in there by 11.10. The website wasn’t clear that parts of the museum were closed for maintenance but when you aren’t paying for tickets you can’t complain. Really enjoyed our trip here.

Overall it’s pretty good. There’s a LOT to see! From the creation of flight by the Wright Brothers to the space age. Definitely need a ticket to get in. I was in the first wave at the beginning of the day and the line was long! Tons of people visit this place so be prepared. The planetarium costs money of course so I skipped it. Gift shop is pretty big and priced like most souvenir shops.

We ended up staying at the Air and Space Museum much longer than we planned, and that's because there's a ton to see! I'd say the museum is best for kids 8 and up, as there's a lot to read as well as see. The galleries are laid out well, each with their own area of focus. The moon exhibit, with all things related to moon missions, was my personal favorite. That's saying something because I thought I'd enjoy the Nation of Speed exhibit the most! Some of the planes suspended from the ceiling were there when I was a kid, but the museum has added some modern kiosks with games related to those planes overhead, and our kids liked those interactive displays. The Early Flight exhibit also offered a neat flying video game where you had to try and guide the plane through floating hoops.
Know that the food in the cafe in the basement is pricey but really quite good.
If you arrive about 15 minutes after your timed entry is scheduled to begin, you'll probably avoid waiting in the long line that builds up before each hour's timed entry period begins.

We totally enjoyed this museum. We did know parts were closed, but the exhibits are excellent. Highly recommend spending time here

Much of the museum was closed for renovations. As a result, the parts that were open were extremely crowded. Timed entry required so plan ahead.

What crowds! Although there is no admission charge, you still have to reserve a time slot online beforehand... Even at 4 p.m. on a Wednesday there was a huge queue (mainly school groups) in front of the museum. But it is well organized and worth it - in my opinion the highlight is Neill Armstrong's original space suit.

I had read that some stuff in the renovations had opened since last time we where here (when construction had just started). It still is not a fun museum to visit. Half the museum is shut down so the hoards of people are jammed in what’s left. We ended up getting tickets to the planetarium (which are $10 adults, 8 for 2-12) to get away from crowds. That was the highlight of the visit. Was 25 min show and had comfy seats. This probably will be last time we visit this museum. Too crowded and hassle to visit for not much to see. We went to the air and space museum in the suburbs last year on another visit and that place is so much better (more to see and reasonable crowds)

It was amazing seeing the actual plane the Wright Brothers flew on the world's first flight, and the actual space suit Neil Armstrong wore on his landing on the moon!

While half the museum was under renovation, it still packed a punch and delivered information of America's contribution to the advancement of air and space technologies! Plenty of NASA swag and since I visited before the eclipse, they gave away eclipse glasses too!

The gift shop included space snacks, and the ice cream sandwich wasn't bad actually! Worth trying that out! Next time I visit a space center, I might take more!

The last time I had visited the Air and Space museum was 23 years ago. So my expectations was sky high (no pun intended)… unfortunately we had not checked in advance and I was very disappointed that about more than 50% of the exhibits were not accesible due to a major reconstruction project… will be another three years until finished …

The museum is packed with items from the origins of flight right up to the latest technology. It feels like you get really up close and personal to it all.

The new NASA space travel section is wonderful. Many original artifacts were added to enhance the experience. So many other areas to revisit and explore about air travel.

What's the point of getting timed tickets if the line wraps around the building? I have no interest waiting an hour to get into a museum I have timed tickets for. Maybe they give out too many? It's not hard to figure out. Management should be replaced.

This is a great place to visit. Just be aware that the entrance on the National Mall side is currently closed due to building work. Once inside though the place is literally out of this world, with so many flight and space highlights. Check what is available so you don’t miss what you want o see

Useless and uninteresting museum because half of the exhibition is not visible due to the renovation....

A really great collection of air and space history. There was construction while we visited so parts were not accessible, but it looks like it will be HUGE when it's finished. Can't go wrong with a free museum!

We throughly enjoyed visiting and touring the air and space museum with our family. Seeing all the planes, helicopters, and the Discovery Space Shuttle was truly rewarding.

This museum is definitely the best of the air and space museums I've been to in the country. I recommend going to the top floor (planetarium, space exhibits, speed exhibit) and making your way down to the second floor (airplane exhibits and store). The first floor is just a store. The planetarium has your typical shows shown at almost every planetarium. Nothing really too special about it. However, the space exhibits go into lengthy detail about satellites and how they affect our everyday life, trips to the moon, rockets, etc. The speed exhibit talked about cars, motorcycles, boats. The airplane exhibits were actually my favorite part because they went into detail about how flight began, the different types of planes that had been used throughout history, and how flight has changed in the US over the last century. The museum was packed and more people seemed to crowd into the space area than the plane area. You will need timed entry tickets to get into the museum, so plan ahead! The tickets are free, though!

I recently visited the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC with my children, but unfortunately, our experience was marred by the disrespectful behavior of the staff. We had tickets for a 3 pm entry, but at 2:50 pm, my daughter urgently needed to use the restroom. I approached a staff member at the front door, who was a young man with blond hair and a little heavier, and asked if my daughter could use the restroom inside. However, He refused to let my daughter use the restroom inside. He callously informed me that the public bathroom was located across the street.
However, this proved to be completely untrue. My daughter and I frantically ran across the street, but we couldn't find the bathroom the staff member had referred to. My daughter was almost in tears and close to wetting her pants, and we had to keep asking people for directions until we finally found a bathroom - which was far away and in a different direction than what he pointed out to us. This caused great inconvenience and distress to my daughter and myself.
This kind of treatment from the museum staff was completely unacceptable. We were excited to visit the museum, but the staff member's uncaring attitude and misleading directions left a sour taste in our mouths. My daughter was left distressed and anxious, and the entire incident was a needless inconvenience.
When the cashier asked if I wanted to make a donation to the museum while checking out with a water purchase, I declined and did not contribute any funds.
I hope that the museum takes this complaint seriously and addresses the issue with their staff. Visitors should be treated with respect and provided with accurate information. Unfortunately, our experience at the Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. fell short of these basic expectations.

We arrived to visit and saw a huge queue out the front, which moved very fast once the door opened. There was so much space inside so you were not tripping over people.
So many highlights here to see and I took plenty of photos.
You have to reserve free tickets online. We arrived at 10am, waited for the queue to enter then went online and got tickets straight away.
2-3hrs minimum needed here

Very disappointed with it all. We had to set a time for us to enter and we had to stand in line for over an hour and the line was wrapped around the building in 87-88 temperatures. Finally inside their attempt for crowd control was nile. Very warm inside, little or no air conditioning. It was a free for all once we were inside. And there was no system to keep big crowds to form. Once inside there was no limit to how long you had inside. Children were running, pushing and running free inside. Parents are too blame for most of it. Lack of discipline by the parents, but in this world today that is the usual case.

