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  • National Air and Space Museum in DC
  • Udvar-Hazy Center in VA
  • Plan a Field Trip
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View of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center tower at sunset

One museum, two locations

Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC.

What's On

What's On

  • Events
  • Exhibitions
  • IMAX and Planetarium
Apollo 11: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

At the museum and online

Discover our exhibitions and participate in programs both in person or virtually.

Explore

Explore

  • Stories
  • Topics
  • Collections
  • On Demand
  • For Researchers
space shuttle launch

Dive deep into air and space

Browse our collections, stories, research, and on demand content.

Learn

Learn

  • Programs
  • Learning Resources
  • Plan a Field Trip
  • Professional Development
  • Education Monthly Theme
Women in Aviation and Space Family Day

For teachers and parents

Bring the Air and Space Museum to your learners, wherever you are.

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  • Wall of Honor
  • Ways to Give
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Bob Hoover Gives an Air Show Performance

Be the spark

Your support will help fund exhibitions, educational programming, and preservation efforts.

Film Archives

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Archives
  3. Archival Collections
  4. Film Archives
Archival collections
  • Technical and scale drawings
  • Aircraft technical manuals
  • Captured German & Japanese air technical documents
  • Technical reference files
  • Film Archives
  • Photo Archives
  • Audio collections
  • Aircraft history cards
Accessing the collections
  • Search the Archives
  • Plan your visit
  • Research request
Rights and reproductions
  • Rights requests
  • Obtaining reproductions
  • Pricing & fees
FAQ
Archival collections
  • Technical and scale drawings
  • Aircraft technical manuals
  • Captured German & Japanese air technical documents
  • Technical reference files
  • Film Archives
  • Photo Archives
  • Audio collections
  • Aircraft history cards
Donating to the Archives
Contact us

Our Film Archives has catalogued a collection of more than 20,000 motion picture titles. This collection documents the history of aerospace flight from the Wright brothers to the space shuttle. 

Highlighted Collection:

We Saw It Happen
A 1953 documentary from United Aircraft celebrating the 50th anniversary of flight. The Film Archives includes a copy of the finished film along with interview and stock footage out takes.

Interviewees include:
Wellwood E. Beall
Lawrence D. "Larry" Bell
William Boeing
William Bridgeman
Frank Caldwell
Clarence Chamberlin
James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle (General)
Donald W. Douglas
Ira C. Eaker (General)
Oliver P. Echols (General)
Earl Findley (Aviation Journalist)
Benjamin D. Foulois (General)
Robert Gross
Carrie Grunbach
Sam Herron
Leonard S. "Luke" Hobbs
H. Mansfield Horner 

Jerome Hunsaker (Dr.)
Alvin M. "Tex" Johnston
James H. "Dutch" Kindleberger
Frank P. Lahm
Glenn L. Martin
Thomas DeWitt Milling
Mundy I. Peale
Dewitt C. Ramsey (Admiral)
Frederick B. Rentschler
Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker
Igor Sikorsky
Carl A. "Tooey" Spaatz (General)
Charlie Taylor (Wright Brothers Mechanic)
John H. Towers (Admiral)
Roscoe Turner
Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager

Accessing This Collection

Plan your visit to the Archives.

  • Submit a research request to our reference desk
  • Plan a visit to our reading room
  • Order a Reproduction
  • Fee Schedule
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National Air and Space Museum

6th St. and Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20560

202-633-2214

Open daily
10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Free Timed-Entry Passes
Required

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151

703-572-4118

Open daily
10:00 am - 5:30 pm
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