What crowds! Although there is no admission charge, you still have to reserve a time slot online beforehand... Even at 4 p.m. on a Wednesday there was a huge queue (mainly school groups) in front of the museum. But it is well organized and worth it - in my opinion the highlight is Neill Armstrong's original space suit.

A very nice visit. Many life-size artifacts, from the beginning of aviation to the conquest of space. The museum is free but you should remember to book your day and time of visit via their website before arrival because there are many people and it is quickly sold out. A nice visit that I advise.

Even though half of the museum is under renovations, there was more to see in 3 hours (my limit) than I expected. It’s disappointing that the complete renovation will not be completed until 2026 – which makes the WW2 gallery the last to be opened. We visited on a Friday and the place was full of young kids – who can be distracting as they scream in delight and run from display to display. Remember to get a “ticket” – it’s free but assigns you a time slot to enter the museum.

We ended up staying at the Air and Space Museum much longer than we planned, and that's because there's a ton to see! I'd say the museum is best for kids 8 and up, as there's a lot to read as well as see. The galleries are laid out well, each with their own area of focus. The moon exhibit, with all things related to moon missions, was my personal favorite. That's saying something because I thought I'd enjoy the Nation of Speed exhibit the most! Some of the planes suspended from the ceiling were there when I was a kid, but the museum has added some modern kiosks with games related to those planes overhead, and our kids liked those interactive displays. The Early Flight exhibit also offered a neat flying video game where you had to try and guide the plane through floating hoops. Know that the food in the cafe in the basement is pricey but really quite good. If you arrive about 15 minutes after your timed entry is scheduled to begin, you'll probably avoid waiting in the long line that builds up before each hour's timed entry period begins.

This museum was awesome! Don't skip it when in DC! One of the employees told us about Big Bird in the Sky so we came back the next day and my toddler absolutely loved it! My only recommendation is reserve your tickets early because it's one of the few with a ticketed timed entry.

My husband and I have long looked forward to seeing the National Air & Space Museum, at the Smithsonian. We have both always been fascinated with both airplanes and the space program, which we grew up with. We had limited time there because of the scheduling of our US History Tour. We totally enjoyed everything we saw there and could have spent all day there. Part of the museum was closed for repairs or renovation, so there were things we didn’t get to see such as the Spirit of St. Louis and other early airplanes, the space rockets, and many other exhibits. We did get to see the moon landing exhibits, The Wright Brothers, history of commercial air travel, and many other things. Things we particularly enjoyed were the moon landing exhibit and astronaut info in general. Being a big Star Wars fan, I was surprised to see Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing!! We also had a good lunch at the museum cafeteria. There was a security check upon entering the museum, and a timed-entry ticket is required (at no charge). I totally recommend this museum!

This museum is definitely the best of the air and space museums I've been to in the country. I recommend going to the top floor (planetarium, space exhibits, speed exhibit) and making your way down to the second floor (airplane exhibits and store). The first floor is just a store. The planetarium has your typical shows shown at almost every planetarium. Nothing really too special about it. However, the space exhibits go into lengthy detail about satellites and how they affect our everyday life, trips to the moon, rockets, etc. The speed exhibit talked about cars, motorcycles, boats. The airplane exhibits were actually my favorite part because they went into detail about how flight began, the different types of planes that had been used throughout history, and how flight has changed in the US over the last century. The museum was packed and more people seemed to crowd into the space area than the plane area. You will need timed entry tickets to get into the museum, so plan ahead! The tickets are free, though!

I visited the Air and Space Museum in July 2024. I obtained a free timed-entry ticket online. The museum is undergoing construction and extensive renovations so half of the museum is closed. The museum was very crowded. I focused on the Apollo moon missions and the Wright Brothers but had to rush because the museum was so crowded. If possible, I recommend waiting until 2025 when the construction and renovations will be largely completed. But despite the crowds and renovations, it is still a very good place to visit.

We expected to be there several hours but stayed much longer, and that's a lot considering a significant part of the museum was closed off as they changed displays. When all the renovation is complete, plan to spend all day. There truly is a lot to see. We especially liked the detailed account of the Wright Brothers' lives, and telling about the Wright Sister, too. The restaurant in the basement has simple foods like sandwiches, wraps, salads, and soups along with various drinks including beer. The restaurant staff was pleasant, but several could be more on task. Sometimes workers behind the counters (never the cashiers who were always busy) were taking it easy instead of helping customers. The planetarium show was like most other planetarium shows.

Although, like all museums in Washington, it is yet another propaganda showcase of the greatness of the USA, I must admit that it impressed me very positively. It's amazing what they've got in there! It's probably the best museum in aerospace history in the world. But you have to watch for details. When everyone is hallucinating the Wright brothers’ original plane (with which they made the first flight!!), no one notices that in a small side display case there is a piece of wood from that plane that the first astronauts who set foot on the Moon carried with them as an amulet. In other words, a piece of the first plane in history was on the moon, when the first man stepped on it in history. And things like this thousand. The part dedicated to amazing space exploration. And for the geekiest, a real Star Wars x-wing. The pity is that it is a huge museum, which requires 2 or 3 days to see it well.