All Stories

The Conservation team at the Museum recently had the opportunity to examine Haydu’s dress uniform to prepare it for display in the upcoming reimagined Jay I. Kislak World War II in the Air gallery. The artifact not only reflects the changing role of women in American society during WWII but also embodies the technological advancements and global impact of the conflict.

Read about the process behind the conservation of "Rosie's Drill," a WWII-era artifact owned and used by Helen Nelson Brinkley on the Boeing B-17 aircraft-assembly line. Conservation treatment involved historical research, technical study, scientific analysis, and the sourcing, testing, and application of a specialized consolidant for the crumbling rubber cord.

In this Air and Space Quarterly exclusive, five U.S. Navy pilots who became the first American women to fly in combat tell their stories.

In February 2019, the National Air and Space Museum launched the Military Women Aviators Oral History Initiative (MWAOHI) to record histories of some of the groundbreaking women who led incremental change in the military that resulted in women becoming fully vested (combat) military pilots.

When an aerobatic pilot wanted to fly right up to the limit, she chose an aircraft that proved to be a model of instability 

There is perhaps no résumé in existence quite as long as Barbie’s. One of her oldest and arguably most iconic careers is as an astronaut. Let's take a look through some of her most iconic space looks, spanning 1965 to today.

A story examining the lore and enduring appeal of taildraggers.

The Pioneers of Flight gallery preview.

Rosalind Franklin's legacy inspired the European Space Agency to name an ExoMars Rover for her in 2019. It’s a fitting name since this rover – set to launch later this decade – is programmed to search for genetic molecules or compounds to prove if there was ever life on Mars. 

The touching story behind a 1960s charm bracelet.