Fabulous Museum to visit no matter what age or gender you are. You can get the coach from the Air Museum outside Washington near Dulles Airport and it drops you at the door. Bit disappointed in the food in the restuarant though. Not enough to keep you occupied for a whole day but there are plenty of other things to do along here read more

Went there w/5 yo and two 3 yo's and it was just too big. One of the three year olds is autistic and just wanted to run and find the building borders, while the 5yo just wanted to go up and down the escalators. I was surprised how kid-unaware it was. There was almost nothing interactive. Even just a mockup of a space capsule they could sit in would be useful, or looping videos showing the launchings. It's an amazing collection and I was in awe but hard to explain that enthusiasm to small kids. read more

I can't recommend this place enough: case in point, I recently visited it twice in the span of one week! There is so much to see, especially if you are an air and space enthusiast and interested in reading every little thing. Funnily enough, I never knew I had an interest in air and space technology but this museum has succeeded in drawing out my inner-astronaut. Had I visited this place as a child, I would've probably gone into aerospace engineering. It is that cool! They currently have later operating hours to accommodate the summer crowds. read more

Is this my favorite museum in the whole world? I don't know. It's definitely had a stronger, more lasting impact on my life than any other structure (save the hospital where I was born). I first visited the good ol' NASM back in the early 80s. I had recently seen the movie "Final Countdown" and bits of "The Right Stuff." ("Final Countdown" starred Kirk Douglas as an admiral on an aircraft carrier which was sucked through a vortex back to the battle of Pearl Harbor.) So, there I was--all interested in spaceships, planes, aircraft carriers, helicopters, and time travel. Now while NASM offers virtually no information on time travel, they do have a vast collection of...stuff...dedicated to the other topics previously mentioned. Add the Udvar-Hazy Center, and...wow. So how did it impact me? Well, I wasn't interested in history before. I saw it as guys wearing wigs and stalkings and writing with feathers. After that, I thought history was pretty cool. So cool, in fact, that I wanted to grow up and get a job at the Smithsonian. Or win a million dollars. Point is this: if you haven't gone, go. It's one of the places in DC you simply need to visit. read more

Must see in DC! Have also a special area about the great Amelia Earhart. read more

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

This museum is a National Treasure that tells the story of Americas adventure as we pioneered our way into aeronautical history and changing the world in the process. With full scale airplanes and space ships hanging from the ceiling like model toys, and all sorts of hands on science experiments that explain and demonstrate the nature of physics in a way that kids and adults can understand. Add to that a IMAX theater with breathtaking visual effects and sound, it is impossible to imagine anyone could walk away unimpressed. Definitely an item that should be on everyone's bucket list to visit. read more

Smithsonian - Ryan Taylor Arrambide standing next to the Apollo 11 lunar module - Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I wish they would split this museum in two, it's just too big. So I took a two hour tour. Yes, they have an hour tour, but I thought oh, I will see more on the two hour. Nope, rather our guide went on and on about detail that really wasn't interesting enough. So I definitely feel I need to go back and do the tour with a different guide. But this place is truly spectacular! read more

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One of my favorite museums to date. I would highly recommend visiting both the one downtown and the one near the airport. The one near the airport has the SR71 :) Do try to time your visit with a free guided our. We lucked out by having a former NASA engineer serving as our guide when we visited the downtown museum. He was incredibly informative, engaging and friendly. read more

After a day of my 7 year old dragging his feet and not wanting to see the DC sites, this sure made his day and brought some enthusiasm to our day! Just what we needed! There were tons of different exhibit rooms to explore with different air and space themes/periods. Huge museum, very informative. I enjoy the museums that have more hands on options for the kids, but they had a few things. read more

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum features thousands of exhibits including the Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, X-1, X-15, U-2, Cruise Missile, Predator Drone, Gossimer Condor, Apollo 11, and a Moon Rock you can touch. (See photos.) The Planetarium is great and the IMAX Theater has one-of-a-kind programs. On clear sky days, look through the Phoebe Waterman Telescope outside on the east terrace, open 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, Wednesday thru Sunday. It's open 10:00 am to 5:30 pm every day and admission is free. Lines can be long, so get here early. There is limited parking so consider the Circulator Bus, Subway, or Uber. this place is huge so wear good walking shoes. Have fun! See: https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum-dc read more

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This museum is very well designed and organized. The history of flight is so well presented. There are multiple rooms showing all the different time periods of flight and looking into the future. Great movies there and lots to do for all ages. read more

