WASHINGTON – The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum announced the opening of five new galleries in Washington, D.C on July 28.
What we know:
The Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance along the National Mall will also debut on the 28th, according to museum officials.
The galleries will feature thousands of artifacts including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock.
Visitors can explore several artifacts, new to the building, like the Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A-series rocket.
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Read more about the new galleries below:
The museum’s renovation project launched in 2018, which includes redesigning all 20 exhibition spaces, refacing the exterior of the building, replacing all outdated mechanical systems and other repairs.
The entire project will complete July 1, 2026, the 50th anniversary of the museum in DC and in time for the country’s 250th anniversary.