I have never visited such a museum and I must say that I have loved it, with a vision from the origins of aviation until the early 2000s.
Special attention to the space part, interactive and easy to understand.
Highly recommended to go with children

All right, no more. Gives for an hour's visit. You can find from the original Wright Brothers plane (not a replica but the real one) some space race vehicles, components, aircraft engines, a room dedicated to the craving for speed, with cars and sports bikes of different times, and not much more since when it was me, the area dedicated to the arrival of the Moon was closed and I could not visit it. That said. Go in an hour. The good thing9 is that it is in the center, a few meters from the national mall so it can be a complement to the walk through the beautiful place. Admission is also free although you must book in advance (at least one day)

Everything was fantastic jsut get your tickets in advance. We stayed about 4 hours but could have stayed longer with everything to see.

The Air and Space Museum was phenomenal, but I would utilize a tour guide if I went back, which would make it even better. I had been to that museum many years ago, and the guide really brought it to life. According to the website they are in the middle of a renovation, but I didn't really notice anything. I think they must be almost done.

this museum lived up to the hype. awesome exhibits. also visited the extension museum at Dulles airport and that was breathtaking.

This was an amazing place, but in hindsight, I would have waited for a future trip for this, until after renovations were finished. Many of our "must see" items that used to be here, are not here, now. We'll be back, but for now, it's super crowded and frustrating.

This is a great museum that will be amazing in a few years. It’s undergoing a significant renovation that has half of the space closed.
Be sure to get your ticket in advance!
The planetarium shows are an additional cost. The timing didn’t simply align with our day.

It was so much fun!I would recommend this place a lot.It was so historical.I would go there every day!Thank you for reading my review.

The lines are always long, but the sheer magnitude of the exhibits make up for the waits. For anyone who likes the history of mechanics and space movement, this is a must.

The museum is free but you should remember to book your day and time of visit via their website before arrival because there are many people and it is quickly sold out

It's a good place to visit with children, you have to book a time reservation but it's ok if you arrive a bit late but you can't enter before your booked time, it's a busy place all the time. You should plan ample time so that you can visit it completely. Half of the portion is under reservation and will be opened in 2026

Was not aware of how limited the exhibits would be due to the ongoing works at the Smithsonian. It did not make the journey into Washington worthwhile and wish we had known about the site at Dulles International. By the looks of it that would have scored a 5/5!

In the past, this has been my favorite of the Smithsonian museums to visit in DC. But this time around was very disappointing. My family and I drove all the way over just to see Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, and the website implied that a pretty decent selection of exhibits were reopened. It turned out over half the museum is still closed, including the area with Lindbergh's plane. When asked, the staff said that they had no other Lindbergh displays at all, the Lockeed Sirius having been moved to another location and they didn't even have any Lindbergh items in the gift shop. (Star Wars however gets prime placement). Now a lot of this could be chocked up to bad timing, and priorities of the museum but then we decided to take a look at the new galleries while we were there. They were terrible! Much smaller spaces with tons of items all crammed together in no particular order. It was so confusing trying to see everything and having to shuffle around a tiny space full of people (some of which hadn't showered recently). There was also hardly any decent lighting in the place, you could barely read the written information and there certainly wasn't enough light to appreciate any of the exhibits! None of us were happy with this redesign at all, and we aren't likely to visit this location again. If you want to get a much better aviation experience, I recommend going to the larger location in Chantilly, where you can appreciate (and see) the aircraft a lot better. Very sad about this location.

I have visited the museum several times in the past and I never get tired with this place. This time a big part (I estimate at least 30%) was closed and under renovation. The Apollo 11 section is my favorite and I can never leave without visiting the amazing gift shop.

I visited the Air and Space Museum with my husband and had a fantastic time. We took one of the free highlights tours and our docent Leslie Graham was amazing! He was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about flight and aerospace. The tour was listed as 1 hour; however, Leslie spent much more time with the group and imparted interesting stories throughout different exhibits in the museum. Leslie was a fantastic guide and made our experience rememberable! Highly recommend.

Currently half the museum is closed for construction. However, the open parts had been recently redone and look great. Space and Wright exhibits are much improved. Note: timed entry tickets are needed. We were able to get immediate tickets, but by the time we left, there was a two hour wait.

This is a huge museum with a plethora of exhibitions (even with temporary closed sections). The crowd was huge but disperses well because of the size of the museum. Naturally some sections are more crowded than others. There is something for everyone, but it requires quite a bit of energy to do a complete visit. The 360 movie studio is a nice touch. There is no entry fee but lunch at the restaurant will cost you an arm and a leg!

It's for enjoyment. Second time at this museum, and again I get excited about the story of the Wright brothers, their mentors, experiments and more. Then, the moon arrival with the Apollo XI Columbia module. Unbelievable. The halls have been remodeled and I get the Impression that they have relieved the role that some women played in aviation history. Good for the times. Two considerations: (1) You have to get a ticket beforehand on the website. It's free, but you have to take them, and arrive at the appropriate time. (2) They were left with an area that is temporarily closed for remodeling. Forced to return 😬

We recently visited the Air and Space Museum. Despite being under renovation, we were able to see most important exhibits and enjoyed it very much. We had a very knowledgeable guide, Leigh. She was able to maneuver us around the renovations and provided detailed information about the Wright brothers and other aviators, as well as the space program. She effortlessly highlighted key exhibits with compassion and storytelling talent. We departed the museum after three enriching hours, wishing we had more time to hear her stories. I highly recommend visiting the museum with a knowledgeable guide; you will not be disappointed even if the museum is undergoing renovations. It was a highlight of our visit to Washington, D.C.

A visit to this museum is very interesting... in a few hours you will get a lot of fun and interesting impressions!!!!

Went to see the famous warbirds in the museum. After checking their not so user friendly website. Looked good. After waiting in line next to the idling stinking food trucks for a half a hour. Only to find out that section is closed for construction. Waste of time. You can contact visitor services nasmvisitorservics@si.edu A unpleasant worker there will tell you basically tough, and proceed to tell where you can try and find it on their dysfunctional website. Their own staff said it should posted on the entrance.