The one star is for the horrendous, expensive cold sandwiches... You don't allow food inside, your food service sucks...one can't even go out and come back again as the line to enter is too long...Something has to be done... read more

If you love all things that fly through the air or space, check it out. They also have a revolving gallery that features some amazing shots from and of space. The detail in the photos of other planets in mesmerizing. It can get crowded, so try to go early when it opens. read more

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The #1 museum in DC. So huge that part of it can be closed and still have more displays and exhibits than many of the other museums combined. Even in slow season it is busy. And in busy season? VERY crowded. Still, tons of look at and do. Kids will love it. Multi-level museum store, IMAX theater (but who does not have one now?), and museum food (pricy food you could have made at a third of the cost at home). Could take half a day or more to see - if you plan to visit A&S Museum in the morning do not plan to visit more than one more museum that day. You will find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of interactive displays, aircraft, rockets, and family friendly exhibits. Make sure to touch the moon rock! It is something I do when visiting the museum - a tradition since I was a child! read more

I was in Washington about 2 weeks ago - on one of the hottest weeks, btw... As I was walking from monument to monument, I came across this little gem. The museum itself was just spectacular. The airplanes, moon rock, space crafts, and IMAX show make it completely worthwhile. Since there is no admission, I took a stroll through the gift shop and bought a few knick knacks to remember my time there. There was nothing more humbling than to look up and see an entire airplane hanging from the ceiling that was once pioneering flight in the US. It just gives you goosebumps! A little more low-profile than the Lincoln Monument but definitely as high-brow and impressive, the National Air and Space Museum can be a great break from reality if only for a moment. read more

Overall, this is a quality place to spend some time, for casual observer (30 min, tops) or an aviation buff (1-2 hours). Layout- good use of space, in the big, hanging displays, e.g. Sputnik, V-2, Skylab, Spirit of St. Louis. Thought the smaller rooms could have easily added more content. Example: WWII room could have doubled the amount displayed, without being crammed IMHO. Overall content is interesting. The room on the Wright brothers gave a great historical context. For my money, I'd rather have seen less rockets and more WWI and WWII aircraft, but that is just my interest. Their balance of space and commercial air content is to be commended (but not as cool as a F-4U Corsair). Only legitimate downside was the poor work ethic displayed by those employees receiving the incoming guests. They simply belted out instructions to guests with no eye contact, no move to open an available entrance when the line stacked up outside, three different workers giving conflicting instructions to a family with a stroller... small hassle, but completely unnecessary. Final assessment: Quality product by the Smithsonian. Worth your time, even if for just a stroll through. read more

I loved coming here as a kid & I still love it! I took a number of photographs yesterday, but they are lumped in with my entire DC day trip. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.638368026191030.1073741837.398131893547979&type=1 read more

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

I love this museum. I have always been fascinated by space and to see actual things that have been in space was incredible. They also have the first Wright Brother's plane on display. Exhibits are well organized and it is definitely a nerd's heaven. Make sure to check out the planetarium! read more

2.75 stars. I wish I could like the Air and Space museum more. Perhaps why I don't is through no fault of the museum..But just that it is, crowded. This is probably one of the Top 3 museums in the city, it is free and the subject matter is interesting. But to me, there are just too many people. Plus, this is always the museum I go to with the children on field trips. So I guess the stress of watching out for dozens of children is associated with the museum and thus, a lower score. Oh well, do it after you have seen the other free museums on the mall + Portrait Gallery in Chinatown, if you have time, is my advice. read more

It really isn't all it's cracked up to be. They moved a lot of the cool stuff including the blackbird and the Enola Gay to a different museum. The graphics are horrible in the simulators too. read more

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This place has a lot of information about the history of flight and space travel. There are so many exhibits that display the technological progression of the projectiles we used to travel. The Air Force band was also there and treated us to some of the greatest symphonic creations known to mankind and followed through flawlessly! Walking around on foot around the crowd and playing these pieces was quite impressive. The down fall of this facility is that it was super packed. Shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot throughout the whole building. I'm sure this is common for these types of museums. read more

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This museum was awesome!! A great way to learn some of the scientific concepts through history of inventions. Also fascinating to see how much humanity has advanced. One of my fave museums hands down!! And it's free. read more

