Half of the museum was closed for renovations and new exhibits. They had the main area and 4 exhibits open. All in all, I was glad that it is a free exhibit. read more

This is another great Smithsonian museum. It's free (!), which makes it a great place to go as many times as you want if you can't get through everything in one visit. It can definitely get crowded at certain times (rainy days, school breaks, summer) so plan carefully. It's open every day except Christmas, so there are plenty of opportunities to visit. The museum is huge! There is so much to see and do. Additional activities like an IMAX movie and planetarium are inside, but cost money. The only downside is that several exhibitions are closed for a while because they're doing a major update to the museum. However, the exhibits that are open are very interesting and informative. There's still a lot of cool stuff to see and do. read more

I TOUCHED THE MOON!!!!! Or at lease a piece of it. The National Air and Space Museum is a stay at home mom's dream! I was hanging out at Georgetown (by the water) watching the planes go by...my son LOVES planes.......when it hit me.....the Air and Space Museum! He will love it there! We jumped back in the car and headed downtown. The unexpected: I had to get lunch. There was a fleet of food trucks on an adjacent street to the museum. What I though was better was the McDonald's 'kiosk' that was next to the museum, unfortunately it was closed. So we ventured across the way to the food trucks. Thought I'd go to the Chic 'fil-A truck for a more affordable option. Y'all i ended up spendeing $13 and some change for tiny chicken nuggets 2(x) 8 pieces, and a chicken sandwich. no chips, no drink, no nothing. BOOOOOOO. The AESOME: We went on a Tuesday around 1:30pm. The parking was GREAT! We found a spot literally right in front of the museum :). Parking meter gave you 15 min. per quarter. The UNFORGETTABLE: Watching my son nearly run in circles with excitement. (side note: bathrooms are exceptionally clean, as that had to be the first stop for this preggo). There is an entire kids/family section that is sooooo cool. I learned so much. And the kids had a ball with all the hands on activity. Then as if it wasn't enough there was a Cessna 150 that the kids were able to climb into and transform into pilots! Even the 20 month old was in discovery mode. The Disappointing: Leaving. My son said, "Mommy you can leave and I will stay here!". :( I promise we will be back! So much more to discover. They also have multiple family programs during the day. I just happened to come during the break and had to leave before the next program began so........next time. :0 read more

The National Air and Space Museum, probably tied for my favorite museum out of the entirety of the Smithsonian. There is so much to see here, it's hard to even summarize what you'll find. Do you like airplanes, from how they work to their use throughout history? What about the history and technology of astronauts and rockets? The development of navigation and exploration technology? The latest information on the planets, stars, and the universe? This museum has to have something for everyone, from astrophysics to engineering, history to technology. There is so much to see, read, and even do that you'll find your entire day spent without leaving this building. So, now it is time for the usual notes and warnings... 1) Get their early and during off-times. Like any tourist destinations, weekends and afternoons are likely to be packed. Considering the subject matter, you can expect a ~lot~ of children to be here (whether families or field trips), more so than probably any other museum except Natural History. The museum opens at 10 a.m. so I suggest adjusting travel times and schedules to arrive at that point. 2) They have added several hands-on areas of exhibits, from navigation to exploration to physics. There are some pretty interesting displays to interact with that can detract from the constant reading and looking. Unfortunately, this is almost always where you find the most children so be prepared. Also, while they spent money to add these displays their maintenance is somewhat lacking; thousands of children banging on them have broken a number of exhibits that remain unusable. 3) To those that have visited before, don't worry about boredom. Certainly some of the classic displays are still there (the hall of WW2 aviation, the golden age of flight, etc.) but they've also been updating and adding areas. The Wright Flyer has been moved into an exhibit of its own, dedicated to the history and technology of the Wright Brothers and early aviation. The WW1 exhibit has been updated and there is an additional section on WW2 naval aviation. You'll also find new rooms on navigation and exploration as well as expanded displays in the larger areas. 4) The IMAX is a must-see, even at $9.00 per person for a 30 minute film. They still have one of my favorites ("To Fly!") but also new ones like "Hubble 3D" (about the Hubble missions as well as space exploration). In contrast, the Planetarium can be fun but was a bit disappointing. Instead of the usual displays of stars and constellations, you are often limited to an educational show that is nothing more than a movie projected on the dome. Still, you do get to spend $6.00 per person on any additional IMAX or Planetarium shows you watch after the first, so combining both (or double of any one) is always good. 5) The food court there is expensive but not as bad as times past. Gone are the Smithsonian cafeterias with overpriced "school lunches" now replaced with fast food in the form of overpriced McDonald's. Expect to pay an additional $2.00/person above a typical fast food joint, but that's still cheaper than what you used to pay to eat at the museums. Plus, it's McDonald's, so unless you're on a special diet (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.), there should be something there for everyone. 6) Prepare to spend your entire day at the museum. I know people say they can burn through a museum fast and only read what they want, but the Air and Space Museum is like no other in DC. I've been able to double-up before, whether American History and Natural History or both wings of the National Art, but not here. We were there from 10:30 in the morning until 5:00 pm at night, and we actually skipped a couple of exhibit halls and cruised through others. If you are planning to visit here, make sure this is the only place on your agenda for the entire day. In summary, I cannot emphasize what a great choice visiting the National Air and Space Museum is. There is so much here to see and explore and you can easily lose yourself for hours learning about aviation, space exploration, and the mysteries of the universe. Just try to get their early and/or visit during off-peak times and be prepared to spend your entire visit here. To be fair, you may so enraptured you won't even notice until they kick you out! read more

