Exhibitions

The invention of the balloon struck the men and women of the late 18th century like a thunderbolt. The objects in this exhibition provide a sense of the wonder and excitement experienced by those who witnessed the birth of flight over two centuries ago. 

Nation of Speed recounts our desire to become the fastest on land, sea, air, and space in the pursuit of commerce, power, and prestige.

The Wright Brothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age explores who Wilbur and Orville Wright were, what they achieved and how they did it, and how the world first reacted to their revolutionary invention.

From carriers and kamikazes to flying fortresses, the Jay I. Kislak World War II in the Air exhibition will feature people and artifacts that put aviation at the center of the twentieth century’s largest and most impactful conflict and made America a superpower.

In the 1920s and 30s, aviation pioneers pushed boundaries and blazed new trails in the air. The Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight exhibition will celebrate this pivotal era of aviation with a vibrant new space.

Suited for Space revealed the remarkable creativity and ingenuity of nearly a century of flight and spacesuit design and development.

This exhibition explored the art of Chinese painter Wang Ming through 35 works that are part of the artist’s personal collection.

This exhibit featured black-and-white photographs of contemporary women pilots.

National Air and Space Museum visitors frequently ask, "Where are the women pilots?" The answer is that they are in nearly every gallery of the Museum. 

In this display, Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit from the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing was back on the Museum floor for the first time in 13 years.