We enjoyed what we could see in the museum, but we’re disappointed at how many exhibits are closed right now. There is construction going on outside on one side of the museum. It’s good they had timed entry so that the long lines moved along as each group entered on the hour. It also did not seem too cramped or busy inside.

Excellent museum to visit with teen children. The halls were fairly busy. But there were some fantastic exhibits. And I’d highly recommend the IMAX experience - an additional charge, but the highlight of the visit.

We were excited to visit this museum, particularly as we’d had to go back again the next day (you can’t just walk in you have to book a slot). The museum itself was fine - some interesting original space and aviation artefacts and a decent planetarium. Large areas were shut for refurbishment. However the whole experience was marred by truly awful staff. In particular on the way in, bar one helpful gent, they were exceptionally rude and patronising. One Italian tourist near us with little children, fed up with being patronised and yelled at to move back virtually into the street while he tried to bring up his tickets on his phone, swore and was promptly sworn back at by the woman on the door. She then proceeded to shout the whole exchange verbatim to a colleague. Inside they were sullen, all looked depressed and not one cracked a smile. Don’t think I’ve ever come across such a large number of awful staff!!

This museum requires timed entry tickets in order to enter. There is a giant lineup at each hour in order to access the building. During my visit, half the museum was closed and under renovation. While it was neat to see the exhibits they had out; it was small and not necessarily worth the timed entry ticket aggravation in order to see such a small space with not very much to see.

The Smithsonian Museums are AMAZING!! Free to the public we reserved a e-ticket online and admission was smooth. Informative and amazing collection of historical exhibits and displays. And the docents were all so friendly and knowledgeable. Cannot wait for the expansion to be complete.

It's okay. Not sure what I was expecting but I didn't find the museum that engaging. There were a few cool spots.

Timed entry is annoying but I see why they do it. If you're in DC and short on time, skip this.

A very popular museum, even with a time slot booked we had to queue. Anyway, it was worth waiting to see, at the moment about 1/2 is under renovation, but there is still a lot to see.
The Wright brothers exhibit and the Apollo 11 Command Module are a few of the highlights.
Booking a time slot is recommended and best of all it’s free.

Fantastic exhibits from the Wright brothers to the modern space program! Wonderful learning environment for the whole family!

Airplanes are big. They take up a lot more space than paintings or pottery. There's just not enough space (no pun intended) here to be a great air museum. The ace is either so crammed you can't see anything in its entirety or it just doesn't have enough aircraft exhibits. What's there is informative and interesting, I just would like to see more of it.

A very good museum if you are into flight, aeronautics and space. Plenty of aircraft to see, though disappointingly the SR71 and space shuttle have been moved to another museum near Dulles airport.

Make sure to reserve your time online or get there early for tickets. Portion of the museum was closed for renovation, but still a lot to see. My six year old and 9 year old thought it was very interesting. Even tho we had reservations it was pretty crowded inside the museum and cafe has over priced snack food. We got food from the food trucks outside, make sure to not pay 7.00 for an ice cream cone!

Half of the museum was closed for renovation which was not clear to see on the website. The space is clean and airy . Enjoyed the one world connected and speed exhibits. Felt a bit disappointed by the experience. Cafe food and drink prices are bordering on extortionate...

Truly a redesign for the 21st Century.

The old and antiquated museum had about twenty bays (depending on how you count) that had a lot of artifacts on display regarding air and space. The old exhibits included bays about World War 1 and Worlds War 2 aviation. None so far in the re-do. A magnificent mural of a B-17 is not Found. The current redesign has only nine bays available.

There many fewer artifacts and a lot more words on the walls. This is probably due to the desire of the government-educated museum workers to explain to the government educated populace about air and space. The panels look like they were copied from Google or Wikipedia with a few “quotes” thrown in to look more museum-ish.

For example in the “Nation of Speed” exhibit you can learn about ships, cars, and motorcycles in the AIR AND SPACE museum.

And do not miss the displays of FASHIONS that the Female pilots wore in the 1910s. Very Important!! Not to be missed!

One bay is devoted to the Wright Brothers and first flight. A bell is going off continually (we were told a work order had been placed three weeks ago to fix). Another bay is basically devoted to the Wright Brothers airplanes after the first! So 2 of 9 bay on the Wright brothers.

Another bay is devoted to the internet and trans-ocean cables, very important for AIR AND SPACE! Do not miss the quotes from people in the 1960s about the importance of the internet!

Do not miss the exhibits devoted to global warming and the ozone layer.

They do have the original Star Trek Enterprise model and a Star Wars X wing fighter, so there is that!

I cannot wait to see how they destroy the other bays!!

PS I have enclosed one of the more esoteric facts posted in the museum (Who Knew??)

Even though half of it is closed it is still worth a visit. There is so much to see in this museum. Especially if you like air and space. The Museum is clean and well laid out. The bathrooms are also well cared for.

It's still a Smithsonian, and it has some cool stuff but lines around the building with tines tickets for half a museum.
If you have to see air and space ( I thought I did) get your advanced tickets and claw your way in.

Is my second time at this museum and I keep enjoying every visit. Love the exhibitions, the look and feel of the museum. Definitely a must visit when visiting DC. Steve our docent was very well prepared, answered all the questions we had, and really demonstrates how passionate he is about aviation.

We went to the museum on the mall in Washington, DC. We did not have reserved tickets and could not go in. So we were told that the museum near the airport did not require reservations. So we to the journey by subway (metro) about a half hour trip including a transfer to a bus. The museum was fantastic with a real space shuttle and SR-71 on exhibit. There was an Imax theater with great movies. The food was a bit pricey for things like hamburgers.However, the exhibits were captivating to our 9 year old grandson. It was a full day and well worth it.

I'm giving average as I couldn't see the whole museum, most of it being closed.

You need to get tickets ahead of time. We arrived at the museum 45 minutes early... but they would not let us in. One person just told us to get in line. Then the line 'manager' told us that we could check online if there were earlier tickets available. Which we did, and thus went in right away. But its a bit of a complex ticket management system...

In any case, we could see of the planes in the great hall. The Destination moon exhibit was open and was great to visit. We really liked the early command modules, capsules and Appolo equipment and suits.

We also like the Early Flights exhibit which showed how flying evolved so much in a short timeframe, and the Wright brothers prototypes.

Its a good museum if you adjust your expectations and planned time to visit.

Nice visit with lots of interest artifacts available to see. If you enjoy definitely checj out Dayton Air Force Museum that is much larger.

