Renovated spaces at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum now display SpaceX rocket components, a 3D-printed Mars dwelling, and additional intriguing exhibits following the reopening of 5 revamped galleries.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum reopened five newly renovated galleries on July 28, 2025, as part of a major $900 million overhaul expected to finish by the museum’s 50th anniversary in 2026.
The reopened galleries include the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, Futures in Space, Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight, World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation, and Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery.
The Futures in Space exhibition features new commercial spaceflight artifacts like a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mock-up and Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, alongside concepts including a 3D-printed Mars habitat and real and fictional robotics, showcasing the future of space exploration.
Other highlights across galleries include iconic artifacts such as John Glenn’s Mercury capsule "Friendship 7," the Apollo Lunar Module 2, Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, the Sopwith F.1 Camel, and parts from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
The museum's entrance on Jefferson Drive along the National Mall has been redesigned, and the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater reopened with improved sound, picture quality, seating, and a modernized lobby, enhancing visitor experience. Visitors now enter through the new north entrance (600 Jefferson Drive SW) and can exit either through the same entrance or via the south doors on Independence Avenue. Free timed-entry passes remain required.
Chris Browne, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum, expressed excitement about welcoming more people into the modernized and inspiring new galleries. He stated that the reopening provides more for visitors to see and enjoy. Blue Origin has donated the New Shepard rocket and crew capsule to the Smithsonian.
The new "Futures in Space" exhibition aims to recapture the visitor experience from when the museum first opened, featuring items from contemporary space exploration companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Axiom Space. The exhibition explores answers to questions like who decides who goes to space, why we go, and what we will do when we get there.
The "Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall" was restored in 2014 and displays some of the museum’s most iconic objects. The new entryway features a wing-like vestibule. The north entrance of the museum re-opened to the public for the first time in three years.
Entrance to the National Air and Space Museum remains free, but time entry passes are required and can be obtained from the Smithsonian’s website. The museum’s flagship building is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The "Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight," "World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation," and the "Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery" are among the other galleries that opened to the public on July 28.
- In the redesigned entrance on Jefferson Drive along the National Mall, visitors can now access the newly opened galleries, including the Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, Futures in Space, Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight, World War I: The Birth of Military Aviation, and Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery, as part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's major overhaul.
- The Futures in Space exhibition, showcasing artifacts like a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mock-up, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, and a 3D-printed Mars habitat, aims to offer insights into the future of space exploration and modern-day space companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Axiom Space.
- Besides the Futures in Space exhibition, other highlights across the museum's galleries include historical artifacts like John Glenn’s Mercury capsule "Friendship 7," the Apollo Lunar Module 2, Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, the Sopwith F.1 Camel, and parts from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which illustrate the evolution of flight and space exploration throughout history.