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If your looking for the BIG planes such as the SR 71 or the enola gay, you wont find those that this museaum. You want the one by the airport. Also I was slightly disappointed that the WW2 section had 4 planes with no P-38, ME 262, or FW 190. But the museum has some very interesting things to check out and has an excellent food court. We got our food lightning fast. You should come here with the family, just dont expect to see any big planes. read more

Simply amazing, refreshing, and fun event based on what everything is going on at the current moment. read more

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

Whole family loved this museum! We also enjoyed the planetarium show. The exhibits are well spaced, and hands on. My 8 year old especially loved this museum, and could've spent much more than the 2 hours we spent inside! read more

Our Nations collection of cool stuff. Since you've already funded it through taxes there is no fee to enter. Just go EARLY because it is very popular and crowded as heck by noon. read more

Located just off the National Mall a must see! Admission, like all of the other Smithsonian, museums is free. They do practice active bag checks upon entering. Best to take public transportation to the museum. It will take you several hours to see the exhibits. No food options in the facility, just bottled beverages and some candies. Don't worry though, lots of food options just outside at the many many foods trucks surrounding the National Mall and side streets. read more

While this museum is awesome for a nerdy adult - or any adult that's curious about, you know, the UNIVERSE -- it is not a place for kids under 3-4. There's no place where a toddler can touch/reach or run around. We were hoping they'd have a space similar to the Wegman Wonderroom at the American History or the National History museum, but sadly it doesn't. Also, their "hands on" exhibits changed a lot, really fast. So if you're a local with kids and enjoy one of their exhibits, i say take advantage of it before it disappears into something else! read more

Excellent museum for aircraft, space and even SciFi nerds. All the displays are well-kept and well-maintained. Huge gift shop (only complaint is that they have Obama postcards, but none featuring the current president). Security may be a necessary evil here, but the security folks have the same tact as your average TSA agent. The WiFi is great so you can keep sending out photos of what you see to your friends. Best of all they have the original shooting model of the U.S.S. Enterprise which was refurbished last year. read more

Really interesting and you can get as in-depth as you please. My family thoroughly enjoyed going inside a real rocket and the flight simulator was great too. The history of flight is awesome! Go early, and bring cell phones so one person can hold your place in the sometimes long lines for popular exhibits. Wear your casual walking shoes because you will need them. Plan on starting early and bring a snack or light lunch. It's a great experience especially in the spring, when the cherry blossoms are blooming. I only wish we had taken longer, there is soo much to see. Picture-taking is permitted and the gift shop was chock full of something for everyone. You will get your exercise in DC. read more

Be Warned - the food court is horrible. The food court is not a court but a McDonalds and two Boston Market chicken dishes. Its absolutely sickening to plan your whole day here and then be subjected to this toxic chemical based food like product. Its sad that with all the foreign visitors that visit here daily and must be subjected to this. Take a hint McDonalds is on the decline because real food diets are coming back in style. The Museum is awesome. Even my 3yr old daughter loved it. read more

Honestly, with all that rave about the 'smithsonian air & space museum' I was extremely disappointed upon visiting. It just seems... Old, outdated. It just has a certain feel that makes it seem like it hasn't been updated in a long, long time. One exhibit we went in had 5 broken interactive displays in a row. They had a few decent ones that actually caught my eye such as the wright brothers one, where they display the original wright plane. This museum earned another star with its flight simulators. They were actually super fun. I suggest the 'fly' one for 8$ (where you actually fly the plane and can do barrel rolls) as opposed to the 'ride' (tamer with no barrel rolls & it controls it for you). While in the fly one, I think I only shot down two planes as I just focused on doing barrel rolls the whole time! But really, it's not good for the highlight of my visit to be the flight simulators in this museum... They really should focus on updating exhibits to appeal to the modern crowd and to kids. Overall, probably would not visit again. I recommend only if you have never visited before or if you're just really bored on a rainy day. Or perhaps, if you have a passion for riding flight simulators ;) read more

Amazing variety of all aspects of aviation. The original pieces they have are amazing! The best museum in DC read more

Smithsonian - Spacesuit used on the moon! - Museums Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Been waiting to come here all my life. No joke. Worth the trip. I came here with no inclination to spend any money so I didn't get to see the really awesome shows that Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Whoppi Goldberg Narrated, but nonetheless I had a blast. Seeing all the history of spaceflight and the history of conventional flight was amazing. I knocked this one off my bucket list. Go if you can, don't miss it if you're in town. read more

