![Spirit of St. Louis on display in the Boeing Milestones of Flight exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. [Credit: Eric Long/National Air and Space Museum]](https://flyingmag1.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/NASM-A19280021000-NASM2016-02744.jpg?width=2000&height=1333)
The world’s largest collection of artifacts from aviation and space may become temporarily off limits as the Smithsonian Institution’s museums, including the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, are facing closure due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The Smithsonian put out a statement on social media and added a red banner to its web page indicating the institution, which also includes the National Zoo and research areas, will use “prior-year funds still available” to remain open through at least Monday, October 6.
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FLYING reached out to the Smithsonian media relations department asking for details, but inquiries were not returned by press time.
Updates on the status of the Smithsonian will be posted on its website.
The closure comes in the midst of a massive redesign that has been in the works at the National Air and Space Museum since 2018. The project includes a redesign of all 20 galleries and modernization of the museum’s infrastructure such as the mechanical systems.
The museum has remained open during the project, and the first phase of the redesign—which included eight new galleries, the planetarium, and the museum store as well as the Mars Cafe—opened in October 2022.
The project is due to be completed in July 2026, which is the 50th anniversary of the museum.
