Our Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center opened to public on December 15, 2003, and since then we have welcomed nearly 20 million people through our doors. Join us as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Udvar-Hazy Center with a day packed full of everything you know and love about the museum. From talks with curators about your favorite artifacts to concerts, this event will highlight why the northern Virginia community has embraced the Udvar-Hazy Center as a must-visit destination. 

And thanks to a generous supporter, parking at the Udvar-Hazy Center for this event will be free!

Listen to special talks and presentations:

  • Explore the World's Best Helicopter Collection with curator Roger Connor (10:00 am to 3:00 pm)
  • Collection Highlights from the Past 15 Years with the Museum's Archives (10:00 am to 3:00 pm)
  • Preservation Station with museum specialists Rachel Greenberg and Chris Reddersen (10:00 am to 3:30 pm)
  • Free Screenings of To Fly in the Airbus IMAX Theater (10:00 am to 3:00 pm)
  • Flying the SR-71 Blackbird with docent and SR-71 pilot Buz Carpenter (10:30 and 11:00 am)
  • Dash-80 with curator Bob van der Linden (11:00 am)
  • Horten All-Wing Aircraft with curator Russ Lee (11:30 am)
  • Space Shuttle Discovery with curator Valerie Neal (12:15 pm)
  • Meet Museum Director Ellen Stofan (12:30 pm)
  • The "Silk Dress" Balloon in the Civil War with museum specialist Tom Paone (1:00 pm)
  • Flying the F-14 Tomcat with Museum deputy director Chris Browne (1:30 pm)
  • Air France Concorde with curator Bob van der Linden (2:00 pm)
  • Interview with Steven F. Udvar-Hazy with Museum Explainer Beth Devine (2:45 pm)

Enjoy musical performances by:

  • Loudoun Jazz Ensemble (1:00 and 2:00 pm)

Bring your kids along to enjoy:

  • Button making (10:00 am to 3:00 pm)
  • Smithsonian TechQuest: Race to the Moon (10:30 am to 3:00 pm)
  • Mars Experience bus rides (10:30 am to 3:30 pm)
  • Story Time: Zoo in the Sky by Jacqueline Mitton (11:00 and 11:30 am)
  • Story Time: Pluto's Secret by curators Margaret Weitekamp and David DeVorkin with illustrations by educator Diane Kidd

Purchase a book by Museum curators and get it signed by the authors, including:

  • America’s Hangar and Best of the National Air and Space Museum, by curator Bob van der Linden (12:15 to 1:45 pm)
  • Pluto’s Secret by curators Margaret Weitekamp and David DeVorkin, and educator Diane Kidd (12:30 to 1:00 pm)
  • Discovery: Champion of the Shuttle Fleet and Spaceflight in the Shuttle Era by curator Valerie Neal (1:45 to 2:45 pm

 

 How to attend Throughout Location