My review is going to be a little tainted because our company rented the whole place out for about 100 people for a dinner party the other night. Having a place as magnificent as this all to yourself, with alcohol flowing for hours on end and great food and entertainment at every corner -- it's like a dream come true. I was mesmerized the second I walked in and saw the Mercury Friendship 7 capsule. This is the spacecraft in which astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. To see these things depicted in movies could not be more dramatically different than standing next to the actual capsule itself. This thing is a tin can. And it is so small it is hard to believe someone could have actually sat in it without going completely insane. The controls and plugs and switches appear so mechanical and archaic that it is almost impossible to process that thing made it to space and back, let alone brought someone home alive. Honestly, I just stood there staring in awe for a good five minutes just trying to imagine what that must have been like for John Glenn. Cray cray. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see as many things I would have liked with the party going on and all. But the flight simulators were made available to us and that's where things got interesting. I was among the first people to be cajoled into getting into one. My first tip is to not drink and fly in a flight simulator. Obvious as this may sound, that just so happened to be the unfortunate order things took place in, and none of the Smithsonian staff seemed to care. In fact, I think this was secretly their plan. Looking at the simulator, it seemed harmless enough -- like something you might find in a fancy arcade. I figured the thing would rock back and forth a bit, and the screen would project a false sense of flying. No big deal, right? So my colleague and I (who also happens to be 6'3") cram into this teeny, tiny capsule and take our seats. We are then told to secure our harnesses and pull the belts tightly. Thinking this is all part of the show, I clip my harness but leave it loose. My second tip is to follow the instructions and pull your harness tight like they tell you to. Metal shoulder bars then close down on top of me, and I begin to realize this may be a little more serious of a ride. But the kicker came when the attendant slipped my feet under a tether, strapping them down to the floor. What the hell am I about to get myself into, I think to myself, grabbing my joystick control and staring out onto a simulated runway aboard an aircraft carrier. Oh boy. Here we go. My colleague is the pilot and I am the gunner. The ride door shuts and he hits the throttle full speed, pulling back as we begin to soar high into the sky looking for enemy planes to attack. The next thing you know we are rolling to the left -- hard. My weight immediately starts to shift and I can feel the G-forces increasing. He continues rolling us to the left when I suddenly hear the sound of loose change flying all around the interior of the capsule. Next, blood begins rushing to my head to the point where it feels like it may explode. And if that wasn't enough, I'm flopping all around because my harness is too loose. Although my colleague appears to have leveled us off, the force of gravity continues to pull on me and I am now fully suspended by only my restraining apparatus. I look at the screen and realize we are flying upside down. And then I realize we actually are upside down! To my surprise, the capsule not only rocks back and forth, but it is capable of doing full 360-degree turns at high speeds. He then jerks us hard right, then hard left again, and before you know it we are just rolling at full G's upside down, right-side up, for what seems like an eternity until we finally spiral into the ground below. Game over, we're dead. The capsule door then opens to let in the light and I realize I've broken a full sweat. Panting and trying to keep my stomach from erupting, I exit the ride to the roaring laughs of my colleagues waiting in line to go next. It was awesome. I went one more time before the night was over. :) I can't recommend this place enough. It's an adult playground where you can have a ton of fun and learn a lot in the process. I can't wait to come back with the kids! read more

