Join our expert docents for a free tour that explores the highlights of our collection.
Currently, reservations for in-person guided tours are not available at our location on the National Mall. Free timed-entry passes are required to visit. Groups of 10 to 55 can be reserved through our Group Passes portal. Up to two reservations of 55 per group can be submitted for one day. The schedule by which group passes are released is listed below. For groups of 6 or less, please use our Individual Passes portal. For groups of 7-9, please submit two requests for individual passes.
For groups larger than 110, you may contact NASM-VisitorServices@si.edu with your request. Please include exact information about the date and time, and the number of passes needed. The Museum will only reply to your request if it can grant the exception. The Museum will reply within one calendar week if it has capacity. Please note, it is unfortunately rare that large requests can be met, due to limited space and few cancellations.
Free tours led by our docents (volunteer guides) highlight the Museum's collection and trace the history of air and space travel. Highlights Tours are developed for adult and multi-generational groups. Please note that since this program is led by volunteers, the program may be cancelled up to a week prior if we are not able to secure the appropriate number of docents for your group. For school groups, scouting groups, and other youth groups, please check out our student tours.
Free
10 person minimum and 3 weeks advance notice.
10 person minimum and 3 weeks advance notice.
Learn More about Field Trips
Our school year student program schedule is released annually on August 1 and includes programs from October through early June.
Our summer student program schedule is released annually on April 1 and includes programs from mid-June through September.
If you don't see the program you're interested in on certain dates, it may no longer be available. Please check other dates or contact the Tours and Reservations Office for more information. Phone: 202-633-2563 | Email: NASMTours@si.edu.
For adult/general group tours, one docent will be requested for every 20 people in the tour group. For student groups, there will be one docent requested for every 15 people in the group. If we are not able to secure enough docents for your group, it may be cancelled a week before the tour date, but you would still be welcome to visit for a self-guided experience.
All bags/backpacks will be checked by Security. Please limit the number of bags brought into the museum to help expedite your entry.
At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, tour buses and school buses park for free. Buses must exit through Lane 1 (the staffed lane) in order to have the parking fee waived. There is a parking fee of $15.00 per personal vehicle. All vehicles must pull a parking ticket upon entry.
Parking is not provided at our location in Washington, DC.
All schools/organizations with reserved programs must abide by the chaperone policy. Chaperones must stay with their group at all times and abide by Museum policies.
Pre-K through 3rd Grade: 1 adult for every 5 students
4th through 6th Grade: 1 adult for every 10 students
7th through 12th Grade: 1 adult for every 15 students
All reserved museum tours and programs are free and supported by staff and volunteers. We ask that groups who need to cancel a reservation, or expect to arrive later than planned, call the Museum’s Welcome Desk at 703-572-4118. If reserved groups do not alert Museum staff to a cancellation at least 24 hours in advance, your group may not be allowed to reserve future programs. In addition, repeated cancellations or behavioral issues may also result in your group not being allowed to reserve further programs.
Food and drink other than bottled water are not permitted inside the museums. There is no space for outside food to be eaten at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. The Mars Café, located on the lower level, has limited seating and food options. Open from 10:00am to 5:00pm, the Café offers coffee and a full espresso bar, featuring locally roasted “Bird Friendly” artisan coffees, specialty teas, and a selection of seasonally inspired sandwiches, warm paninis, salads, and pastries.
At the Udvar-Hazy Center, groups are encouraged to eat on their buses or to use the picnic tables provided outside the Museum near the bus parking lot. There is a full- service Shake Shack open at the museum where visitors may purchase food. There is a small indoor eating area that is available on a first come, first served basis that seats a maximum of 75 people. Groups are welcome to leave the Museum and return. One paid parking ticket is good for the day.
1) It is difficult to keep a large group together for the entire visit. Large groups should consider splitting into subgroups of 12 or less, so that everyone can enjoy their time in the museum.
2) Prepare to stand for long periods of time in the Museum. Wear comfortable shoes.
3) Know before you go. If visiting the building on the National Mall, prepare for your visit by reading our frequently asked questions. Study the museum floor plans on our website (for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC or the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA). Understand what is and is not allowed inside the museum at Smithsonian Institution Photography Policy .
4) Travel lightly. Lockers are not available at the Museum on the National Mall.
5) Plan for your departure. Make sure to designate a meeting location so your group can reassemble and leave the museum together.
Group Passes will be released following the schedule below.
|
Release Dates Note: All releases are at noon (12:00 pm) ET |
Passes Available for Reservation |
|---|---|
| Thursday, June 1, 2023 | August 2023 |
| Saturday, July 1, 2023 | September 2023 |
| Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | October 2023 |
| Friday, September 1, 2023 | November 2023 |
| Sunday, October 1, 2023 | December 2023 |
| Wednesday, November 1, 2023 | January 2024 |
| Friday, December 1, 2023 | February 2024 |
| Monday, January 1, 2024 | March 2024 |
| Thursday, February 1, 2024 | April 2024 |
| Friday, March 1, 2024 | May 2024 |
| Monday, April 1, 2024 | June 2024 |
| Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | July 2024 |
Join our expert docents for a free tour that explores the highlights of our collection.
