The National Air and Space Museum (in French: National museum of the air and the space) of the Smithsonian Institution with Washington, with the the United States, has the largest collection of Avion S and space vehicles of the world. It is also a research center on the history, sciences and technology of the Aviation and the Space flight, like in planetary sciences, Géologie and Géophysique.

The building

The museum is a major work of the modern architecture in Washington. Because of its close relation outdistances with the Capitole, Smithonian wished an imposing building, without however eclipsing this last. The museum was designed by the architect of Gyo Obata. It is composed of four cubes of Travertin connected by three vast Atrium S which accommodate the bulkiest objects such as missiles, planes or space engines.

Collections

Principal site

The principal site of the museum (inaugurated on July 1st 1976) is on the Mall with Washington, between the National Museum off the American Indian and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. It counts among the most visited tourist destinations city. In addition to the rooms accommodating the collections, attractions comprise a cinema IMAX, as well as the Planétarium Albert Einstein.

Exposed remarkable objects

• planes of the Brothers Wright '' Flyer '' which off made the first flight controlled with engine in 1903
• the Spirit Saint Louis , in which Charles Lindbergh accomplished the first flight solo with the top of the Atlantic Ocean
• the Bell X-1 with which Chuck Yeager crossed the Mur of the sound
• a rocket V-2, the first object to have reached space
• the module of order of Apollo 11, the first mission to deposit Astronaute S on the Moon
• One of the rare samples of Moon rock accessible to the public (it is possible to touch it)
• SpaceShipOne , the first vehicle deprived to reach space

Appendix of the museum

The museum has an appendix which is higher to him in the face: the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center , located at Chantilly, close to the airport Dulles, which is open since the December 15th 2003. This one has vocation to accommodate the bulkiest apparatuses. On this site, is also the Tour Donald D. Engen , observation post offering a panorama to 360 degrees on the airport.

Exposed remarkable objects

• the Space shuttle '' Enterprise '', prototype intended for the atmospheric tests
• the bomber Gay B-29 Enola , the first apparatus from which an atomic bomb was released
• a prototype of the Boeing 707
• a SR-71 Blackbird, apparatus of recognition in high-altitude
• a Concorde of Air France
• Several returned capsules of the missions Apollo

Workshop of restoration

The collection of the museum is composed of more than 30.000 objects related to aviation and 9.000 objects related to space. The majority of these objects are in a room, the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility , which is in Suitland, in the Maryland. This site of 32 buildings, acquired by Smithsonian Institution in 1952, holds its name of a former conservative of the museum. It is not opened with the public.

Others

The files of the museum are partly in the principal building on the Evil, like in Suitland.

Within the museum, a research center is: the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies (STOCKS), which is devoted to geological research on planets of the Solar system.

The museum also has a library.

History

The museum was creates the August 12th 1946, by the congress of the United States, under the name of National Air Museum . The race with the space of the Years 1950 and 1960 made it possible the museum to adopt its current name.

External bonds

• Official site of the museum
• a photograph gallery on the museum
• Another photograph gallery on the museum

Random links:

Mikhaïl Millet | Loudon Wainwright III | Montazzoli | Guianese Massif Central | Reminiscences 2012