United States
District of Columbia (DC)
Washington DC
Things to Do in Washington DC
National Air and Space Museum
See all things to do

National Air and Space Museum

See all things to do
See all things to do
National Air and Space Museum
4.5
23,407
#4 of 497 things to do in Washington DC
Speciality Museums
Read more
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Write a review
About
Note to visitors: Starting Oct 7, 2019, please enter through the Jefferson Drive entrance (National Mall side). The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience National Air and Space Museum
See all
The area
Address
Neighborhood: Upper Northwest
How to get there
  • L'Enfant Plaza • 4 min walk
  • Federal Center SW • 7 min walk
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,955 within 3 miles
The Capital Grille
2,095
0.4 mi$$$$ • Steakhouse • Vegetarian Friendly • Gluten Free Options
Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe
997
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • Native American
Pavilion Cafe
460
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • American • Cafe
Fiola
923
0.4 mi$$$$ • Italian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Rasika
2,870
0.5 mi$$$$ • Indian • Contemporary • Vegetarian Friendly
Penn Quarter Sports Tavern
457
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Pub
Cascade Café
240
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Garden Cafe
132
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Vegetarian Friendly
Capitol Bistro
124
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Vegetarian Friendly
McDonald's
132
0.2 mi$ • Quick Bites • American • Fast Food
See all
Attractions
600 within 6 miles
Einstein Planetarium
22
2.2 ftTheaters • Observatories & Planetariums
Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial
10
274 ftMonuments & Statues
National Mall
8,352
0.2 miHistoric Walking Areas • Parks
National Gallery of Art
9,290
0.2 miArt Museums
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
893
0.2 miGardens • Art Museums
National Museum of the American Indian
2,399
0.2 miSpeciality Museums • History Museums
Hirshorn Museum of Art
30
0.2 miArt Museums
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
12,389
0.4 miNatural History Museums
Museum of the Bible
1,137
0.3 miSpeciality Museums
National Gallery of Art - Sculpture Garden
582
0.3 miArt Galleries • Parks
See all
See what other travelers are saying
  • Andrew N
    Hendersonville, North Carolina107 contributions
    Best Smithsonian Museum
    Although some of the museum was closed due to renovations there was still a lot to see. The planterium was cool. There was a variety of planes, some of which you could go in. They had Neil Armstrong's space suit, a Mars Rover and an X Wing from Star Wars. Timed entry tickets were required and the line to get in for those who ordered tickets in advance starts behind the cone on the ramp to the left of the main entrance door, not at the door. There is no signage to indicate this. We were lined up at the front door until an employee came by to tell us we needed to be in the other line. Our tickets were for 10:00 and by the time they opened the doors people were lined up down the block & around the building.
    Traveled with family
    Written December 31, 2022
  • Somecomments
    New Jersey41 contributions
    Dec 2022- Partially Open
    Visited 12/28/22: Museum requires timed entry tickets, some are released each AM at 8:30 on the website if you dont plan far enough ahead. Only about half (or less?) of the museum is open, as much is under renovation. Moon, Space, Commercial Air Travel and Wright Brothers are the main attractions left over- sadly many other must-see items are in the closed section. Still impressive history and displays, but not the full experience.
    Written December 31, 2022
  • Robert D
    2,334 contributions
    Partially Re-opened
    The Air and Space Museum has been updated for the 21st Century. The western half of the Museum has re-opened after a major renovation. Free, timed-entry passes are required due to the crowds. Avoid busy weekends for a better experience. The exhibits are amazing. They even have a model spacecraft from the Stars Wars movies as well as authentic historic planes. You can see the original Wright Brothers Flyer and the only part of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth. The gift shop is now on three floors, though I wish there would be a guide to explain what is on each floor.
    Written January 8, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
23,407 reviews
Excellent
15,956
Very good
5,336
Average
1,739
Poor
299
Terrible
80
Babyalmie
Dorset, UK755 contributions
Interesting museum with an outstanding space section
Dec 2022 • Family
This is a very busy museum and you need to book a spot for a (free) ticket. When we went quite a large portion of the museum was closed so the exhibits that were open were very overwhelming due to the numbers of people. The exhibits themselves were interesting and - in the space section - quite exceptional. They typically weren’t very interactive though which is a shame given the opportunities for getting young people engaged in these subjects. We went to the imax shows which were very good (you save money by paying for two shows back to back).
There isn’t a cloakroom so be prepared to carry your coats etc around with you
Written December 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
RenaM65
Boston, MA143 contributions
History and future of flight
Nov 2022
The museum has timed entry which controls crowds to some extent. We arrived a half hour early and were fortunate to begin the front of a long line awaiting entry. The exhibits are engaging, interesting and dig down below the common information we all learned. The Wright Brothers exhibit welcomes you , allows you to understand William and Orville as people and sets the tone for your visit. There is still some time until the renovation is complete and all exhibits and amenities ar eon place - do not let that deter you. Definitely go and bring your family.
Written November 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
feralzen2022
27 contributions
Meh. Call us when the update is complete.
Mar 2022 • Family
Just reopened after closure during the height of the pandemic, probably contributing to the really long line to enter and the chaotic, crowded experience inside. Most exhibit halls were closed for updates. Nothing about the history of flight was accessible. We were thrilled to find many of the sculptures from the If Then She Can exhibit located around the museum though.