An amazing place for even those who never considered themselves interested in such things. Minus one star for housing one of if not the biggest McDonalds in the world: two stories of artery hardening and wasted calories. read more

First of all i have to admit that i LOVVVVVVVVEEEEE planes and rockets. So I 'might' be a little biased. Regardless though, this place is pretty awesome and has lots of exhibits and cool stuff to look at. From modern day to beginning, there is something to see. One of the best features I think is the IMAX theater here and the simulators. I had been here a million times and didnt go on the simulators before. Weeeeeee they are fun! After I did the combat one, my friends and I agreed if we ever got rich, we would totally buy one of those things and put it in our house and play it all day. If you haven't been here you should go. read more

So here's my gripe, and maybe it's too Generation Y of me, but I like things new and shiny. I mean... I like to look at old things (which there are many of that), but if I'm looking at the "technology" section of a museum, I'd expect them to be up to date. I think that's where they're missing out. The old is good. I enjoyed wandering through the history of aviation. That doesn't change. But walking through how flying affects weather, topography and various other things I noticed the "current" exhibits tend to end around the late 80's early 90's. You can tell that section is just sorely outdated. I get that it's a non-profit organization, and perhaps I'm a weirdo for picking up on that and not reflecting on the great things we've done in aeronautical history, but it bothered me! I'm really fascinated with exactly how the flying process happens and I found that description in the kids area of all places! Now, I don't have any kids, but walking through the kids area did make me think kids would have a great time here. Lots of interactive things to describe how airplanes work. I couldn't even bust in on some of the participation action because it was littered with kids. I mean, good for them, you gotta learn somewhere! Saying that, I bet my opinion of this museum could change with having kids, but for me, I found it in need of some updating. So take this review from a tech overloaded chick... and fly with it! read more

Favorite museum with my little guy. He just loves the kids interactive area here. It can a bit pushy with all the field trip kiddos but we always have a blast. All the smithsonian museums are free and it so close to all the other attractions. So much to see and do here! read more

Smithsonian - Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This was a very fun experience overall for my son and I. The inclusion of African American history was outstanding. A few exhibits stood-out for my 5 year old... NASA everything (I couldn't escape without buying him a helmet), the contributions of Af. Am men and women, and the Wright Brothers. I wish the cafe wasn't under construction on Memorial Day weekend but what can you do? read more

Smithsonian - Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The "Holy Grail" of flight museums. I have been going to this place off and on for the past 20 years. I never tire of its displays and excitement generated on each visit. The "originals" you read about in your history books are either hanging there or sitting there. From the Wright brother's plane to and Apollo capsule. That covers it all. Exhibits are rich in depiction and informative information. I especially like the WWII fighter aircraft section. Amazing to think of what those pilots went through flying in those machines. IMAX theater on site. I will never forget "To Fly". It was the first IMAX movie in the theater. You now can see movies on all areas of the word, and into outer space with several space missions. If you have children, there are many exhibits especially for them. They will be truly amazed. Several of the current Blue Angels members said they remember being taken to this museum when they were young by their parents. Impact for sure. They recently opened an extension to this museum out near Dulles Airport. It has the restored "Enola Gay", the aircraft that dropped the first atomic weapon on Japan in WWII. Other magnificent aircraft staged there, also. NASM is and must be a top priority for anyone's visit to DC. You live the events of history out loud there, and marvel at man's inventiveness and capability. read more

Great museum for kids. With all the interactive stuff and cool planes hanging around, it will certainly make up for dragging them through the National Gallery of Art. Also they have a nice gift shop with tons of cool toys. That being said, I find the place to be a little static. After 15 years of visiting the place, I would say 75% is the same as the first time I visited. Sure there is only 1 bell x-1, but I need a little more replay value. Disregard this paragraph if you have never been, its amazing the first few times! Thankfully they opened up the Udvar-Hazy center near Dulles Airport. That is a site to see. [Non-space] shuttles leave from the front of the museum on the Mall to go there, I think it costs like 10 bucks and takes a little less than an hour each way. read more

