Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

This place was amazing! Even if you are not into airplanes, it was still fascinating. All the displays are beautifully presented. They even have the space shuttle Discovery there. The ship is HUGE! I had no idea!

If you have an opportunity to go here, make sure you go on tour with one of their docents. So much information! Also, don’t miss a trip to the observation tower with its 360-degree view.

An extremely fascinating museum with remarkable, one of a kind airplanes, spacecraft and more. Wonderful for any aviation enthusiast, although just about anyone would enjoy walking through here. Far less crowded than the Air & Space downtown, no big crowds when we were there.

This is my favorite of the Smithsonian Museums I've visited to date. It was awesome to see so many significant airplanes in one place. It was amazing to see The SR-71, the shuttle Discovery, The Enola Gay, and the Concorde and so many other things planes and exhibits. I highly recommend taking a free tour with one of the many knowledgeable hosts. Also they had some cool things in the gift shop and I ended up buying stuff when normally I skip gift shops entirely.

It’s a very nicely done museum. I do believe for a real aviation junkie Wright Patterson would be better. The fact though they have a shuttle is really nice. The view when you first walk in looking down and seeing the SR-71 and the shuttle is awesome. We have young kids so we went rather quickly, spent about 2 hours there.

Steven Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum in Virginia is a really cool place! It's free to get in, which is awesome, and perfect for families with kids. You'll see amazing airplanes and spaceships! The people who work there are super nice and can tell you lots of interesting stuff. Just so you know, parking costs $15, but after 4 pm, it's free. So, make sure to plan your visit accordingly. Overall, it's totally worth 5 stars – a fun and educational adventure for everyone!

This is undeniably one of the coolest collections of historic aircraft on the planet. It’s absolutely FREE to enter. Here are some of my highlights.

•Space Shuttle Discovery, one of just 3 remaining space flown orbiters remaining. Discovery flew the most missions of any of the orbiters, at 39.
•B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, the famous bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb in WW2. Though this horrific weapon is criticized, its use at the time was considered to be less costly in life and expense than a prolonged ground invasion of Japan would have been.
•Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis, the first manned supersonic flight vehicle. In 1947 it broke the sound barrier at 700mph and changed aviation forever.
•Nazi Horten Ho 229, a futuristic secret weapon fixed wing jet fighter intended to have stealth capability and a top speed over 620mph at a time when allied fighters used propeller planes. Thankfully the Germans never mastered the design to be effective.

I cannot rave enough about this museum. I wasn't much of an aviation buff when I came in, but I sure was when I left! The main attractions are of course the Discovery space shuttle, the Enola Gay, and the stunning Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The restoration hangar is also home to "Flak-Bait," a Martin B-26 Marauder which holds the record for the most bombing missions survived during WWII, having been shot over 1,000 times! Even from the observation window you can clearly see the symbols painted on its side representing its many missions. Another piece of WWII history here is a Sikorsky JRS-1 which is the only aircraft in the collection that was at Pearl Harbor on December 7. Other notables include Amelia Earhart's flight suit and some interesting items from the Vietnam War. The sheer size of the hangar is remarkable; I'd set aside two to three hours to see everything that interests you and longer if you (like me) like to read every plaque in a museum. The museum also has an observation deck where you can watch the planes landing and taking off from the nearby Dulles Airport while a live ATC feed plays. There are also several simulators but these do cost extra and honestly you aren't missing much if you skip them. Now for the drawback: this is out of the way for folks visiting DC and the metro does not run all the way out here, so you'll have to ride share or rent a car if you are coming from DC. Be advised that parking is $15. Otherwise, it's easily one of the best museums that Smithsonian has to offer, and if you have even a passing interest in military or commercial aviation or spaceflight, you cannot pass it up.

The best museum I have ever been. Planes are in superb condition. Would take a whole week to see and read everything. You can spend a whole day just at the observation tower.

Absolutely amazing museum, has an incredible variety of historically important aircraft, has some incredibly unique and rare aircraft on top of that. Only possible downside is that you can't get very close to many aircraft, but it's understandable to the reasons why that is the case, I highly recommend going! It's also free!

This was an amazing place to visit if you enjoy aircraft history. So many memorable aircraft there including the Enola Gay and an SR71 Blackbird. Also there are quite a few experimental aircraft from Germany captured after World War II. Quite exciting to see.
This is part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum but contains aircraft that wouldn't fit or couldn't be brought into Washington DC proper. It's about a 45 minute drive from where I was staying in Bethesda so check it out.

