The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is gearing up for a major expansion at its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. It’s the first big physical change to the centre’s public areas since opening in 2003.
The Boeing Aviation Hangar will be extended by 44,000 square feet on its north end, boosting its size by about 20%. That extra room will mean more aircraft and artefacts can be moved out of storage and into public view.
Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of 2028, with the museum beginning to move items in afterwards. Like the rest of the centre, the project will be privately funded.
“We are excited for this expansion of our world-class facility in Virginia,” said Chris Browne, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the museum. “Adding on to the Udvar-Hazy Center will allow us to offer even more to the public and will give us a chance to make major changes to the arrangement of artifacts in the entire center, enhancing the experience for our visitors.”
The project also gives curators the chance to shake up the current layout of aircraft in the hangar, a process that will begin before construction ends and continue for years after. The aim is to reorganise displays so that both existing and new acquisitions fit better into themed areas. One highlight: the Martin B-26 Marauder Flak-Bait will take its place in the World War II section in the middle of the hangar.
Several artefacts are already earmarked for display once the space is complete, including the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby and Flak-Bait—both of which will be fully assembled for the first time at Udvar-Hazy. Other planned additions include the restored Sikorsky JRS-1, a Pearl Harbor survivor; the De Havilland DH-98B Mosquito; and the Franklin Texaco Eaglet. New acquisitions are also expected to appear before the work is finished.
The Udvar-Hazy Center will stay open while construction is under way.
Congress first authorised the Smithsonian to build the centre at Washington Dulles International Airport in 1992, with the doors opening in 2003—just in time for the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight. A major expansion followed in 2011 with collections storage, conservation, and restoration facilities. Today, the centre is among the most visited museums in North America, drawing more than 1 million people each year.
The museum is currently in the middle of a $60 million fundraising campaign for the addition. Backers so far include Steven and Christine Udvar-Hazy, Charles and Lisa Simonyi, Sarah and Ross Perot Jr., the Thomas W. Haas Foundation, and the Air Lease Corporation.
Both the Udvar-Hazy Center and the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall remain free to visit, with only the downtown D.C. location requiring timed-entry passes.
