Artistic expression during the war contributed to this transformation. Before World War I, war art largely depicted heroic military leaders and romanticized battles, done long after the fact, far from the battlefield. The First World War marked a turning point with the appearance of artwork intended to capture the moment in a realistic way, by first-hand participants. This exhibition examines this form of artistic expression from two complementary perspectives: one, professional artists who were recruited by the U.S. Army; the other, soldiers who created artwork. Together they shed light on World War I in a compelling and very human way.

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. 

This exhibition explores how revolutions in timekeeping over three centuries have influenced how we find our way.

Moving Beyond Earth traces the recent history of human spaceflight and explores future possibilities.

Small exhibit featuring historic Transformers toys, aviation- and Jetfire-related characters, and props used in the major motion picture Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a portion of which was filmed at the Museum.

 Modern military UAV's are playing an ever greater roll in the armed forces, from reconnaissance to combat missions.

While the German Luftwaffe demonstrated early successes in the use of airpower during World War II, and spurred many technological advancements, faulty military strategy and mismanagement of aircraft development programs ultimately led to its downfall.

The concept of gliders propelled by small engines emerged in the 1920s, but didn't rise in popularity until the 1970s. The ultralights on display include Cosmos Phase II, which appeared in the movie Fly Away Home.

America by Air explores the history of air transportation in the United States and shows how the federal government has shaped the airline industry, how improvements in technology have revolutionized air travel, and how the flying experience has changed.

Learn how rocketry got a boost in the 20th century, altering warfare and taking humans into space.

Learn about the broad range of science performed by vehicles that travel into the Earth's atmosphere and beyond. The relatively young field of space science ranges from Earth observation to planetary exploration to astronomy and astrophysics.

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.