The National Air and Space Museum's last two renovated galleries open on different days this fall. Visitors to Washington, DC, can see At Home in Space beginning October 30; Modern Military Aviation follows November 11. A Halloween-weekend trip will reach the space gallery, but seeing both requires a later visit.
The Smithsonian's October 27 announcement concerns the museum on the National Mall. Its companion facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, has a different collection and does not require timed-entry passes.
What the two galleries add
At Home in Space follows the work of sustaining a human presence in low Earth orbit. The collection includes a space shuttle main engine, a spacesuit flown in space, Robonaut 1A and in-flight clothing from Guy Bluford and Sally Ride. Tools for sequencing DNA and specially designed coffee cups bring the subject down to the routines of working and living away from Earth.
Visitors can walk through a mock-up of the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory. The real module remains part of the orbiting station. NASA's module history records its February 2001 installation and describes room for 24 equipment racks, divided between scientific experiments and station systems. Experiments share the module with the equipment needed to operate the station.
Modern Military Aviation covers the Cold War through more recent conflicts, including Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the War on Terror. Its aircraft include the F-86 Sabre, Bell UH-1H Huey and MQ-1L Predator. The museum connects those objects with nuclear weapons, missiles, automation and the people who developed and used the technology.
In his October 27 Design News report, Dan Carney places the space gallery on the main floor and military aviation upstairs. His photographs show the spacesuit display and other artifacts. The two openings finish the redesign of all 20 galleries, alongside work on the building's exterior and mechanical systems. Earlier groups opened in 2022, 2025 and July 2026.
National Mall or Udvar-Hazy?
The Mall building suits a visit centered on the new exhibitions, the 1903 Wright Flyer or Apollo 11 artifacts. Udvar-Hazy offers a hangar setting for larger aircraft and spacecraft, including Space Shuttle Discovery, Concorde and the SR-71 Blackbird. For a family choosing between the two, the deciding object may be a spacecraft: Discovery is in Virginia, while the Mall building houses the Apollo 11 command module Columbia and Neil Armstrong's spacesuit. The new Destiny walk-through is a replica environment, so it does not replace a visit to see an actual shuttle. Admission is free at both, but the travel arrangements differ.
| Detail | National Mall, Washington, DC | Udvar-Hazy, Chantilly, Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free timed-entry pass for every visitor, including children | Free admission; no passes required |
| Address | 650 Jefferson Drive SW | 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway |
| Regular hours | 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed December 25 | 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed December 25 |
| Arrival | Enter through the Jefferson Drive doors | $15 daily parking; transit connection from Innovation Center |
The Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy visitor listing directs transit users to the Silver Line's Innovation Center station, then Fairfax Connector bus 983. It lists free parking after 4 p.m. and for pickup or drop-off visits shorter than 30 minutes. Arriving after 4 leaves at most 90 minutes before the regular closing time.
Reserve entry before heading to the Mall
Use the museum's official visit page to reserve passes. Its entry guidelines allow one person to reserve up to nine; groups of 10 or more use group passes.
A pass permits entry starting at its stated time and does not limit how long you can stay. Leaving the building changes that: re-entry requires another pass. Every visitor goes through security screening. Strollers, mobility aids and bottled water are allowed; outside food, tripods and selfie sticks are prohibited.