The National Air and Space Museum is an iconic piece of the National treasure that is the Smithsonian Museum. Sure, it has been supplanted to great extent by the newer, shinier, much, much larger Udvar-Hazy, but the original holds a special place in the hearts and minds of those that remember when missions to the Moon were actually doable and a future that looked like the one envisioned by Stanley Kubrick in "2001: A Space Odyssey" seemed within reach. The NASM holds some of the greatest artifacts from America's space program including the Apollo 11 Command Module "Columbia" which, to me, is practically the crown jewel for all manned spaceflight. The NASM is a must-see for anyone in the area regardless if they're a local resident or tourist. Get there when the doors open to beat the crowd. You can easily get through the place in less than a day. read more

This is a pretty great place as museums go. Perhaps it really deserves 5 stars, but it's lacking in a few aspects. I had mainly known this previously from Night At The Museum 2, which might not have been entirely representative. Still, the Apollo display was pretty awesome, and some of the other space exhibits filled in some gaps in my knowledge of space exploration from other places (Kennedy Space Center is better). One unfortunate thing is the smell of McDonald's which permeates one end of the museum, and probably has no place here, IMO. The aviation aspects were good too, although perhaps a bit much to take in as well. Definitely a great place to visit, although the smells and also the minimal explanations of exhibits mean it only gets a 4. read more

This is beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best museum for the young and young at heart. For the sake of this review, I will include the Udvar Hazy Center in Dulles, VA. The Lunar Lander, the Enterprise, the SR-71 Blackbird, the Wright Brother's 1904 Flier, P-51 Mustangs, the Apollo 11 capsule, and so much more to bring you into a hundred years of aviation miracles. You can spend hours in either location. The museum in DC is getting a bit worn, especially some of the information of current cosmological theories, but it's still free, and still, I think, the finest of its type in the world. I mean what I say here. The best aviation museum in the world is free and in Washington, DC. There is simply no where else that puts you in touch with such amazing, unique, and historic relics. Could it stand for a refurbishment? Of course, but it's so much better than anything else of it's type, this place still deserves 5 stars. As for the Udvar Hazy center, the sheer scope of it is breath-taking. It's three and a half acres of infamous aircraft and the impact they've had. You can stand on one end of the center and look to the other, and if your breath isn't taken away, you've got no imagination or sense of history. This is an absolute must for everyone in the DC area. read more

Of all the Smithsonian museums, this is probably my favorite. The others, such as natural history, art, etc... are all good and whatnot, but they're also stables of any major city. A museum solely dedicated to air and space is a much rarer site. They've got some really cool stuff, like an exhibit about Apollo 13, the planets, various outfits, how things fly, the Wright brothers, US carrier, etc... Words can't do them justice, so I highly suggest actually going and taking in the awesome sights :) read more

O.K. Imagine there are no tourists, no screaming kids, and no long lines. In that scenario this museum is, and will always be, awe-inspiring. How could we NOT love looking up to see planes hanging from the ceiling or crawling inside cockpits or gazing at space capsules that have journeyed to the Moon...? The National Air and Space Museum makes me proud to be American. It always inspires me. And taking friends' kids here adds an entirely new dimension to the experience. Some may say it is tired - but I don't see how. For years I have enjoyed the freeze-dried food and other inventive gifts in the museum shops - and even the noisy food hall. [I have heard that the Dulles extension of the museum is amazing and hope to get out there at some point to be further inspired - to reach for the *stars.*] read more

One of my personal favorites. Highly recommended to space buffs of all ages. Note further that the "Dulles" branch is even more spectacular. read more

