As changing circumstances allowed, the Museum was thrilled to welcome visitors back for in person programming this year and place a special emphasis on engaging with local communities in the greater Washington area, simultaneously working hard to create a balance between these in-person events and relevant experiences for digital/online audiences.
The Museum’s Virtual Volunteer program, which connects visitors on site with docents at home through live video feeds stationed at major artifacts, has become a model for museums around the country and abroad. The program first launched in response to the pandemic. Its success continues as a uniquely accessible experience. Students are often more comfortable engaging with an onscreen person than an onsite person. Volunteers connect from anywhere, allowing docents who are no longer mobile to continue sharing institutional knowledge.
As we continue to embrace hybrid programming, we will look for new opportunities to connect with families, students, and teachers, both onsite and online. Examples of our in-person and virtual programming can be found below.
In Person Events
Innovations in Flight Day
The return of the Museum’s popular Innovations in Flight Day welcomed more than 6,800 visitors and was the Smithsonian’s largest outdoor event since the onset of the global pandemic. The event featured the display of more than 25 aircraft outside at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, including several Douglas DC-3s and a Hatz Classic biplane.
Innovations in Flight is made possible by the generous support of United Airlines.
Visitors pose with Dusty Crophopper aircraft at the 2021 Innovations in Flight event.
Air & Scare
2021 also saw the return of the Museum’s signature Air & Scare Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The 2021 event was held outdoors and welcomed nearly 6,000 visitors for the annual celebration. Families that attended the outdoor event allowed families, volunteers, and staff to attend with more confidence in safety than an indoor program would have provided. Families enjoyed costumed volunteers, sweet treats donated by Mars Wrigley Confectionery US LLC, and dozens of spooky air- and space-themed activities on the tarmac behind the Museum.
Early childhood educator Ann Caspari talks to young visitors during the 2021 Air & Scare event.
Air & Scare is made possible by the generous support of Mars Wrigley Confectionery US LLC.
Virtual Programs for Families
Soar Together @ Air and Space
“Soar Together @ Air and Space” is a monthly virtual program that gives families a variety of aerospace-themed activities and experiences to explore together. Each month’s program focuses on a unique theme and includes activities such as game challenges, live presentations, on-demand videos, and hands-on demonstrations for families with learners of all ages. 2021 Soar Together themes included “NOAA in Your Life,” “Objects Tell Stories,” “Floating Airfields,” and “Crafty and Creative Career Connections.” See all Soar Together activities.
Soar Together @ Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.
Virtual Programs for Adults
GE Aviation Lecture: Top Gun Then and Now
One of the Museum’s fall GE Aviation Lecture Series programs capitalized on continued interest around Top Gun to provide a look at the Top Gun movie 35 years after it premiered and introduce viewers to pilots from the real-life U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School. This program was presented live on YouTube. The lecture has been viewed 15,000 times.
"Top Gun: Then and Now" program held November 30, 2021.
This program is for members of the National Air and Space Society. Join us for a special program featuring a new Smithsonian Channel documentary about the training program that fascinates Hollywood and aviation fans alike. "The Real Top Gun" is the story of real mavericks in the Navy’s Top Gun aerial combat school. Action sequences from Hollywood and actual footage from Navy fighters in combat will help explore the history of the school and the impact of naval aviation on the world. See special scenes from the program and hear from Smithsonian Channel Executive Producer, Dan Wolf, writer/director of The Real Top Gun, and Top Gun graduate and John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum Christopher Browne about the making of the program and what Top Gun is really like.
The GE Aviation Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of GE Aviation.
The GE Aviation Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of GE Aviation.
Exploring Space Lecture Series
The 2021 Exploring Space Lecture Series had the theme “The Worlds We’ve Touched: Robotic Missions to Other Worlds” and featured four lectures streamed live on YouTube:
- Mars 2020 and the Importance of Planetary Protection
- Sampling an Asteroid to Understand the Birth of Our Planet
- Dragonfly: In Situ Exploration of Saturn's Moon Titan, an Organic Ocean World
- Venus Rediscovered: An Astrobiological or Astrophysical Frontier?
2021 Exploring Space lectures have been viewed 16,000 times.
The Exploring Space Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of Aerojet Rocketdyne and United Launch Alliance.
- 1.1.2 Create and share high-quality education content aligned with nationally recognized education priorities
- 1.1.3 Build capacity in educators to engage students in learning through the museum’s collections
- 1.2.1 Work collaboratively to present content in a variety of ways and locations to meet visitors’ multiple learning styles
- 1.2.2 Expand and evolve opportunities for visitors to interact with and immerse themselves in exhibitions, collections, and content
- 1.2.3: Explore new ways to use technology to enhance visitor interactive experience
- 2.4.1 Leverage the Museum’s research and collections as the foundational elements in accessible, engaging and inspiring onsite and digital experiences
- 2.4.2 Use the transformative power of accurate and inclusive storytelling to ignite challenging educational discussions
- 3.1.1 Position the Museum as a facilitator of and the place for challenging conversations focused on aviation, space exploration, and innovation related issues
- 3.1.2 Create a foundation for accurate and inclusive storytelling to ignite opportunities for educational dialogue and visitor participation
- 3.1.3 Engage highly motivated PreK-12 learners in unique, cooperative initiatives focused on air and space
- 3.1.4 Meaningfully engage diverse audiences throughout all presentations of museum content
As changing circumstances allowed, the Museum was thrilled to welcome visitors back for in person programming this year and place a special emphasis on engaging with local communities in the greater Washington area, simultaneously working hard to create a balance between these in-person events and relevant experiences for digital/online audiences.
