On July 1, 1976, the doors of the National Air and Space Museum's iconic location on the National Mall opened to the public for the first time.
In 2026, the Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that milestone moment. Find out how we're marking the anniversary.
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The massive renovation project the Museum began in 2018 to transform every gallery will conclude in 2026 when the final seven updated galleries open to the public.
Opening July 1, 2026
Discover how the development of new and more precise tools transformed our understanding of the origin, content, and fate of the universe.
Opening July 1, 2026
Explore the relationship between art and the transformative power of the experience of flight through two exhibitions, "The Art of Air and Space" and "The Ascent of Rauschenberg."
Opening July 1, 2026
Get a hands-on understanding of the forces of flight through nearly 50 interactives.
Opening July 1, 2026
Explore how innovations in space technology have transformed our lives.
Opening July 1, 2026
Explore the people and artifacts that put aviation at the center of the 20th century’s largest and most impactful conflict.
Opening October 30, 2026
Go on a 40+ year journey of learning how humans can live and work in space continuously and venture beyond Earth orbit.
Opening November 11, 2026
From the outset of the Cold War to the present, discover how aviation has redefined military power, geopolitics, and technological development.
Event
Since the National Air and Space Museum’s building on the National Mall opened in 1976, our guests have been whisked away on adventures in the sky and in space through films in our IMAX theater. 50 years later, celebrate our anniversary with a very special film series.
You will soon be able to find all objects on display at the Museum ... online.
We are working to bring our full object collection online for everyone to access and enjoy. To mark the Museum's 50th anniversary, we plan to have all objects on display available online.
While the Museum first opened its doors in 1976, the Smithsonian had already been educating the public about flight for over 100 years.
First Aviation Objects Donated
Twenty Chinese kites were donated to the Smithsonian, the beginning of an unrivaled collection of over 78,000 air and space artifacts
United States' National Museum Opens
The Arts and Industries Building opens as the National Museum, featuring everything from art to aviation artifacts.
After World War I, an auxiliary building was build behind Arts and Industries to house the growing aviation collections.
Establishing the Smithsonian's National Air Museum
President Harry Truman signed a bill to establish a Museum to memorialize the development of aviation.
There was no "space" in the name—the first human wouldn't travel to space for another 15 years.
Adding "and Space"
Now in the Space Age, President Lyndon Johnson added "and Space" to the Museum's name. The sky was no longer the limit.
With no dedicated building yet, visitors to the Smithsonian in the 1960s remember seeing rockets on display outside the Arts and Industries building.
Opening to the Public
The National Air and Space Museum opened to the public as a gift to the nation for the bicentennial.
A signal sent from the Viking spacecraft, in orbit around Mars, cut the ribbon declaring the Museum open.
The Steve F. Udvar-Hazy Center Opens
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, opened, doubling the amount of space for displays.
The National Air and Space Museum is one of only three Smithsonian museums with multiple locations.
Transforming Our DC Location
Work began on a monumental, multi-year renovation to the 1976 building.
The process involved reimagining every gallery—introducing new artifacts, stories, and interactive experiences.
What's Next?
In 2026, our multi-year renovation of the National Air and Space Museum's Washington, DC, location will finish. By year's end, all 20 updated galleries will be open.
However, the National Air and Space Museum is continuing to grow. A new Bezos Learning Center is under construction adjacent to the DC Museum. Planning is in process to expand the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
In 1976, the opening of the National Air and Space Museum's Washington, DC, location was a gift to the nation for the bicentennial. 50 years later, as the United States of America turns 250 years old, we're marking the occasion by completely reopening the transformed Museum in Washington, DC, and related 50th anniversary programming. This is part of Smithsonian's larger Our Shared Future: 250 initiative.
Support the Museum, while gaining access many exciting benefits including a subscription to Air & Space Quarterly.
Help fund exhibitions, educational programming, and preservation efforts.
There in will be added to the permanent memorial at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
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