Conveniently located close to the Smithsonian subway station this museum is perfect for anyone wanting to learn more about space and aircraft and their development over the years. There are three different simulator rides towards the back of the downstairs exhibitions which you can ride for a fee of less than $10. My friend and I tried out the space mission one and enjoyed the whole experience. Upstairs there is a huge planetarium which shows multiple short films throughout the day, these can be seen for a small fee of less than $10 also. We decided upon the 'Journey to the Stars' show which is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. The whole experience was breathtaking. The screen is a full planetarium screen which stretches across the entire domed ceiling of the cinema. The sound and imaging was out of this world. I think you could possibly spend days in this museum, reading all the exhibits and taking in all of the miniature films and videos being shown as well as looking at all of the space and aircraft models spread out around the museum. Amazing for all age ranges and you will come out with a brain full of new knowledge. read more

I have fond memories of the National Air and Space Museum from when I visited DC when I was a little kid back in the 80's. Unfortunately the majority of the museum hasn't changed much since then. I feel like much of the museum centers around World War II and the subsequent Cold War. This is one museum where you visit once and then maybe visit it 10 years later to see something different. This museum really just for tourists and especially kids. You need just about an entire afternoon to see the whole museum. Don't get me wrong, if you have never been to the National Air and Space Museum you should really go, but there's no need to go a second time. On the other hand, the Johnson IMAX theater is very much worth a second trip, perhaps a third or fourth. The theater shows science fare, sometimes in 3D. The permanent exhibits are impressive. The museum is an ode to America's century-long dominance in science and technology. From the Wright Brother's plane to the Voyager spacecraft, it has practically everything. One of my favorite things about the Air and Space Museum is the gift shop. It's one of the few places I've found that has pens that write upside down and astronaut ice cream. read more

I've only managed to come here 3 times in my years, yet I'm a member and I live in San Francisco... means I still get the magazine though!! :D It's amazing to see these artifacts of aviation and space exploration history up close. While I found the Deutsches Museum (in Munich) to have a greater quantity of planes and spacecraft on display (while not even being exclusive to just air and space technology), it's nice to admire a collection on our own soil (plus the signs here are in English). Agreed that parts of it are rather dated, but I feel it's still an important place for EVERYONE to go spend a few hours to learn about this aspect of history, and hopefully inspire more kids to become the engineers of the future. But I am a rocket scientist after all, how could I not love this place? read more

This is a top-notch museum with a lot of appeal to a wide range of ages. My most recent trip was with pre-teens. The individual areas are dedicated to different areas of flight (The Wright Brothers, each war, commercial airlines, space flight). We were there for half a day and only saw about a third of it. I had seen the Imax movie "To Fly" back when the museum originally opened and was pleased to see it was still showing, so we bought tickets. It's still a stomach dropping thrill movie. I wish there were more food options, but it's not an area of DC with food options. We ended up in the museum's food court. Mercifully it is fast. Basically it's a subset of McDonald's, Boston Chicken, and a Pizza place. Fast. Not delicious. Filling. Even the pre-teens hated it. read more

I could have spent half a day here. The history and aircraft that are in here are unreal. Best part it is free to enter like most DC area museums. The one in Vienna outside is the one we went to. read more

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It was cool. Great outing. Good for kids. Free on off season. Definitely a learning experience for kids and adults

This is a great museum for the flight nerd in your party (and even for those of you who are not). Monday - Sunday, it is open from 10AM to 5:30PM. The museum starts from the very origins of flight with an exhibit about the wright brothers and then takes you all the way up to space flight and beyond. The exhibits are well designed so that the causal observer can be wowed and amazed while devoted flight enthusiast can spend more time observing each portion and reading the smaller more interesting tidbits. stray observations. 1) it's interesting how many of the airplane manufacturers during WWI and WWII went on to become car companies (e.i. BMW and Mitsubishi). 2) The first floor has a great simulator ride, which you have to pay $7-8, but you can be a fighter pilot and defend the nation 3) The food court should really be called a huge well run McDonalds, because they are mostly McDonalds with a little bit of food from boston market. The food comes out almost Immediately. 4) This museum is good and has escalators. Some of the older museums do not have escalators so I am glad the air and space museum is good at getting you high ... off the ground... to other floors. 5) Try to play the trivia game in the space section. The little kid next to you will probably beat you by dumb luck. read more

Best museum out there for all ages. Several beautiful airplanes and space crafts throughout. You could easily spend days learning everything about the history and evolution of air and space. read more

