Last updated: 4/24/2021
14390 Air & Space Museum ParkwayChantilly, VA 20151
Open every day except December 25.
On Wednesday May 5, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia will reopen. We have worked to create a safe environment for visitors and staff and you will notice changes to how you visit the Museum such as requiring each visitor to reserve a free timed-entry pass and to follow safety requirements. Visit the Udvar-Hazy Center webpage for full visitor requirements and to reserve a timed entry pass.
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall. The building opened in December, 2003, and provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on the National Mall. The two sites together showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.
The James S. McDonnell Space Hangar opened in November 2004 and displays hundreds of famous spacecraft, rockets, satellites and space-related small artifacts. The centerpiece of the space hangar is the Space Shuttle Discovery. Other space artifacts include the Gemini VII space capsule; the Mobile Quarantine Unit used upon the return of the Apollo 11 crew; and a Redstone rocket
In addition, the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower provides an excellent location from which visitors can watch air traffic at Dulles Airport
The Center also offers the Airbus IMAX Theater; flight simulators; food service; a museum store; free docent tours; daily educational programs; and school group tours and activities are available.
The Center was named in honor of its major donor, and features the large Boeing Aviation Hangar in which aircraft are displayed on three levels. Visitors can walk among aircraft and small artifacts in display cases located on the floor, and view aircraft hanging from the arched ceiling on elevated skywalks. Many engines, helicopters, ultra-lights, and experimental flying machines are on display in a museum setting for the first time. Among the aviation artifacts on display are the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world; the Boeing Dash 80, the prototype of the 707; the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay; and the deHavilland Chipmunk aerobatic airplane.
A premier aviation and aerospace history collection, the National Air and Space Museum Library supports research by the Museum’s curatorial staff and aviation researchers around the world. It’s one of the largest branches in the Smithsonian Libraries’ twenty-branch system, which is analogous to a university library system.
The general collection consists of monographs (books), serials, technical reports, government publications and microforms. With approximately 40,000 volumes, the collection supports a variety of research outlined on our website.
Please call for an appointment as far in advance of your planned visit as possible since space is limited and the reading room may be temporarily closed to accommodate Museum functions. When you arrive at the National Air and Space Museum, please report to the Security Desk adjacent to the Independence Avenue entrance and have them call the Library.
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars
Appointment required: Yes
Features burgers, salads and other McDonald's favorites, along with muffins, cakes, specialty coffees and other tempting McCafe treats.
Volunteers are needed for all areas of the Museum's work . Visitor Services recruits volunteers to work directly with visitors at the museum on the National Mall and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. If you would like to volunteer for Educational Services at the National Air and Space Museum, opportunities are available for Behind-the Scenes support of programs as well as working directly with visitors in the How Things Fly Gallery, Discovery Stations, Story Time, and the Docent Program.
Gift Shop
Online Gift Shop
Special Event Rental
Restaurant
Group Tours
Yes, public parking is $15.
Refunds are available if you are just dropping off. Limited free bus parking. Annual parking passes available.
Free parking after 4:00 pm
Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
Restrooms
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