I had advance tickets I purchased on line and got to the museum when it opened at 10am. There was a long line waiting to get in and you had to get in the line even if you had advance tickets. When I left around 12:30pm it seemed like the line was somewhat smaller. Also note if you are a real aviation buff this is more of a display museum for the younger set and they have minimum actual aircraft here. If you want to see a lot of aircraft go to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. That being said, the exploration of the moon exhibit here was really interesting and should be on your list. If you are going with kids they will like all the hands on exhibits.

They are doing extensive renovations so a lot of the galleries are closed so check on line when they might be opening

We have visited the Air/Space museum for over a decade. This time we found out they are now requiring timed entry passes. Although they are free, we couldn't get in the first day we were there.

Also, the complex is under construction, so more exhibits will be on display in the years to come.

We attempted to enter the museum on 8/9/2023 with our 2:30 timed entry tickets. As many other recent reviews have stated and/or alluded to, the logistics of gaining entry are simply disastrous. The amount of construction around the museum building is immense. There is an almost total lack of signage directing visitors where to go. By this, I mean most/all sidewalks are closed without any meaningful signs instructing visitors where to go to locate the entry point; a literal free for all trying to get around. People jaywalking/running amongst traffic and construction workers trying to figure out how to get to a single entry point! Unsafe and unnecessary!

Upon finding the entrance and, as instructed per the museum timed entry FAW website, walking to the entry at our 2:30 ticketed time, we were met by perhaps the most rude and unhelpful museum staff/attendants of our entire trip. Per these staff instructions, despite being at the entry at our provided time, we were to go to the end of an unlabeled line where ALL timed entry pass holders must wait. Upon asking for clarification, these staff members remarked that the time on our passes "don't matter nor do we care", just get in the back of the line and wait for entry! People in the line had ticket time ranging from 1:30pm to 3:00pm entry! That's correct, the 1:30pm people have been waiting an hour to get in and the 3:00pm people are allowed to get in line and enter too!

This line literally contains upwards of 1,000 people and wraps around the entire city block of the museum. People in the line are shouting at each other, at the staff, and generally becoming irate/rowdy. And for good reason! Some have been in this line for upwards of an hour waiting for their "timed entry" that should have occurred long ago! Some are gaming the system and preparing to enter almost an hour ahead of when they should. And the staff is incapable of sorting this out! Seeing this absolute debacle and potential safety issues, we left ASAP.

PLEASE: To the directors of the museum directors of the museum. You can do better. Your guests deserve better treatment and ability to plan our busy days. We go through the effort to obtain TIMED passes and present per the exact website FAQ instructions, only to get yelled at and berated by the museum staff, then face an additional >45 minute to get into a partially closed museum. This is nonsense. You need to get control of the logistics and improve!

We recommend to AVOID the air and space museum until renovations are further along or the directors are able to competently administer necessary ticketing and logistics to allow orderly entry of guests.

I love space and airplanes so this was perfect for me the airplanes were very cool to see and the space exhibits were very cool, they have a planatrium aswell

What an amazing place. The theme of the museum is not one that interests me but decided to go as my family enjoy these. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We booked for 2pm and arrived about 2.20. There was only a very short queue. Half the museum did seem to be under renovation but there was still plenty to see. I particularly enjoyed learning about the Wright brothers and the space section and seeing Neil Armstrong’s space suit and the Apollo 11 capsule. We were there until it closed. Had more of the museum been open we probably would have been there most of the day. It was busy but we didn’t feel overcrowded and managed to see all of the exhibits clearly. Worth going to see if in Washington.

A very amazing museum with unique and iconic exhibits! We spend several hours here and our particular highlights were seeing Neil Armstrong’s space suit and the Apollo 11 command module, the samples of moon rock and of course, the Wright Brothers’ flyer. As a sci-fi fan myself I also enjoyed the life-size Star Wars X-wing and original Star Trek Spock ears and tribble, though did feel that these items were out-of-place in a museum of science and technology.

The only negative part of the experience was that the museum was very busy and at times we were unable to find any seats free for my pregnant wife to sit down at. I believe this is largely due to this being such a popular museum and because the on-going renovation work means that visitors are penned in to a relatively small area.

Definitely worth seeing with some must see exhibits like the Wright brothers plane and several rocket capsules. This was nice but am told the other museum in VA is much bigger.

This could be a super cool place. But half the museum is closed for renovations. We spent about one hour here and saw everything but the planetarium. Disappointed. Can’t wait for the new museum

The National Air and Space Museum is a must-see for anyone interested in the history and science of aviation and space exploration. The museum showcases hundreds of artifacts, models, and exhibits that tell the stories of human achievements in flight. You can see the Wright brothers' plane, the Apollo 11 command module, and the Spirit of St. Louis, among many others. The museum also offers interactive displays, simulators, and planetarium shows that will entertain and educate visitors of all ages.

There was so much to see and learn. I found the space section really interesting. Was a little disappointed because there were 2 areas closed off. All the planes and history of flight with planes and the satellite information was interesting. So important for our lives today.

This is a MUST for anyone going to Washington. It is great for all ages; educational and informative while being super interesting. I loved how a legit museum also has a Star Wars X-Wing. Kids ages 5 to 20 had the best time. Make sure to pre book a time slot because it can get busy.

We estimated that 60% of the square feet were closed for expansion. We have been to the Space Museum in Seattle and had apparently too high of expectations.

This was one of the museums that surprised me most positively. Very well organized and so worth a visit. Can't recommend it enough if visiting Washington D.C.

The last time I visited the Air and Space Museum was probably over 10 years ago and my how it’s changed. The museum used to be full of planes and space exploration artefacts. It was always overwhelming and hard to take in all the exhibits in one visit, but it was fun and informative. This new version is definitely a lot less cluttered, but feels a bit soulless to me. There was quite an interesting exhibit about the Wright Brothers and an interesting bay about space exploration but there were also 2 museum shops which seems excessive to me, both selling really expensive merchandise. We visited late afternoon on a Tuesday and it wasn’t busy at all. I’m sad to say this, but I don’t think I would visit it again

We enjoyed this museum a lot. It is really worth visiting for all age groups. It is free and we only had to book a time slot via the website of the museum.
Collections are really impressive. You can see for example: 1903 Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 artifacts or The Mars Science Laboratory, Curiosity, which landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, after almost a year traveling from Earth.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon, booked in for 2.00. It was busy but not too crowded. We could have easily spent 4 hours looking around, but the museum closed at 5.00! There is so much in there and it is presented so well. The highlight for me was the exhibition on the Wright brothers.

