Our Archives Department supports the Museum's mission and assists scholars and researchers by acquiring, preserving, organizing, and describing the documentary evidence of aerospace history.

The Archives' collections span the history of flight from ancient times to the present day and include a wide range of visual and textual materials, including documents, photographs, motion picture film and video, and more than two million technical drawings.

The National Air and Space Museum Archives Reading Room is open to researchers by appointment only. Learn more about planning your visit.