Exhibitions
Visit our Museum and other popular Smithsonian destinations on the National Mall in Washington, DC, or visit our Udvar-Hazy Center in nearby Chantilly, VA.
Showing 1 - 12 of 30
- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Aerobatic Flight
Millions of spectators watch aerobatic demonstrations each year, but it isn't all just for show. Aerobatic flying has influenced major advances in aircraft technology and military pilots develop aerobatic maneuvers to improve fighter tactics.
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- Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibition
America by Air Reimagined
“America by Air” will emerge from the Museum’s multi-year transformation campaign refreshed with a new layout, improved graphics, interactives, and several new artifacts including the Lincoln-Standard H.S. and the Huff-Daland Duster. The exhibition will continue to trace the history of air transportation in the United States and explore how the federal government shaped the airline industry and how improvements in technology have revolutionized air travel, changing the flying experience.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Applications Satellites
In the tense years of the Cold War, applications satellites evolved down two separate paths: one devoted to national security needs, the other to civilian interests.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Business Aviation
See examples of business aircraft ranging from small, propeller-driven airplanes for shorter hops to fast, well-appointed "bizjets" that can fly internationally nonstop.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Clouds in a Bag
The invention of the balloon struck the men and women of the late 18th century like a thunderbolt. The objects in this exhibition provide a sense of the wonder and excitement experienced by those who witnessed the birth of flight over two centuries ago.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Cold War Aviation
Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War resulted in a competition to create advanced technologies aimed at gathering intelligence. Aerial reconnaissance played an important role, and the Lockheed SR-71 was a a direct result of this struggle for supremacy.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Commercial Aviation
Flying was new and daring in the early years of the 20th century. Traveling by airplane was rare. Airlines, airliners, airports, air routes—none of these existed. But by century's end, you could travel to almost anywhere in America by air in a matter of hours. Commercial aviation is now both a commonplace and an essential aspect of modern life. It has revolutionized the world.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
General Aviation
Learn about the history and aircraft that are part of general aviation, the civilian aircraft not flown by commercial carriers or the military.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Human Spaceflight
The Human Spaceflight exhibition station illustrates one of the great achievements of the modern age as nations have developed the technology for human spaceflight.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Interwar Military Aviation
The airplane emerged from World War I recognized widely for its potential as a military weapon. In the United States, Army pilots and Navy and Marine aviators worked to realize their different visions of the airplane’s ultimate role in American defense.
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- Exhibition
Upcoming Exhibition
Jay I. Kislak World War II in the Air
Jay I. Kislak World War II in the Air will examine how the revolution in warfare that took place during the war redefined the promise and peril of military aviation, as well as explore the dramatic changes to flight and culture that continue to reverberate through society today.
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- Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
On View Exhibition
Korea and Vietnam Aviation
Learn about America's first swept-wing jet fighter, the F-86 Sabre, and its arch rival, the Soviet MiG-15. You'll also find out how helicopters came into their own during these conflicts.
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