Currently, reservations for in-person guided tours are not available at our location on the National Mall. Free timed-entry passes are required to visit. Groups of 10 to 55 can be reserved through our Group Passes portal. Up to two reservations of 55 per group can be submitted for one day. The schedule by which group passes are released is listed below. For groups of 6 or less, please use our Individual Passes portal. For groups of 7-9, please submit two requests for individual passes.
For groups larger than 110, you may contact NASM-VisitorServices@si.edu with your request. Please include exact information about the date and time, and the number of passes needed. The Museum will only reply to your request if it can grant the exception. The Museum will reply within one calendar week if it has capacity. Please note, it is unfortunately rare that large requests can be met, due to limited space and few cancellations.
Free tours led by our docents (volunteer guides) highlight the Museum's collection and trace the history of air and space travel. Highlights Tours are developed for adult and multi-generational groups. Please note that since this program is led by volunteers, the program may be cancelled up to a week prior if we are not able to secure the appropriate number of docents for your group. For school groups, scouting groups, and other youth groups, please check out our student tours.
Free
10 person minimum and 3 weeks advance notice.
10 person minimum and 3 weeks advance notice.
Learn More about Field Trips
Our school year student program schedule is released annually on August 1 and includes programs from October through early June.
Our summer student program schedule is released annually on April 1 and includes programs from mid-June through September.
If you don't see the program you're interested in on certain dates, it may no longer be available. Please check other dates or contact the Tours and Reservations Office for more information. Phone: 202-633-2563 | Email: NASMTours@si.edu.
For adult/general group tours, one docent will be requested for every 20 people in the tour group. For student groups, there will be one docent requested for every 15 people in the group. If we are not able to secure enough docents for your group, it may be cancelled a week before the tour date, but you would still be welcome to visit for a self-guided experience.
All bags/backpacks will be checked by Security. Please limit the number of bags brought into the museum to help expedite your entry.
At the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA, tour buses and school buses park for free. Buses must exit through Lane 1 (the staffed lane) in order to have the parking fee waived. There is a parking fee of $15.00 per personal vehicle. All vehicles must pull a parking ticket upon entry.
Parking is not provided at our location in Washington, DC.
All schools/organizations with reserved programs must abide by the chaperone policy. Chaperones must stay with their group at all times and abide by Museum policies.
Pre-K through 3rd Grade: 1 adult for every 5 students
4th through 6th Grade: 1 adult for every 10 students
7th through 12th Grade: 1 adult for every 15 students
All reserved museum tours and programs are free and supported by staff and volunteers. We ask that groups who need to cancel a reservation, or expect to arrive later than planned, call the Museum’s Welcome Desk at 703-572-4118. If reserved groups do not alert Museum staff to a cancellation at least 24 hours in advance, your group may not be allowed to reserve future programs. In addition, repeated cancellations or behavioral issues may also result in your group not being allowed to reserve further programs.
Food and drink other than bottled water are not permitted inside the museums. There is no space for outside food to be eaten at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. The Mars Café, located on the lower level, has limited seating and food options. Open from 10:00am to 5:00pm, the Café offers coffee and a full espresso bar, featuring locally roasted “Bird Friendly” artisan coffees, specialty teas, and a selection of seasonally inspired sandwiches, warm paninis, salads, and pastries.
At the Udvar-Hazy Center, groups are encouraged to eat on their buses or to use the picnic tables provided outside the Museum near the bus parking lot. There is a full- service Shake Shack open at the museum where visitors may purchase food. There is a small indoor eating area that is available on a first come, first served basis that seats a maximum of 75 people. Groups are welcome to leave the Museum and return. One paid parking ticket is good for the day.
1) It is difficult to keep a large group together for the entire visit. Large groups should consider splitting into subgroups of 12 or less, so that everyone can enjoy their time in the museum.
2) Prepare to stand for long periods of time in the Museum. Wear comfortable shoes.
3) Know before you go. If visiting the building on the National Mall, prepare for your visit by reading our frequently asked questions. Study the museum floor plans on our website (for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC or the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA). Understand what is and is not allowed inside the museum at Smithsonian Institution Photography Policy .
4) Travel lightly. Lockers are not available at the Museum on the National Mall.
5) Plan for your departure. Make sure to designate a meeting location so your group can reassemble and leave the museum together.
Group Passes will be released following the schedule below.
|
Release Dates Note: All releases are at noon (12:00 pm) ET |
Passes Available for Reservation |
|---|---|
| Thursday, June 1, 2023 | August 2023 |
| Saturday, July 1, 2023 | September 2023 |
| Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | October 2023 |
| Friday, September 1, 2023 | November 2023 |
| Sunday, October 1, 2023 | December 2023 |
| Wednesday, November 1, 2023 | January 2024 |
| Friday, December 1, 2023 | February 2024 |
| Monday, January 1, 2024 | March 2024 |
| Thursday, February 1, 2024 | April 2024 |
| Friday, March 1, 2024 | May 2024 |
| Monday, April 1, 2024 | June 2024 |
| Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | July 2024 |
As a venue for special events, the National Air and Space Museum offers a private, exclusive experience among the icons of flight at the Museum in Washington, DC or the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. When hosting a reception or dinner, the entire facility is open and event organizers may choose between many interesting event sites. Give your guests a special evening in the world's most visited museum.