Legend, Memory and the Great War in the Air

One of the world's most visited museums, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. is home to an impressive collection of interactive exhibits. Visit the 1903 Wright Flyer, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia or touch an actual lunar rock. Visitors can also perform 360-degree barrel rolls in a flight simulator, observe sunspots at the observatory or check out a 3-D film on the IMAX theater's five-story tall screen.Best and worst times to go to Smithsonian National Air and Space MuseumWhile the museum is nearly always busy, the crowds are much thinner in the fall and winter months. Visitors in September and October will find the best combination of smaller crowds and beautiful weather. Avoid the summer months when the region often experiences high humidity and temperatures that can hit 100 degrees as well as high crowd volume.Must see/do at National Air and Space MuseumOne of the most visited museums in the world for good reason, there's no shortage of amazing exhibits and it's easy to be overwhelmed by all there is to see and do. So don't try to do it all. Don't miss the opportunity to touch an actual moon rock, see the 1903 Wright Flyer, take a look inside the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia or eat the same ice cream eaten by astronauts in space.Admission to Smithsonian National Air and Space MuseumThe National Air and Space Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, except December 25. Between April and September there are extended summer hours on a limited basis. Admission to all Smithsonian Institution Museums is free. There are fees for Imax films, planetarium shows, simulators, and some special programs.Parking and public transportation at Smithsonian National Air and Space MuseumMuseum visitors should take Metrorail or bike. Street parking is extremely limited and parking restrictions are strictly enforced. Pay parking garages can be found just off the National Mall. The nearest Metrorail station is Smithsonian (orange/blue/silver line) and the nearest Capital Bikeshare location is at Maryland and Independence Ave SW.Food at Smithsonian National Air and Space MuseumThose who say there are only overpriced cafeterias and food trucks on the National Mall are missing out on the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian. The cafe boasts traditional Native American foods from across the Western Hemisphere daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For those seeking more food variety, visit the Penn Quarter or Chinatown neighborhoods, a 10 minute walk north of the Mall on 7th Street NW.Insider tip for visitors to Smithsonian Air and Space MuseumIf you are an an aviation junkie, check out the much larger Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly next to Washington Dulles International Airport. Three connecting hangars house hundreds of artifacts including the Space Shuttle Discovery and the 5-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, which was responsible for dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.Author's bio: Jennifer E. Cooper is a writer and sometimes artist who has lived in Washington, D.C. for more than a decade. She is currently writing a book about her 3,000-mile walk across the United States.