National Air and Space Museum
The Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis and Apollo 11’s command module under one roof.
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0
National Air and Space Museum guide: free timed-entry passes, the Wright Flyer, Apollo 11’s Columbia, the renewed galleries on the National Mall, the Udvar-Hazy Center and tips for your visit.
What to expect
The Smithsonian’s flagship aviation museum on the National Mall in Washington, DC holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. Its icons include the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis and Columbia, the command module that carried the Apollo 11 crew to the Moon and back.
The building on the Mall has been through a multi-year renovation that reopened its galleries in stages, with July 1, 2026, the museum’s 50th anniversary, set as the completion date. Entry is free, but every visitor needs a free timed-entry pass, and passes often run out weeks ahead.
The museum’s second site, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles Airport in Virginia, shows the larger aircraft in two huge hangars, including the Space Shuttle Discovery, an SR-71 Blackbird and the Concorde. Entry there is free too; you pay only for parking.
Don’t miss
- 1The 1903 Wright Flyer
- 2Apollo 11’s command module Columbia
- 3A piece of the Moon you are allowed to touch
- 4Space Shuttle Discovery at the Udvar-Hazy Center
Best time to visit
All year; weekday mornings outside spring break and the summer holidays are the quietest.
Insider tips
- Reserve your free timed-entry passes online as soon as you know your date.
- Combine the visit with other Smithsonian museums on the National Mall, which are free as well.
- Take the Metro to L’Enfant Plaza or Smithsonian station; parking near the Mall is scarce.
Fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Free |
- Federal park passes such as America the Beautiful are not valid here.
- Entry is free, but every visitor needs a free timed-entry pass booked online.
Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
572 gas stations within 20 km
- 1.6 km Exxon open 24 hours
- 1.7 km Exxon
- 1.7 km Exxon
- 2.2 km Sunoco open 24 hours · diesel
- 2.3 km BP open 24 hours · diesel
- 2.3 km Gas station open 24 hours
- 1.4 km eVgo Fast chargers (EVgo)
- 2.3 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
- 2.4 km EV charging station Fast chargers
- 5.2 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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