I recently visited the Air and Space Museum that is part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. They have an annex near Washington Dulles Airport in Sterling, Virginia that is larger than their main facility in Washington D.C.
When I walked in I was amazed by the size and scope of the facility. I was impressed with how many airplanes and space memorabilia it contained. It is free to enter the facility, but there is a $15 parking fee that lasts the whole day.
Here are 5 things that stood out during my visit:
The space shuttle Discovery is on display at the site: The shuttle is in a giant room that houses other space related equipment. There is also an interactive monitor where a live person will interact, describe the shuttle, and answer questions about it. It is by far one of my favorite parts of the museum.
They have Nazi war planes that were captured during World War II. That was among the most fascinating things about the museum. Actual planes Germans used in World War II with their Nazi emblem blazed on the planes for all to see.
An Air France Concorde was on display: The Concorde was created in the 1970s and would travel faster than the speed out sound. It could fly from New York to London in 4hrs. It was an ingenious plane, but after a few crashes and maintenance issues it was discontinued. It is disappointing that with all the technology we have now, they have not found ways to make it safer and get it flying again.
They have the smallest planes, that are smaller than many cars, to big planes: Each plane has a sign in front of it that tells the history of the plane and what that actual plane did. It is well worth it.
While walking around you can eat at Shake Shake for a break: Shake Shack is a very popular burger chain that originated in New York, but has added locations to the D.C. area. Their burgers are extremely popular in the area. Take a rest and grab lunch.
The museum is open from 10am to 5:30pm daily. If you are visiting the D.C. area, you it is much closer to land at Dulles Airport, which is next to the museum. Many from out of town are not aware that Dulles Airport is 45 minutes from Washington D.C, so don’t let the Washington in the title of Dulles fool you into thinking it is very close to the city center of D.C.
I highly recommend making the drive out to see it if you are visiting Washington D.C. It will take a full day to do it, so be aware of that. I will provide the link to the museum at the end of this blog.
https://www.si.edu/museums/air-and-space-museum-udvar-hazy-center
