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View of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center tower at sunset

One museum, two locations

Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC.

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Apollo 11: Buzz Aldrin on the Moon

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space shuttle launch

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Women in Aviation and Space Family Day

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Bob Hoover Gives an Air Show Performance

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Film Archives

  1. Breadcrumb Home
  2. Archives
  3. Archival Collections
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Archival collections
  • Technical and scale drawings
  • Aircraft technical manuals
  • Captured German & Japanese air technical documents
  • Technical reference files
  • Film Archives
  • Photo Archives
  • Audio collections
  • Aircraft history cards
Accessing the collections
  • Search the Archives
  • Plan your visit
  • Research request
Rights and reproductions
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  • Obtaining reproductions
  • Pricing & fees
FAQ
Archival collections
  • Technical and scale drawings
  • Aircraft technical manuals
  • Captured German & Japanese air technical documents
  • Technical reference files
  • Film Archives
  • Photo Archives
  • Audio collections
  • Aircraft history cards
Donating to the Archives
Contact us

Our Film Archives has catalogued a collection of more than 20,000 motion picture titles. This collection documents the history of aerospace flight from the Wright brothers to the space shuttle. 

Highlighted Collection:

We Saw It Happen
A 1953 documentary from United Aircraft celebrating the 50th anniversary of flight. The Film Archives includes a copy of the finished film along with interview and stock footage out takes.

Interviewees include:
Wellwood E. Beall
Lawrence D. "Larry" Bell
William Boeing
William Bridgeman
Frank Caldwell
Clarence Chamberlin
James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle (General)
Donald W. Douglas
Ira C. Eaker (General)
Oliver P. Echols (General)
Earl Findley (Aviation Journalist)
Benjamin D. Foulois (General)
Robert Gross
Carrie Grunbach
Sam Herron
Leonard S. "Luke" Hobbs
H. Mansfield Horner 

Jerome Hunsaker (Dr.)
Alvin M. "Tex" Johnston
James H. "Dutch" Kindleberger
Frank P. Lahm
Glenn L. Martin
Thomas DeWitt Milling
Mundy I. Peale
Dewitt C. Ramsey (Admiral)
Frederick B. Rentschler
Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker
Igor Sikorsky
Carl A. "Tooey" Spaatz (General)
Charlie Taylor (Wright Brothers Mechanic)
John H. Towers (Admiral)
Roscoe Turner
Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager

Accessing This Collection

Plan your visit to the Archives.

  • Submit a research request to our reference desk
  • Plan a visit to our reading room
  • Order a Reproduction
  • Fee Schedule

Admission is always free.
Open daily 10:00 am – 5:30 pm

National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum 650 Jefferson Drive SW
Washington, DC

202-633-2214

Free Timed-Entry Passes Required

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151

703-572-4118

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