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One of the best museums in the US. You do not need to be a kid to walk in and enjoy the great achievements this museum displays. It makes you proud to be an American to see the accomplishments. With that being said, anyone from any part of the globe would enjoy seeing the displays about the space program, flight, rocketry, telescopes, war, and best of all the record breaking aircraft. Some things could be renovated, but it is cool seeing time frozen in the Apollo program wing. The museum contains, The Spirit of St. Louis, Bell X-1, the Nasa x-15, a fake sputnik, a real Apollo- Soyez space station, space capsules, moon suits, German rockets, bits of the Hubble, and much much more! read more

If I could pick any place in DC to have all to myself and several hundred close friends for an intimate evening party, this would be the place. It's huge, open, fascinating exhibits, and incredibly fun to explore. I love having it in my life so much that I might finally be able to forgive my parents for never sending me to Space Camp as a child. Why the three stars? Because I don't have it to myself. I have to share it with billions of tourist families. While it melts my lil heart everytime I see some seven-year old know it all who is just gushing with all this knowledge, the majority of kids there don't want to be there and neither do the parents. It's almost as though it's an obligatory tourist stop that tourists don't even enjoy. Stand in any room and for every child you see who is thrilled to be there, there's about seven who would rather be anywhere else in the universe (get it? ;). Why does this bother me? When I'm sitting there watching a video on a WW2 battle in Japan and some little kid decides to press the button which starts it all over, I get a lil agitated. But, hell, if I was six years old I would be pushing buttons all over this place. read more

Great place to check out on a trip to Washington D.C. There is no cost of admission to the museum although you can purchase tickets for shows in the Einstein Planetarium and the IMAX theatre. There is lots of history to see and lots of great exhibits for children. They were definitely fascinated by the exhibits. Staff is very friendly and genuinely love what they do. read more

You kind of know what you're getting yourself into when you walk up to this museum and there are multiple tour buses parked out front. Let me ruin the surprise for you: those buses are full of kids on their 8th grade field trip. 13/14-year-olds don't care about air. Or space. But they do enjoy ruining movies, malls and apparently this museum. Seriously, every ledge area is full of teenagers just sitting around talking about God only knows what. And yes, I realize that I am getting this old. I was one of those 8th graders once and I want to go back and slap myself for ruining an otherwise decent museum. If possible go during winter (which is actually my recommendation for all Mall museums). I personally found the air section much more informative than space. Maybe space was ruined for me because I've been to NASA's Johnson Space Center? There you could try on space helmets. I was all over it! Over in air, the Wright Brother's exhibit was especially a delight. But then I saw a pile of 8th graders and cried on the inside. Oh, and if you have no fear of 8th graders, this museum still isn't that great. There are plenty of other people shoving, fighting and screaming to make you want to take a Xanax. read more

Fly Away! You can find tons of information on anything you ever wanted to know about air and space travel. There are exhibits from the first airplane to missions in space. You could spend hours in each room but my favorite room was the one with the Wright Brothers and their airplane. The museum also includes an IMAX Theater and flight simulators. The food court has offerings from McDonalds, Boston Market, and Donatos Pizza for when you get hungry. read more

I think at any other time of year this museum might get a 4.5 star from me but the amount of summer tourist crowds and what seemed to be a national Boy Scouts jamboree lessened my experience. Since I have not been in the NASM in over 12 years, and I'm know speaking as a mid-20 something who has witnessed a good chunk of the shuttle missions and the final lift off of the US Space shuttle program, let me talk about the positives. The Wright Brothers aviation exhibit was outstanding. If you think about it, there were only 5 decades between the birth of flight and the Space Race. Isn't that completely mind blowing? And considering the amount of times the Wright Brothers failed to fly more than just a couple of seconds above the ground, their ingenuity and perseverance is something that most young adults should pay attention to these days. Also, there were a couple of Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum shout-outs in the exhibit, so if you're interested and want to make the trip to Detroit to see the Wright Bicycle Shop, I highly recommend. They were also showing a preview of a future of NASA/Space flight exhibit with lots of interactive touchscreen and hands-on areas. They were showing a replica of the Skylab and the microgravity toilet, complete with some sort of strapping mechanism for the toilet user. Use your imagination. hahaha. Even more amazing was watching the 5 minute video of the last shuttle Discovery's lift off. Crazy when you think that you're going 2,900 mph up into space. Astronauts must be the ballsiest people on the face of the planet to strap themselves to a rocket going that speed. So here's the negative. This museum still seems like it's stuck in the 80s. The exterior of the museum looks fine, but step inside, and it looks like no one has done any kind of TLC to this building since the MIR space station was built. It's years behind many of the Smithsonian museum interiors and it desperately needs a makeover. I think the exhibits and educational material are fine as is, but even a small facelift might do wonders for this national treasure. read more

