Touch a lunar rock from the moon and see the first airplane that ever graced our skies during your visit to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. This free museum is one of the most enjoyable attractions in the nation’s capital.

Some of the displays at the Museum include the historic 1903 Wright Flyer, the historic aircraft from the Wright Brothers, as well as the Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis, and the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia. At the Museum’s Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory, you can observe craters on the Moon, the phases of Venus, and sunspots on the Sun.

There are thousands of objects to see and you can literally spend a few hours to take it all in. In addition to the 1903 Wright Flyer, you’ll see Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. You also do not want to miss the Albert Einstein Planetarium, where you can see a show for free at 10:30 a.m., such as Journey to the Stars, a must-see that almost makes you feel like you’re outside, laying on the ground and looking up at the stars that are only a fingertip away.

During your visit, take in an IMAX show and check out the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower.

Uniquely, the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum is one museum with two locations. The other location is the Steven Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, a location that has two hangars — the Boeing Aviation Hangar and the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar. Here you can see the Concorde, and the Space Shuttle Discovery. Udvar-Hazy Center is also home to the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar.

There are many exhibits to see at both locations, such as America by Air, which explores the history of air transportation in the United States. Some of the highlights of this exhibit include a Ford 5-AT Tri-Motor, Boeing 247, and DC-3 airliners; a cockpit simulation of an Airbus A320; and a nose from a Boeing 747 jumbo jet that you can enter. At the Udvar-Hazy Center, learn about the hot air balloon as an invention for transportation.

If you’re an aviation enthusiast, love history, or just enjoy a great museum, contact your travel agent if you’re interested in planning a trip to Washington, D.C. You won’t be disappointed at the Smithsonian.

Jody’s Travel Inc