Twelve new galleries showcasing a wide range of exhibits are to be opened at the National Air and Space Museum
In a media release, The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has revealed the names and estimated opening timeline for the final 12 galleries that will be showcased at its recently upgraded Washington D.C. home.
The next two galleries to open are the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall and the Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight. These should be ready in spring 2025, with additional attractions opening in phases. The museum expects that most of the remaining galleries and public spaces in the building will be open in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary in July 2026, with completion of the remainder soon after.
Upcoming exhibitions also include Jay I Kislak World War II in the Air and World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation.
The east end of the building has been prepared with exhibits to begin moving into their new galleries later this year. Over 1,600 items will be on show in the east end of the building, including many that were previously on display but have since undergone conservation, preservation and restoration. Many other items will be on public display after long-term storage, are new to the museum’s collection, or were previously on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.
The museum has been undergoing a multi-year renovation that began in 2018. The first half of the renovated National Air and Space Museum opened in October 2022. Free timed-entry passes are required to visit and can be reserved on the museum’s website.
