All Smithsonian museums, including our locations in D.C. and Virginia, are closed Sunday, Jan. 25, and Monday, Jan. 26 due to winter weather.
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 11 - 20 of 91
December 22, 2022
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.
December 21, 2022
For the Lindberghs flying over vast stretches of water and wilderness in the early 1930s, reliable radio equipment was a necessity.
December 20, 2022
The Wrights’ family helped to shape them into the enterprising aeronautical engineers we know them as today.
December 19, 2022
If you were the Wright brothers, you would turn your attention not to perfecting your flying skills but securing a patent and finding customers for their groundbreaking invention.
December 15, 2022
The 1903 Wright Flyer's transformation into a priceless piece of American heritage took some interesting twists and turns.
September 09, 2022
The first air races, meets, and flight exhibitions kicked off a wave of public enthusiasm for aviation that circled the globe.
August 26, 2022
A 1/16 scale model of a Benoist XIV Airboat (Benoist No. 43) recently underwent conservation treatment in preparation for its display in the reimagined America by Air gallery. Learn about how it was treated and discover the story behind the model and the actual aircraft.
August 23, 2022
In 1929, Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT) started passenger service between New York and Los Angeles using a combination of trains and planes.
June 29, 2022
Learn about Glen Curtiss—who was at one time known as the fastest man on Earth.
June 23, 2022
Wilbur and Orville Wright made history in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They made the first powered, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air flying machine.