Launching the Future at the Air and Space Museum: The New Exploration Suite

The Air and Space Museum recently began renovating its entire National Mall building, which necessitates the demolition and reconstruction of all its exhibit galleries. Join the lead curators of the museum’s future Exploration Suite, Jim Zimbelman, Michael Neufeld, and Martin Collins, for insights into the plans and what visitors will find when the galleries open again in a few years.

Three galleries about the solar system will comprise the second-floor suite. One World Connected highlights the vast expansion in recent decades of global technological networks and our deepened understanding of how human activity impacts life on Earth. Destination Moon tells the story of lunar exploration from ancient dreams to today’s missions. The completely revised Exploring the Planets gallery focuses on how on the previous 50 years of space investigations has revolutionized our understanding of planetary systems.

The curators also discuss how the throughout all renovated spaces, the museum is placing emphasis on engaging diverse audiences through new approaches in design, immersive experiences, and storytelling.