Overall, though, we had a more complete experience at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Written March 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Cathy N
2 contributions
Worth the trip.
May 2022
The Air and Space Museum near the National Mall was closed so we took the Metro (and a connecting bus) to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport. Google gave us great directions. This museum was fantastic and well worth the trip. They had my husbands two favorite airplanes of all time, the Tomcat F14 and the SR71 Blackbird. He was very pleased to see them up close. The Discovery space shuttle was also at this location. There were so many planes, missiles, drones and helicopters along with information about each. There were also interactive screens at some of the displays where you could ask questions (live) from experts. Although I was disappointed that the National Air and Space Museum on Independence Avenue was closed for repairs, this museum made up for it.
Written June 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
dallasite95
Dallas, TX51 contributions
Extremely disappointing due to illogical museum policy. Only 40% of the museum is open
Aug 2021
Extremely disappointing due to illogical museum policy. At most 30-40% of the museum is accessible at this time. Those areas were packed with visitors. We spent perhaps a little over an hour here.

After waiting 30 mins in line to get to the entrance we saw a sign that said "Due to unforeseen elevator maintenance and to ensure equal access to all our visitors, the 2nd floor of the museum is closed and expected to reopen near the end of August... the Wright Flyer and Neil Armstrong's spacesuit along with other galleries will not be on view". What was on display was wonderful, but why limit access to 60% of the museum since a small percentage of visitors can't use the stairs?
Check the website map prior to your visit that shows the few areas that are currently open.

The space craft displays are wonderful, but much of the aircraft are not on display.
The museum store was incredibly small compared to the other Smithsonian museums.

I'd recommend the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center out near Dulles instead.
Written August 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Renee M
12 contributions
Disappointed
Dec 2022
I originally booked this trip for my Anniversary in June, but rescheduled for December due to the museum being closed for renovations. Imagine our surprise and disappointment when we arrived and found out we had traveled from Atlanta to see the Air & Space Museum, and half of it... the BEST HALF... is still under renovation. We still enjoyed the museum, but I wish we had known that the main exhibits were closed. I heard so many people raise the same concerns.
Written December 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Kathy M
31 contributions
Disappointing
Sep 2021 • Couples
We were disappointed with this visit since a lot of things were closed, including the entire second floor for renovations. We had really wanted to see the Wright brothers plane, but it was not on display, along with many other artifacts. There were quite a few interactive displays that were not operational either. The museum was also quite crowded and there was a lineup to get in.
Written October 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
nigel r
Colchester, UK272 contributions
Brilliant
Oct 2022
Only just re-opened and although only half size at present still worth booking ( which is essential!!!) . Once inside the displays are so informative and many interactive it suits all ages from 10 to 100yrs ( my opinion). If the rest of the building arrives with the same standard it will be fantastic. An absolute must and its free,
Written October 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
KPK
28 contributions
Amazing place but so much closed off
Mar 2022
Be sure to check dates when traveling. They are undergoing a major renovation and a good 2/3 of the museum is closed off. It's still a great museum, just not sure I would have waited an hour in line to really only see items in the lobby area.
Written March 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
themanofec
North Canton, OH473 contributions
Enjoyed the Reopen
Oct 2022
We went on the second day of the reopen and it is still a fun visit. We spent about 2 hours there with a toddler who was wandering from exhibit to exhibit. There were a lot of hands on pieces to play with and the solar system room was a specific highlight
Written October 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2
…
Showing results 1-10 of 17,726
Anything missing or inaccurate?
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing

National Air and Space Museum (Washington DC) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Frequently Asked Questions about National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum is open:
  • Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking National Air and Space Museum tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 32 National Air and Space Museum tours on Tripadvisor
Restaurants near National Air and Space Museum: View all restaurants near National Air and Space Museum on Tripadvisor