I'm sure everyone has already said it all, so I won't try to. The most fun of the national museums, especially for kids. Everyone wants to fly, and that is heart of what makes this place cool. Then you add on all the touchable stuff, and the IMAX theater and well, American History Museum can eat my shorts. TIP*** Check out the times of opening and closing of the museums you are thinking of doing, They don't all have the same hours. read more

Walked over here after the National Gallery of Art, which is a block or two away. Cool museum but it's hard to appreciate when busloads of tourists are checking it out with you too. read more

We had a lot of fun at this museum. We are SPACE NERDS! So this was a must-see on a two day conference piggy back trip. We really liked the exhibits on space and spies, the Hubble telescope and early moon landings. We also enjoyed the area that was about the history of flight. I found the flight attendant uniforms so neat! We also did 2 planetarium shows (we had seen the Neil Degrasse-Tyson one in NYC). The Whoppi Goldberg one was good, the other one was boring. We also watch an IMAX movie as well. Any planetarium show or IMAX costs extra but if you see one you get discounts off future tickets to other shows. The unfortunate things about this museum? THEY HAVE NO LOCKERS OR COAT CHECK. Wandering around with my winter coat was pretty annoying. I also agree with some reviewers that certain areas are in need of an update. The section on the planets seemed old simply based on the FONT utilized. There were also some pieces of signage that were peeling and hard to read. We had so much fun here for a day but I hope people will donate to this museum to make sure it stays space-tastic. read more

I'm not really fascinated by Air or Space. But my boyfriend is. We went through this museum just hours before we left to the airport. They have a very impressive collection of aircrafts and spacecrafts. Most notably, the Wright Brother's glider and Amelia Earhart's plane. But other than that, I wasn't really amazed by anything. To really take advantage of this place, you have to take the time to read things. But we didn't have the time to leisurely walk through it. I thought the kid's section was nicely done though. I loved science museums as a kid, and I thought their displays to teach kids about science were very engaging to a young kid, yet informative. Of course, most kids just kind of play with things and don't pay attention to why these things happen. But it would be a great place to take curious kids to learn about physics. read more

The boys & I really enjoyed the Space Museum. A lot of very interesting exhibits. Kids we're not board. Best part is it's cool inside & Free educational experience . read more

Smithsonian - Cool Museum. - Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Meh. Not as fun and interesting as it used to be. We heard there's a larger and better air and space museum about 20 mi away.

Security very rude. Not just one, but about 5 of them we encountered on the way into the museum. Also, about half of the exhibits are closed. I knew that going in so that is not reflected in my rating. However the bathrooms on one end were closed off on both floors. That couple with the angry, rude security gives it a 1 star rating. read more

It's raining. And it's COLD. The fates must be laughing at me because I had just weathered a major storm in San Jose only to fly east to another storm in DC. And did I mention it was cold? Because it was! But I quickly warmed myself up by hitting up the National Air and Space Museum in the National Mall. It was something that was definitely on my list of museums to hit up. It did not disappoint! I loved the displays of shuttles and the lunar modular and the history of the space race between the U.S. and Russia. I really enjoyed the history behind the Wright brothers and their attempts to fly. Because who knew where we had ended up without their efforts. Planes, rockets, Skylab, and a replica of the Hubble Telescope, OH MY! We even caught a show on Black Holes. The museum is free to all and welcome donations. It certainly kept us entertained and, more importantly, dry from all that rain! Their cafe isn't much of one. Just McDonald's, Pizza, and some ice cream. Not too healthy but definitely made a lot of school kids smile as they stood in line for food. If you're hungry, definitely go elsewhere for food. Day 1 of my DC trip read more