Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Preps for Closure

Ongoing redesign project faces uncertainty due to government shutdown.

Friday, October 03, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

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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]

Key Takeaways:

The Smithsonian Institution's museums, including the National Air and Space Museum, face potential closure due to the ongoing government shutdown.
The Smithsonian plans to use "prior-year funds" to remain open through at least Monday, October 6.
This potential closure occurs amidst a massive redesign of the National Air and Space Museum, which began in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in July 2026.

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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.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.