The Museum’s Virtual Volunteer program, which connects visitors on site with docents at home through live video feeds stationed at major artifacts, has become a model for museums around the country and abroad. The program first launched in response to the pandemic. Its success continues as a uniquely accessible experience. Students are often more comfortable engaging with an onscreen person than an onsite person. Volunteers connect from anywhere, allowing docents who are no longer mobile to continue sharing institutional knowledge.
As we continue to embrace hybrid programming, we will look for new opportunities to connect with families, students, and teachers, both onsite and online. Examples of our in-person and virtual programming can be found below.
In Person Events
Innovations in Flight Day
The return of the Museum’s popular Innovations in Flight Day welcomed more than 6,800 visitors and was the Smithsonian’s largest outdoor event since the onset of the global pandemic. The event featured the display of more than 25 aircraft outside at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, including several Douglas DC-3s and a Hatz Classic biplane.
Innovations in Flight is made possible by the generous support of United Airlines.
Visitors pose with Dusty Crophopper aircraft at the 2021 Innovations in Flight event.
Air & Scare
2021 also saw the return of the Museum’s signature Air & Scare Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. The 2021 event was held outdoors and welcomed nearly 6,000 visitors for the annual celebration. Families that attended the outdoor event allowed families, volunteers, and staff to attend with more confidence in safety than an indoor program would have provided. Families enjoyed costumed volunteers, sweet treats donated by Mars Wrigley Confectionery US LLC, and dozens of spooky air- and space-themed activities on the tarmac behind the Museum.
Early childhood educator Ann Caspari talks to young visitors during the 2021 Air & Scare event.
Air & Scare is made possible by the generous support of Mars Wrigley Confectionery US LLC.
Virtual Programs for Families
Soar Together @ Air and Space
“Soar Together @ Air and Space” is a monthly virtual program that gives families a variety of aerospace-themed activities and experiences to explore together. Each month’s program focuses on a unique theme and includes activities such as game challenges, live presentations, on-demand videos, and hands-on demonstrations for families with learners of all ages. 2021 Soar Together themes included “NOAA in Your Life,” “Objects Tell Stories,” “Floating Airfields,” and “Crafty and Creative Career Connections.” See all Soar Together activities.
Soar Together @ Air and Space is made possible by the generous support of Northrop Grumman.
Virtual Programs for Adults
GE Aviation Lecture: Top Gun Then and Now
One of the Museum’s fall GE Aviation Lecture Series programs capitalized on continued interest around Top Gun to provide a look at the Top Gun movie 35 years after it premiered and introduce viewers to pilots from the real-life U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School. This program was presented live on YouTube. The lecture has been viewed 15,000 times.
"Top Gun: Then and Now" program held November 30, 2021.
This program is for members of the National Air and Space Society. Join us for a special program featuring a new Smithsonian Channel documentary about the training program that fascinates Hollywood and aviation fans alike. "The Real Top Gun" is the story of real mavericks in the Navy’s Top Gun aerial combat school. Action sequences from Hollywood and actual footage from Navy fighters in combat will help explore the history of the school and the impact of naval aviation on the world. See special scenes from the program and hear from Smithsonian Channel Executive Producer, Dan Wolf, writer/director of The Real Top Gun, and Top Gun graduate and John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum Christopher Browne about the making of the program and what Top Gun is really like.
The GE Aviation Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of GE Aviation.
The GE Aviation Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of GE Aviation.
Exploring Space Lecture Series
The 2021 Exploring Space Lecture Series had the theme “The Worlds We’ve Touched: Robotic Missions to Other Worlds” and featured four lectures streamed live on YouTube:
- Mars 2020 and the Importance of Planetary Protection
- Sampling an Asteroid to Understand the Birth of Our Planet
- Dragonfly: In Situ Exploration of Saturn's Moon Titan, an Organic Ocean World
- Venus Rediscovered: An Astrobiological or Astrophysical Frontier?
2021 Exploring Space lectures have been viewed 16,000 times.
The Exploring Space Lecture Series is made possible by the generous support of Aerojet Rocketdyne and United Launch Alliance.
- 1.1.2 Create and share high-quality education content aligned with nationally recognized education priorities
- 1.1.3 Build capacity in educators to engage students in learning through the museum’s collections
- 1.2.1 Work collaboratively to present content in a variety of ways and locations to meet visitors’ multiple learning styles
- 1.2.2 Expand and evolve opportunities for visitors to interact with and immerse themselves in exhibitions, collections, and content
- 1.2.3: Explore new ways to use technology to enhance visitor interactive experience
- 2.4.1 Leverage the Museum’s research and collections as the foundational elements in accessible, engaging and inspiring onsite and digital experiences
- 2.4.2 Use the transformative power of accurate and inclusive storytelling to ignite challenging educational discussions
- 3.1.1 Position the Museum as a facilitator of and the place for challenging conversations focused on aviation, space exploration, and innovation related issues
- 3.1.2 Create a foundation for accurate and inclusive storytelling to ignite opportunities for educational dialogue and visitor participation
- 3.1.3 Engage highly motivated PreK-12 learners in unique, cooperative initiatives focused on air and space
- 3.1.4 Meaningfully engage diverse audiences throughout all presentations of museum content