Stories of daring, stories of technological feats, stories of prevailing against the odds ... these are the stories we tell at the National Air and Space Museum. Dive in to the stories below to discover, learn, and be inspired. 

Showing 1 - 10 of 96

June 12, 2024 Balloon Expert Reacts to the Bridgerton Runaway Balloon Scene Story

Just how accurate is the portrayal of lighter-than-air flight in the third season of Bridgerton? Ballooning curator Tom Paone provides historical context.

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December 20, 2023 Silver and Gold Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The museum's ornate trophy recognizes valor displayed by the men and women of the U.S. Air Force.

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September 30, 2023 Conservation Treatment of Gilmore the Flying Lion: Treatment Story

As a cub in the 1930s, Gilmore made aviation history when he traveled around the United States with the flamboyant and colorful aviator Roscoe Turner as a mascot for the Gilmore Oil Company. This is the final piece in a three-part blog series about the conservation treatment of Gilmore the Flying Lion. Explore how the Museum balanced caring for the original taxidermy with the goal to present Gilmore as lifelike as possible.

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June 17, 2023 Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight Story | Air & Space Quarterly

The Pioneers of Flight gallery preview.

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June 08, 2023 AirSpace Bonus! Wronging the Wrights Story | AirSpace Podcast

Season seven is over but don’t despair! We have some fun new things headed your way soon. In the meantime, we borrowed this episode from our friends at Smithsonian’s Sidedoor to tide you all over.

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March 31, 2023 Katharine Wright: The Wright Sister Story

Katharine Wright played an important role in the early US aviation industry. The younger sister of Wilbur and Orville Wright, inventors of the first heavier-than-air powered aircraft, she was a key representative within the Wright Company.

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March 23, 2023 AirSpace Season 7, Episode 8: Flying Circus Story | AirSpace Podcast

A duck in a hot air balloon. A cat in an airship. A lion cub in an airplane. Stories of animals in flight.

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March 22, 2023 Preservation by Computer Story | Air & Space Quarterly

Digital scans of Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, which belongs to the National Air and Space Museum, were incorporated into the Microsoft Flight Simulator 40th anniversary edition.

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February 07, 2023 Conservation Treatment of Gilmore the Flying Lion: Examination Story | Inside the Conservation Lab

As a cub in the 1930s, Gilmore made aviation history when he traveled around the United States with the flamboyant and colorful aviator Roscoe Turner as a mascot for the Gilmore Oil Company. Read and see images of the detailed discoveries made during the initial examination of the conservation treatment of Gilmore.

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December 22, 2022 Roscoe’s Meteor: The Strange Road to Success Story

A recent study of the iconic 1930s racing airplane, the Turner RT-14 Meteor, highlights its complex origins. Read about what was learned about Roscoe Turner's racer as it went through a thorough inspection in preparation for display.

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