The museum is currently undergoing renovations so it's significantly smaller than it used to be. The current renovations started in 2018 and are expected to last about seven years so it will be about 2025 until the museum is back to normal.

Due to the renovations, there are only a total of seven exhibits open, three on the second floor, and four on the first. The exhibits that are still open are still pretty immersive, though a number of exhibits (particularly the one on commercial air travel in the US) have been pared back significantly due to the work on the building.

It's still a worthwhile place to visit but until 2025, it will not be at its full potential as a museum.

The museum is an amazing place full of history. A lot to see and take in, especially if you are like me and like to read everything. Only disappointment was the amount of it shutdown for future events. A wealth of learning experience.

Clearly a busy attraction judging by the requirement to book in advance and queue for a while (which unfortunately was on the hottest day of our trip) without shade. Security was quick and fairly painless. It wasn’t clear if there was a certain way to go around the museum, as the numbers of the sections didn’t seem to be in a particular order. There might have been a guide online or in the museum that made this clearer, but it wasn’t obvious to me. No audioguide?
The most interesting exhibit (for me) was the Wright flyer, and I would have to say that this section alone scored the two stars. Unfortunately it just didn’t seem to go into the same level of detail elsewhere. I was ready to leave after an hour tbh.
I will say that this could be because of the building works that are being undertaken which seem to be extensive. However that was not at all obvious from the website when booked, only once I went in and looked at the map that gave an idea of what is being done.
I was really looking forward to this museum, unfortunately it fell short of my expectations.

Definitely worth a visit.

Remember, you need to book a slot before you go; it is free but still needs doing. I can understand why as even with ticketing it was really, really busy.

We spent a good half day here and learnt so much.

Great place for kids. Revamped exhibits have something for everyone. I learn something new every time I go there. Makes science accessible to young minds. The love celebration of war machines required some explanatory conversations. Gift shop is an excellent place to go gift shopping for kids’ birthdays, end of year or whatever. My new favorite hack is the Corn Factory truck that parks most weekdays at the l’enfant plaza metro exit two blocks away. Food is amazing and much cheaper and higher quality than the offerings on the museum.

This museum sets the bar for interactive, multimedia exhibits. Something for all ages, probably best for age 6 and older.

Visited on a Friday morning in February with a 7 and almost 5 year old. Half of the museum is closed for renovation, but it does not take away from the excellent exhibits that remain. Destination Moon and Exploring the Planets were our favorites.

The planetarium show Worlds Beyond Earth, got a lot of Oooohs and Aaaaahs from all ages. Tickets are not available online at this time and must be bought onsite, but this was not an issue. With planetarium show, would allow 2 hours + to see.

As with all Smithsonian museums, don’t feel you have to eat in the museum cafeteria. Lots of food trucks right outside and they all took cards. And we discovered that there is a first aid station and nursing rooms in the basement - good to know if you have an ouchie or infants.

We were so glad we got the opportunity to go to the Air and Space Museum on this trip to DC . Our son is pursuing his career in aviation , so he loved it . I was surprised to see an exhibit about the Air Traffic Controllers / Patco strike from the 80’s . My dad was part of that strike and it honestly made me quite emotional . The memorabilia was items I saw first hand while picketing with my dad at Atlanta Hartsfield .

It's rather surprising to see such a beautiful free museum (except the planetarium which costs $9). The exhibitions are well presented and well presented. There is a lot of documentation, a lot of explanations and rare and unique pieces in the world. We were like children during our two-hour visit.
It's free, well located quite close to parking lots. However, ticket reservation is mandatory.

The lines to get in at your assigned time get very long before they start allowing people in. We got in line fifteen minutes early and the line was halfway down the block. Once the line started moving, it moved at a quick pace though. The museum was packed and it didn’t seems to have many exhibits. We enjoyed other museums more.

This was my third visit to the air and space museum on the national mall, but the first with my family. It was extremely disappointing to find that half of the museum was closed, blocked off behind huge black barriers that made it impossible to see many aircraft, and it was difficult to see others just beyond the barriers for anyone not tall enough.
We could only get a distant view of the nose of the spirit of st Louis for example, and the bottom half of the lunar lander was blocked. This apparently will not be open again until some time next year.
I hadn't seen anything about this on the website for the museum, and wouldn't have bothered visiting if I'd known about this. I would have visited the other air and space museum at Washington Dulles Airport instead.
There's currently an exhibit about speed that my whole family was a bit disappointed in as it has very little about aircraft in it. I'm the airplane nut in the family, but they all questioned why this was in an air and space museum.

Where else can you go to see the original Wright Brothers' flyer and the Apollo 11 Command Module? Even during the renovation, this museum is a real treat. I recommend going in the morning when it was less crowded and really pleasant. But skip the bad, overpriced restaurant.

Went here today although I've been twice before. They have the Enterprise model and a life sized X-Wing, which is what I went back for. It's free but warning, you must have reservations to get in and it's not easy. Also, no museums open seemingly before 10 AM including this one. Makes it hard to do other things in the day. Also, DO NOT order from those food truck. 10 dollars for a bubble tea which was awful, and 10 dollars for an ice cream they said was Oreo but was worst than the cheapest brand ever made. NONE of it it good, all of it is expensive. inside the space museum, you'll see Wright brothers plane, Neil Armstrong's space suit, Apollo 11 Capsule and other interesting things.

Outstanding exhibits, but (even with ticket for timed entry) my wife and I had to wait in a long line. This place is always too crowded. If you've never been (and especially if you have children), you should go at least once. But if you have limited time and/or want to avoid crowds, the American History Museum is more interesting and much less crowded.

The Air and Space Museum has some cool exhibits of the early history of flying and of the NASA program. Unfortunately, more than half of the exhibits are closed and will not fully reopen until 2026!

Because of renovations, you currently only see 1/2 of the material. Heck, they put the Spirit of St. Louis on the top floor with the space material--and they tucked it away in a corner (out of view) that few people walk to. What? What?--Yeah, you read it correctly.

I guess hard decisions have to be made, but currently . . . until everything is finished, I wouldn't recommend visiting. There's a lot to do in D.C. and this just became a let down for my family, especially for my son who once watched hypnotically at the moon landing at Chicago's Museum Science and Technology.

