Smithsonian completes $1 billion renovation of National Air and Space Museum
The Smithsonian has finalized a seven-year restoration of its National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., marking the milestone with the opening of its final exhibition.
The National Air and Space Museum has concluded a seven-year, $1 billion revitalization project at its flagship Washington, D.C. location. The facility-wide update finished on October 30 with the public unveiling of "At Home in Space," the final gallery installment in the renovation sequence.
"At Home in Space" shifts the museum's focus to the evolution of long-duration spaceflight, detailing the technological and human challenges associated with maintaining human life in orbit over the past several decades, said curator Jennifer Levasseur. The gallery serves as a conclusion to the institution's multi-year effort to modernize its exhibit spaces and infrastructure.
This project represents one of the most significant capital improvements in the Smithsonian’s history. The reopening of the gallery marks the end of a long-term construction phase that aimed to upgrade building systems and refresh the displays of its aerospace collection.