National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Smithsonian)

Aviation buffs who can’t get enough of the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall will want to make a trip to the museum’s other location, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located in Virginia near Washington Dulles International Airport.

The Udvar-Hazy Center, opened in 2003, displays many of the aviation and space artifacts that can’t be shown on the Mall due to space limitations. Among the aircraft you’ll find here are the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest jet in the world; the Boeing Dash 80, the prototype of the 707; the Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay; and the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Spend time watching flights land at Dulles Airport from the Donald Engen Observation Tower, or catch a movie at the Airbus IMAX Theatre. The theatre features 45-minute films that connect to the Museum’s collection, and has also resumed showing Hollywood features in the evening. Visit si.edu/theaters for the most up-to-date information.

The center’s National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor is also worth a look. It serves as a permanent memorial to the thousands of Americans who have contributed to aviation and space exploration.

Travel Tips

If you’ve got a long layover at Dulles, a visit to the center offers a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours without going all the way into Washington, D.C. It’s a quick hop by taxi.

Visitors can also take the Fairfax Connector’s 983 bus to the Museum. It is currently a 10-minute ride.  Buses run approximately every 20 minutes.  Schedules and fare information is at bit.ly/983bus

The Museum’s restaurant is currently closed for renovations.  A Shake Shack, with additional grab and go options, is scheduled to open in 2022.

Over time, exhibits at the museum may change, to see what is currently on display, click here.

For more information about this museum, visit: https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center

Photos of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Annex