The museum is only half open after major renovation. Entry is by timed ticket, and arriving 30 minutes ahead of time the queue was huge,and I walked across the road to sit by the Eisenhower monument rather than stand in the hot sun. Even when the queue started moving it took 20 minutes to reach the entrance.
Once inside there is plenty of space to move around the fascinating exhibits, with variety to suit all tastes. Downstairs is a nice cafe to relax after your visit.

I was really looking forward to visiting this museum, I’d heard a lot of good things about the Smithsonian museums. My dad is also really into aviation so we had high expectations, unfortunately these fell a little short. Firstly, sadly when we visited a part of the museum was closed off as it appears there is to be an expansion. We reserved a timed entry pass which you need to do, but I still felt as though they allowed too many people in as trying to view the exhibits was pandemonium at times. There are a few cool interactive exhibits and it’s still a great museum in all, I just felt personally it didn’t live up to the hype.

Impressive, one-of-a-kind collections of spacecraft, and space missions up to say 1990. Not much seems to have happened afterwards. I wish they'd show more military aircraft and SpaceX stuff, and they could've easily expanded the exhibit space by several fold. If you want to hear about the Apollo missions, this is the only place in the world to go.

Reserve your free timed entry on-line. We did it the day of and only 2.5 before closing. But since there was only half to see it was plenty of time.

We needed a timed ticket which was fine but the museum was still incredibly busy. Around half the museum was closed due to renovations so overall it was a disappointing trip. Teen age kids pretty bored throughout. Also you have to enter from rear of building as mall entrance closed. Signposting is non existent. Lunch was incredibly expensive in the cafe. Had been looking forward to it but left very disappointed and underwhelmed. Hoping it will be better once fully opened.

This is a pretty fascinating place to visit, with lots of air planes and gear for you to see up close and personal. Lots of history to review and see how things have changed over time.

Not worth a day’s visit. The Wright Brothers exhibit is really only enjoyable aspect. Many areas were closed and not a lot to see on this trip to this location.

I was in Washington, D.C. for the weekend and the National Air and Space Museum was on my list. You need a reservation to enter the museum but you can get these tickets online for free. I spent a little more than two hours at this museum and it was worth the visit. The first floor had all the exhibits on the history of flight. My favorite flight exhibit was the exhibit on the Wright Brothers. I was so in awe of this exhibit. The second floor had more flight exhibits and space exhibits too. I was SO impressed with the museum layout and exhibits I did not want to leave. The museum stores were impressive too. If you are ever in Washington, DC, head over to the Air and Space Museum. You will not be disappointed.

I really went for the space part of the museum, which is amazing, particularly all the information and exhibits from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programmes. Incredible.
My disappointment though was based on a visit I made in around 2000 - at that time, there was a piece of moon-rock that could be touched by visitors, as you filed past the table to which is was, very strongly, stuck! That exhibit is no longer there. Speaking to staff it appears that it was removed during COVID (which is fair enough) but that had no knowledge of its whereabouts, or whether it would be returning. It's a bit of the moon!! Surely they must know where it is?!

Great spot to take kids but need to book in advance. This place books up. Our son loves this place and will spend hours there. You should book beforehand though. Day-of passes are tough to get

This is must visit if in DC. Make reservations. Get there early. Wonder through all the exhibits. We spent three hours. So cool. See the original wright flier! There’s a planetarium too. The cafe was small and busy so enjoy one of about a dozen food trucks outside.

My husband and I have long looked forward to seeing the National Air & Space Museum, at the Smithsonian. We have both always been fascinated with both airplanes and the space program, which we grew up with. We had limited time there because of the scheduling of our US History Tour. We totally enjoyed everything we saw there and could have spent all day there. Part of the museum was closed for repairs or renovation, so there were things we didn’t get to see such as the Spirit of St. Louis and other early airplanes, the space rockets, and many other exhibits. We did get to see the moon landing exhibits, The Wright Brothers, history of commercial air travel, and many other things. Things we particularly enjoyed were the moon landing exhibit and astronaut info in general. Being a big Star Wars fan, I was surprised to see Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing!! We also had a good lunch at the museum cafeteria. There was a security check upon entering the museum, and a timed-entry ticket is required (at no charge). I totally recommend this museum!

The National Air and Space Museum is a world-class museum and one I would visit every time I'm in D.C.! We came here in May while in town for a conference and it was a lovely visit, despite half of the building being under construction (tickets were easy to reserve online and it was great to visit even during the construction). The space area is amazing and it's humble to be able to see things like the Apollo 11 command module and Neil Armstrong's spacesuit. We were also able to see the Wright Flyer (the original) and it's so neat to be able to walk from the Wright Flyer to the Apollo 11 Command Module and see how much we were able to accomplish in 66 years. It's truly an amazing museum and one that everyone must see in their lifetime!

We heard a lot of great things about this museum and were able to get same day tickets online at 8:00 am when they release tickets for those that did not reserve ahead of time. I would recommend reserving in advance if you can. The exhibits that were open are well done. Our favorites were the Wright Brothers and the Space exhibits. We hadn't realized how much of the museum would be unavailable.

Best museum to visit in Washington. You need to purchase a free ticket online as it is very popular. Place to stay for more than 1 hour and learn everything about aviation and space. On the ground floor there is an option to have a snack.

Very disappointed as a lot of the exhibits are longer available while renovations are undergoing. WWII memorabilia no longer at this location. Seems lots of items and artifacts are now at Dulles while renovations are underway. Parents take note. Make sure you have timed tickets before you head over to the museum. Gift shop is right at the entrance. The Wright Brothers, Space Exploration, and Race Cars/Speed section are the main components at this location. Imax theater still in the museum.

The museum is currently under construction, which is not advertised. Considering the timed entries, the crowds, and the missing exhibits we were pretty disappointed. I can revisit my rating in the future

I wouldn't highlight this museum too much, it's fine without much else. But being free, it is a nice place to see. As long as you like the world of the engine and airplanes, but don't go.

Ticket are free but you still have to book them a day ago. Very interesting museum. Especially for people interested in airspace.

This was one of the museums my boys were most excited to visit and they found it uninteresting. So much is under renovation including the ride/flight simulators. If you have to pull something off your agenda this is it.

Over half of the museum is closed until sometime in 2026. Not worth the long line in the hot sun. I wished they clearly communicated these renovations on their website. I would not have wasted my time. If you do go, there is about an hours worth of stuff to look at. Mostly space related.

We visited at 3pm with a timed entry ticket (be sure to get this in advance, not day of!) it’s a popular museum so be prepared for MASSIVE crowds. Even with staggered entry times the individual exhibit halls were jam packed. It was hard to read plaques and see the info because of how many bodies there were. It’s a very kid friendly museum but too packed for me.

