National Air and Space Museum050

For years, the airplanes and spacecraft at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum have captured the imaginations of children (and adults!) of all ages.

Hanging from the rafters of the Milestones of Flight entrance gallery are such famous flying machines as the Wright Brothers' Wright 1903 Flyer, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, John Glenn's Mercury Friendship 7 spacecraft, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the Viking Lander, and the the Stardust return capsule. Also on view is the Breitling Orbiter 3 Gondola, which Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones navigated in 1999 to complete the first nonstop around-the-world flight in a balloon. The latest addition to the gallery is SpaceShipOne, the first privately built and privately operated vehicle to reach space, and winner of the Ansari X Prize. Don't forget to touch the moon rock, also on display in the entrance hall.

The history of flight and space exploration is visually documented by 23 exhibition galleries on two floors. It would be hard to do justice to all the galleries in one visit and you might prefer to select two or three on which to concentrate.

Kids' attentions will be maintained for longer in the rooms with interactive exhibits. How Things Fly teaches the principles of flight through live demonstrations, multimedia programs, and plentiful hands-on exhibits. Exploring the Planets also uses an interactive approach.

Apollo to the Moon is one of the museum's most popular galleries, and traces the story of the US manned space flights program. On display are the spacesuits Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin wore on the first human exploration of the moon, a Lunar Roving Vehicle, equipment and tools used by the astronauts, and examples of space food.

Don't miss the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, the Albert Einstein Planetarium, or the Public Observatory. The theater shows breathtaking IMAX films throughout the day on a giant screen. The 230-seat planetarium simulates the night sky with stars, planets, and other cosmic objects, and teaches children about the wonders of the Universe. Public Observatory this week. The observatory contains a 16-inch, 3,000-pound Boller and Chivens telescope, through which visitors can view the sun (with a special filter), the moon, and the brighter stars and planets, such as Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, during daylight hours. We recommend purchasing tickets in advance, or upon arrival at the museum's door; then go and explore until showtime. Call 202.357.1686 for recorded information on theater and planetarium showings. Tickets are not required for the Public Observatory, which is open to the public Tue-Sun, from 10am to 2pm, weather permitting.

Located near Dulles International Airport is the museum's sister facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, which houses its collection of historic aviation and space artifacts.

Pre-K-2: Flights of Fancy storytimes are available Monday through Friday and can be scheduled by calling 202.633.2547.

Bathrooms: The museum has five bathrooms, located on both levels.

Gift shop: The museum shop is spaciously laid out on three levels and is sure to have something for everyone. It offers books, clothing, toys and games, gifts, and even astronauts' ice-cream - the real thing is much better! There is also a smaller shop opposite the Einstein Planetarium on the second floor.