The Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C. has been undergoing a major renovation since 2018, with a completion date set for July 1, 2026, the museum’s 50th anniversary.
In the meantime, fresh new galleries and exhibitions are opening in phases.
Five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and the museum’s redesigned entrance on Jefferson Drive along the National Mall will open Monday, July 28.
The museum will bring back thousands of artifacts that have been in storage and debut many new ones.
Free timed-entry passes will still be required to visit the museum. And passes for the July 28 opening and beyond will be available on the museum’s website starting June 13.
Here are the galleries that will be opening this year on June 28, 2025 and next year on July 1, 2026, with links to descriptions of the upgrades and key artifacts to be featured.
We’re looking forward to seeing some favorites, including Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed 5B Vega (above) in which she set two records, and the Spirit of St. Louis, below.
“Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall”
“Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight”
“World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation”
Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery
Galleries opening July 1, 2026:
“RTX Living in the Space Age Hall”
“Jay I. Kislak World War II in the Air”
“U.S. National Science Foundation Discovering Our Universe”
(Images courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum)
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