I visited the Air and Space Museum in July 2024. I obtained a free timed-entry ticket online. The museum is undergoing construction and extensive renovations so half of the museum is closed. The museum was very crowded. I focused on the Apollo moon missions and the Wright Brothers but had to rush because the museum was so crowded. If possible, I recommend waiting until 2025 when the construction and renovations will be largely completed. But despite the crowds and renovations, it is still a very good place to visit.

This was probably everyone's favorite museum to visit. We didn't get to go last time as it was closed for renovation. The museum is large due to the large artifacts (spacecraft and aircraft) inside. It is very well arranged. For me, the highlight is seeing the actual Wright Brothers plane, not just a replica. You have to reserve timed passes online (which are free) or you won't get in.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Space, which brings together both the first work in the field and spacecraft that have made numerous spacewalks under one roof. Admission is free.

In April 2023, much of the museum was closed for renovation/extension. The exhibition on the Wright brothers was excellent, informative, and we learnt a lot. The rest was OK, not quite up to the standard. The cafe was unimpressive - for the same money going to hte Art museum café would be a better experience.

Big museum with a lot of interesting information. There are different halls with dedicated information inside: history of aviation, different airplane models, Space, Moon and Apollo missions. All information is given in a very clear and smart way.
Free Wi-Fi, cafe for visitors, souvenir shop.
Free of charge.

Even though half of the museum is under renovations, there was more to see in 3 hours (my limit) than I expected. It’s disappointing that the complete renovation will not be completed until 2026 – which makes the WW2 gallery the last to be opened. We visited on a Friday and the place was full of young kids – who can be distracting as they scream in delight and run from display to display. Remember to get a “ticket” – it’s free but assigns you a time slot to enter the museum.

You can get in for free as long as you reserve a time slot online. The museum is currently (since 2018) being restored, which means that half of the rooms are closed. It is an educational museum. It starts with the Wright brothers and ends with space travel.
Only I thought it was very cold there even though the weather outside was so nice.

PROS
* Amazing world class museum
* Outstanding presentation and very informative and educational
* Examples of public commercial airflight experiences up to the 1960s.
* Original priceless iconic historical artifacts, such as the original Wright Brothers Flyer from 1903 up to and including the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo 11 command module and the actual space suit worn by Neil Armstrong while walking on the moon

CONS
* It is still under reconstruction and refurbishing
* Much of the stuff that was there before is not displayed- there is nothing about space shuttle or after the moon landings and no "mock-up" full-size original but not used Lunar Excursion Module (LEM)- I had to go to London three weeks later to see that at its Science Museum.
* No fighter jets nor super sonic aircraft are on display. Also not Charles Lindberg's "Spirit of St. Louis" is not shown.
* The lighting is too dark
* Despite (free) ticketed entry, it is crowded.

"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
... because I took up space in college (also university and even in junior and high school). So my interest in this is decades-long and constant.

I've been here many numerous times before and always loved it.

As this was my first visit since January 2019, I was excited and of course I loved what I saw (the Neil Armstrong space suit had not been previously displayed publicly).

ADVICES
* If you are here and interested, the absolutely go
* Order your free timed ticket from the website
* Entry time is strictly monitored and is from Independence Avenue
* Understand and be prepared for the fact that many areas remain under construction and many important major exhibits are not displayed.
* Be prepared for it being dark and crowded.

I hope that you find this review and my many photos that I am attaching to be "helpful.'

Plan ahead and get reservations before you get to DC. Admission is free but they are doing timed entry for crowd control. If you go on the weekend like I did, the line queues around the building, but the line moves fast. This is a must see for anyone with an interest in the history of flight and space exploration! Many of the galleries are closed for renovation (April 2024), but still plan to spend a few hours here! Highlights for me include the Wright Brothers and Neil Armstrong’s space suit!

We had timed tickets for 10 AM when the museum opened and we got there at 9:30 and there was already the line starting. By the time the museum opened the line was very lengthy. We did not realize that the museum was more than 60% closed due to remodeling. The part that is open looks like it has been recently remodeled, and has been well done. I have been to this museum several years ago, and it is greatly improved in its presentation There was still plenty of things to see. Seeing the Wright brothers plane, mars meteorite, and moon rock and dust were the hilights.

I have waited 10 years to visit this place - the top-tier, the ultimate aircraft museum.
It was a bit of a walk around the building dodging the construction to the entrance. I was a bit perplexed as i stood outside and register for a ticket - its free so what’s the point? Let me in!
10 mins later i am in! Lead me the Wright brothers exhibition, then onto the “America by Air” - totally awesome! Aircraft hanging like my childhood bedroom… Then the disappointment set in - where are the WW1 and WW2 planes? Not here - they are at Dulles Airport… i slothed into the Space exhibition which was exceptional but it didn't revive my enthusiasm.
I went to the shop to buy myself a quality T and hat, $60 lighter in my wallet i had both..
Overall a great experience but second place to the USAF museum at Dayton Ohio…
If you are into aircraft its still a must-do

Enjoyed our visit back to the Air and Space Museum after 9 years. The museum is undergoing renovations but there still is plenty to see. We enjoyed the space exhibits, planet exhibits, wright brothers exhibit along with others. U can see the star ship Enterprise model, Gemini capsule that Alan Shepard used to travel to space , some airplanes and learn about the history of the airlines. Staff was friendly. There are nice gift shops there and a small cafe area with seating in the museums basement. I would avoid taking very small children there at this time but would recommend the museum to ages 8 and up. My recommendation is they need a few more benches to sit in inside of the museum. There r generally a row of food and souvenir trucks right behind the museum if u want lunch or a snack. Will b nice to see the changes once renovations are complete in 2026. And don’t forget to stop and see President Eisenhower memorial right behind this museum when you visit!

While is is a good museum the annex located close to Dulles airport is far superior. I was underwhelmed with this particular museum once I had visited the annex. It’s worth going to as the Apollo 11 capsule is there.

Well worth a couple of hours of anyone’s time. Very informative, interesting, interactive and well put together.
Especially liked the hanging aircraft.