I love to Visit historical places and and Museums. National Air and Space Museum is one of the fantastic place I had ever visited. The Museum is located in 6th street SW, Independence Avenue, Metro area,Washington DC. There is not fee to visit the National Air and Space Museum but there is no free parking area around. Its a public site anyone can go and visit the museum and the museum is inside of a very big building. I had visited National Air and Space Museum on 2015 Memorial day weekend with my friends. Since I am interested in history and I visited many historical places, I found the National Air and Space Museum very interesting place to visit and rate it full star 5/5. I do recommend its interesting place to visit. read more

This is one of the best museums in town! Free, massive easy to get to. Parking meters out front o metro, uber There are usually food trucks out front also. read more

Had a great time here last bed seeing some of the planes of WWII like the ME262 and 109. Then there was the idiot in the space exhibit telling her teenager that the moon landing was a hoax to scare the Russians in the 60's. Yes, entertaining to say the least. read more

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October is the time Of year to go. No crowds at the IMAX theater all to ourselves. No school groups or obnoxious tourists

This was the best museum Ive ever been to, even though I have absolutely zero interest in planes or spaceships... That shows what an incredible museum it is. It is in two different buildings, I highly recommend both, the one in DC is probably the one you should start with......I've seen people say you can see it in a half-day but that's not true, in total I've been here about 12 times and each visit was a full day visit and you really need a full day to even scratch the surface.You will see the discovery space shuttle, an Amelia Airheart plane, the Moon Lander, the Apollo 13, the spirit of St. Louis, the French Concorde, you get to touch a Moonrock, and best of all they literally have the Wright brothers plane. This is the first airplane that ever flew!!!!!!I was so fascinated and transfixed I walked around it in a circle for about half an hour and read all the intricate detailed information possible, and then I just stood back to appreciate it, and I was standing beside a security guard... For 15 minutes the only question he answered from various tourists was "Is this a model? This is a model right, this can't be the real thing! ".....And his answer each time was the same "No -this is the real thing. This is the original Wright brothers plane. " It was fascinating. There are also spectacular massive stunning color photographs of constellations and nebulas from around the universe taken by the Hubble. Probably the best experience I've ever had with any museum docent in the world happened when I was at the location in Virginia, which is much bigger. Whenever I go anywhere, including restaurants or hotels or cities or museums I like to research ahead of time what are the best things to look for. Therefore before I arrived at the museum I looked for the 10 things that are a must do. I found the first nine things myself and they were just incredible... The only thing I could not find was something called the Japanese Balloon Bomb. I went up to an info booth and asked a nice gentleman staff for directions, expecting he would just point me the right way. Instead he immediately stood up and literally was tripping over himself to leave the desk, and he left a note saying back in 10 minutes, and he said oh my gosh that's so exciting I've worked here 20 years and never has anybody ever asked me where is the balloon bomb, how did you know to ask about the balloon bomb, nobody ever asks, they're always looking in the wrong direction and they walk right past it... The four of us followed him like the Pied Piper right over to it and he explained the whole history, it was fascinating. In World War II the Japanese ingeniously engineered 9000 balloon bombs, which were inflated to about 30 feet tall, and made of rubber or even paper, they were released into the air and caught the jetstream across the Atlantic towards USA.....They were so brilliantly designed that they had sand in bags tied in a circle around the bomb that acted as ballast... Therefore if the balloon was found to be floating a bit too low somehow the technology would drop a few sand bags until the balloon was lighter and would rise up higher- That is not bad for 73 year old technology long before computers are available....... about 1000 bombs landed on American soil that only caused six deaths, when one of them landed on a kindergarten class on a field trip and exploded. During the war obviously Americans were shocked and confused by these bombs landing on there- obviously they didn't know where they were coming from because the Japanese didn't leave any signs, ie "from Japan with love! " Etc. Therefore the greatest geologists in the country did in-depth studies of the sand in the bags and found after testing that there is only one possible beach in the world where that sand could have come from and it was in Japan near Nagasaki. Fascinating. I'll never forget how shocked I was after the first time I saw this museum, I immediately drove back to my spectacular hotel in Georgetown the Four Seasons Hotel which is on Pennsylvania Avenue the same street as the White House... And I asked the concierge, how is it possible that I just saw the best museum in the world and yet it was free? He said "those are your tax dollars at work! " I replied " Not my tax dollars! I am Canadian!" Thank you to the American tax payer !!! read more

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Really nice museum - the Einstein planetarium and IMAX are by far one of the best we have visited around the world. Lots of life size displays for the kids to look at! read more