Travel: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Final Two Galleries Open October 30 and November 11, Completing Renovation Begun in 2018
The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., announced on October 22 that its multiyear renovation will conclude with the opening of its final two galleries: At Home in Space opens October 30 and Modern Military Aviation opens November 11. The museum, at 650 Jefferson Drive SW, is free to visit with required free timed-entry passes and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. except December 25.
According to the museum's release, At Home in Space is an immersive, highly interactive exhibition covering more than 50 years of humans living and working continuously in low Earth orbit, with key artifacts including a space shuttle main engine, a flown extravehicular mobility unit spacesuit, the experimental humanoid robot Robonaut 1A, and the in-flight suits of Guy Bluford and Sally Ride; visitors can step inside a mock-up of the International Space Station's Destiny module. Modern Military Aviation examines how aviation technology has transformed conflict, diplomacy and military operations from the Cold War to the present, with highlights including the North American F-86 Sabre, the Bell UH-1H Huey and the General Atomics MQ-1L Predator.
Museum director Chris Browne called the renovation the most extensive project the museum has ever undergone. Begun in 2018, it included redesigning all 20 galleries, refacing the building's exterior and replacing mechanical systems; the first renovated galleries opened in October 2022, with further phases in July 2025 and on July 1 this year. The two openings are also part of the museum's 50th-anniversary programming.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 国家航空航天博物馆「太空之家」展厅内景。史密森尼国家航空航天博物馆官方发布。 / View of the At Home in Space gallery. Released by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