If you are a fan of aerospace this is the place for you! You can see a lot of aircraft from 0 meter l. The place is huge you can really spend the whole day in it. It's free!! You don't have to pay a $ to see it and even get a free public tour from volunteers working there. It's very close to the airport, so if you are visiting DC I suggest you to go before your flight they also have big lockers where you can fit your luggages! Amazing experience can't be missed 👩‍🚀✈

This is an absolutely amazing museum which will leave you inspired. Entry is free but parking costs $15 per car. Honestly, I felt the experience made up for the parking fee so it should not deter you.

You can see so many planes, helicopters, and the famous Space Shuttle Discovery. I recommend taking one of the free tours which was very informative. I spent 2-3 hours, but there's a whole day's worth of activities to do.

The observation tower is a must see as it gives a good view of planes landing at Dulles International Airport. I highly recommend this museum!!

I can't say enough about this air and space museum. My wife & I enjoyed this museum very much. If you are interested in early flight through to the Discovery shuttle this is the place for you. We spent 1 1/2 days here. The first day we walked around and took lots of pictures. The second day we walked around and took a free tour, which was very informative. We suggest you take the tour at some time during your visit. And make sure you go up into the tower and watch planes arrive and take off from Washington Dulles airport. You can also listen to the Washington Dulles control tower as planes arrive and takeoff. Great place to visit for flight enthusiasts from 9-90.

This museum is incredible. The size of some of the aircraft is astounding. Parking is now $15 but is free if you show up after 4:00

This place is awesome! So many different aircraft to look at and learn about. They do have tours you can take where the guide will go more into detail about certain exhibits. Highly recommend.

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is an aviation enthusiast's dream come true! Located in Chantilly, Virginia, this Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex boasts an impressive collection of assorted planes that span the entire history of flight. From vintage biplanes to cutting-edge fighter jets, there's something here to captivate everyone's imagination.

But the center offers more than just planes. Its rich history is palpable as you walk through the exhibits, learning about the groundbreaking achievements that have shaped the course of human flight. Whether it's the iconic Space Shuttle Discovery or the Apollo 11 command module, each artifact tells a story of innovation and exploration that is truly awe-inspiring.

What sets the Udvar-Hazy Center apart is its commitment to being kid-friendly. Interactive exhibits and hands-on activities abound, providing children with opportunities to learn and explore in a fun and engaging environment. Climbing aboard a cockpit, trying on a spacesuit, or piloting a flight simulator are just a few of the exciting experiences that await young visitors.

Overall, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center offers an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages. Whether you're a seasoned aviation enthusiast or simply looking for a fun and educational outing with the family, this museum has something for everyone. Don't miss out on the chance to explore the wonders of flight firsthand!

While on a quick trip up to Arlington, VA recently for something very personal, I visited this Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport.

This was a new experience for me. As a plane nerd fueled by my father who was a USMC Fighter Pilot while he was alive flying F-8 Crusaders (all versions), I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Totally worth the drive out there and the 15 bucks for parking.

The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable. Including the interactive screens with live people answering questions and giving suggestions.

All very well done. Five stars easy!

The Udvar-Hazy Center is phenomenal. My husband and I went early on a Saturday morning, got there probably about around 11 AM an hour after the museum opened. Parking is $15 but the museum is free. We spent about 2–3 hours walking around looking at the exhibit, and I can’t express how beautiful this entire museum has been put together. I learned so much about Aircraft and I’m forever grateful for members of the military. We saw plenty of kids enjoying this, young children and strollers seem to enjoy it and they had lots of activities on the weekend for kids. I’m not sure about during weekday. They do have an area for snacks, take home, souvenirs, and food. The restrooms were quite nice. We did not do the IMAX portion or go up into the tower but overall definitely spend a minimum of two hours here.

If you or a loved one are an aviation geek, this is THE place to go. So many historic aircraft that I couldn’t believe my eyes. You can truly find hours of information here. I cannot recommend this FREE museum enough. Rockets, a Space Shuttle, the Enola Gay, an SR-71, and so many famous ultralight and kit planes.

I also recommend visiting the rest of the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. Although at the time of writing, nearly half of it is closed for renovations, I still was able to spend an entire day there and I mainly focused on just two exhibits.

This is truly a hidden gem as far as museums in this area are concerned. There's so much to see and so much to learn as you explore all of the exhibits. Lots of neat planes, helicopters, and spacecraft to check out. Very family friendly. Lots of open space to walk freely so you won't get bogged down by crowds except maybe in the gift shop.