Smithsonian Museums Reopening After Government Shutdown

National Air and Space officials say they still need to assess the impact of the 43-day closure on their massive 2026 redesign project.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 03:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The Boeing Aviation Hangar at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. [Credit: National Aviation and Space Museum]

Key Takeaways:

The Smithsonian museums are set to reopen on a staggered basis starting Friday, November 14, following the reopening of the federal government.
This includes the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), the National Museum of American History, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center reopening Friday, with other facilities by Monday, November 17.
The 43-day government shutdown temporarily halted NASM's ongoing redesign project, which began in 2018.
Officials are currently assessing the impact of the closure on the redesign's completion schedule, originally set for July (the museum's 50th anniversary).

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The reopening of the federal government means the Smithsonian can now reopen its doors, starting Friday.

According to a statement from the institution, the National Museum of American History, the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will reopen Friday, November 14. The other museums, research centers, and the National Zoo will reopen on a rolling basis by Monday, November 17.