See the Bell X-1, the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, in the same Hall as Friendship 7, NASA astronaut John Glenn’s spacecraft in which he became the first American to orbit the Earth.
The Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall will showcase some of the museum’s most iconic objects. With artifacts arrayed along walls and suspended from the ceiling—and interpretive displays that provide background and context—this central gallery of the National Mall building will invite visitors to explore the diverse and rich collections that make up the rest of the Museum’s exhibits, both in Washington, D.C., and at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Banners featuring important individuals in aviation and spaceflight, as well as a large media screen, will help bring these historic figures to life.
Work in Progress
While we work on completing the rest of the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, you can already see select objects from the exhibition when entering through our Independence Avenue entrance, including Neal Loving’s homebuilt aircraft, the Star Trek Starship Enterprise studio model, and the Goddard Hoopskirt Rocket.
Learn about all the ways we're transforming the Museum.
Enjoy this artist's rendering depicting what the gallery will look like.
The Museum gratefully acknowledges those who have generously supported this gallery.
The Boeing Company
Thomas W. Haas Foundation
A major renovation is underway as we reimagine our galleries and presentation spaces in our iconic National Mall building in Washington, DC. Join us as we inspire a new generation of pioneers and explorers.