National Air and Space Museum
Title
National Air and Space Museum
Description
The National Air and Space Museum holds the world's largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft. A second location in Chantilly, Virginia, opened in 2003 to display even more items from its collection, including the Space Shuttle Discovery. Some of the museum's popular artifacts include the original Wright brothers' 1903 flyer, Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis," the Apollo 11 command module, and a moon rock that visitors can touch.
Creator
Source
Smithsonian Institution Archive. View original.
Date
1976 (opened)
Coverage
Physical Description
Built with the same Tennessee marble as the National Gallery of Art which it faces, the Air and Space Museum has a very different feel. Designed in the late 20th Century Modern style, the museum focuses on balance of symmetry. The most prominent architectural feature is its large glass windows, which are used to bring the sky into the museum and to make a few of the objects visible from outside on the Mall. These walls also serve a functional purpose, with the west wall opening to allow planes being exhibited to be moved.