I have great memories of the Air & Space museum from coming to DC for my first trip in junior high on a summer program. I took endless photos on my disposable cameras and looked forward to showing my now 13 year old son. They are reworking the place for new exhibits and so it is really only about half open at this point. There is also now the big museum out in Dulles, which apparently means that a lot of the planes, rockets, etc., that I remember are now gone unless you can do the 90+ minute trip out to Virginia. That is not to say that what is there is not impressive, but it used to be so much more. I hope that the other half that is yet to be reopened will have some very impressive exhibits, or I would save the time and just go to the Dulles version.

Very interesting but half of it is under renovation. Will have to come back to see it someday in the future. Exhibits on speed and the planets were fascinating.

The Udvar-Hazy Hazy location near Dulles airport consists of several large hangers stuffed with aviation, rocket and missile technology. While the SR-71 Blackbird, Enola Gay and space shuttle discovery steal the show, i was impressed to see many examples of experimental and operational WW2 German missile/rocket stuff.

We have toured this museum in the past and it's usually wonderful, but unfortunately right now it is under serious renovation (at least half the museum is closed). You can only get in via a timed entry pass, and the small section that is open is packed with people. Even with the timed entry, the line to get in at your designated time is outrageously long (you can enter for a full hour past your entry time, so maybe it's better to wait and enter on the half hour after your allotted time?). The moon exhibits were good - it was fun to see Neil Armstrong's spacesuit from his moonwalk, for instance. We weren't quite sure why one of the exhibits was focused on race cars (wouldn't really consider those to be air OR space)? Maybe they filled in with other items just to have something to see? Anyway, it was disappointing that so much was closed and will be closed for quite some time (Reno due to complete in 2026).

Love the planetarium. Beautiful and comfortable seats. Make sure to get reservations before going. You need tickets. It is free. It’s nice because it controls the crowd.

We did enjoy our time in this museum. There are a few interactive displays to help kids stay engaged. The space section was clearly the most popular.

Here’s why I am taking one star away:
1. You have to order timed passes to get in which are usually sold out quickly each day. The passes are free. You stand in a very long line to get in at your allotted time. None of the other Smithsonian’s had this policy. Since we weren’t aware (and had no reason to think it would be different) our schedule was thrown off and we had to extend our trip.
2. The food options in the museum didn’t seem to consider children. The only thing I saw for kids was pb&j which was already sold out by 2pm. They do have chips, muffins, other snacks kids would like.

Overall the experience was good but it was a much bigger ordeal to get in as opposed to the other museums.

I urge you to get your tickets online ahead of time; same-day tickets go extremely fast early in the day. I arrived 30 minutes early for my 11 a.m. ticket, and the line was forming outside the museum, but do not get discouraged by the enormously lengthy line because it moved very fast once they started allowing the next block of visitors to enter the building.

As of today, the museum is approximately 50% closed due to renovations, so it significantly reduced my experience (see museum map photo). Perhaps I was mistaken, but I understood there were a flight simulator and a virtual ride inside, but I failed to find them.

The cafeteria inside the museum is one step above a vending machine with basic hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, chips, and sodas. You cannot take any of these outside the cafeteria area, which offers plenty of places to sit with the family, but depending on the time of day, it might be insufficient. As you can imagine, the prices are inflated – $4.50 for a soft drink, $13 for a cold chicken sandwich, and almost $4 for a small bag of chips. Taxes included, I paid $23 for a gas station meal. Plan accordingly if on a budget.

The staff I encountered was friendly, except for one young man who was barely willing to assist with exceptionally short answers to our questions.

A lot of interesting information in this museum. Loved seeing a Wright Brothers plane. Also the Star Wars x wing was good to see.

This museum was awesome! Don't skip it when in DC! One of the employees told us about Big Bird in the Sky so we came back the next day and my toddler absolutely loved it! My only recommendation is reserve your tickets early because it's one of the few with a ticketed timed entry.

I did enjoy the visit but my friend enjoys it more as he is a plane fanatic. Hence, I enjoyed the show about the spaceships which I learnt about it a lot. I also enjoyed the riding and learning a little bit about plane ( see photos) they have plenty of washrooms, there’s also cinema and souvenir shops plus food court. This is free museum. There’s also free tour guide to take you and gives you information about the shows.

Enter on independence ave (southside, free timed ticket required). Toilets and cafeteria inside. Museum store is a third of available space until they finish renovation in 2025!!!

We visited the National Air and Space museum on our recent visit to Washington DC. The Wright brothers original plane is here. Very impressive. The Space trips room was also spectacular. I just wish more was open; the museum is being renovated.

The museum was very interesting seeing everything from the first flight and also into space. Children and adults have plenty of things to see and do.

The museum is free to enter but you need a timed ticket that you book online. There are QR codes outside or go to the website. It was really busy but easy enough to get in even through the security check.
Unfortunately, half of the museum was under renovation, with sections opened over the next few years. This meant that we were only able to see some of the items that were on display.
the display areas were nice and quite information-heavy. There were themes but unsurprisingly it mostly centered around aviation. It was nice to wander through the different displays, particularly the space ones. There was a nice 360-degree movie about different plants which was nice to sit through and rest for a bit.
Otherwise, it was a bit disappointing that it wasn't completely open.

The exhibit was very good.. what put a damper on the visit was the food is "out of this world" expensive and not very good. The food trucks out in front of the building have horrible prices and not very good at all.

We went to this museum to pass the time before leaving but I must say that.I was pleasantly impressed. A free ticket must be booked in advance. Paying the planetarium show, always different every half hour. The museum offers many sections dedicated to aircraft and space and there are interesting exhibits for every taste. Really nice, from the Spirit of Saint Louis, to the Wright brothers' airport, to the Amstrong suit. Absolutely to recommend

The history of aircraft and space exploration was amazing. From interactive displays to hulls of aircraft to moon rocks and dust to space rockets, the experience was great. The disappointing aspect was about 50% of the museum was closed for renovation.

Museum with free access but reservation required (reservation to be made well in advance, free if you exclude $1 reservation per ticket). Very interesting for adults and children even if in this period it is undergoing renovation which excludes a part of it from the visit. There are real planes or parts thereof, as well as sections of the Shuttle or space modules actually used by NASA over the years, as well as memorabilia belonging to astronauts, but also parts linked to the "fantastic" such as the miniature reconstruction of the Enterprise from Star Trek rather than the Star Fighter from Star Wars. Present original videos and audio reconstructing very interesting historical events. Highly recommended!

A visit to the National Air and Space Museum is a must when visiting Washington DC. Even though they are in the middle of refurbishment it is still many hours of enjoyment

They have moved many of the exhibits and created many new ones since my last visit. Destination Moon is a must following the American space race in one exhibit