Air and Space Museum unveils 5 new galleries as renovation nears end

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is opening five newly opened or refreshed galleries on June 30, a milestone in the long renovation of its National Mall home as it moves toward completion later this year.

The latest phase includes two brand-new galleries and three refreshed spaces, according to the reporting package. Axios said the museum expects the full renovation to wrap in the fall of 2026, with two more galleries still scheduled to open later this year.

The museum remains free to enter, but timed-entry passes are required, making the reopening relevant for summer visitors planning trips to one of Washington’s busiest attractions.

A renovation in phases

The project began in 2018 and has been unfolding in stages rather than as one full reopening. Earlier phases reopened western-side galleries in 2022, followed by another round of gallery updates in 2025.

A Washington Post report from July 2025 said that phase included five galleries: Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall, Pioneers of Flight, World War I, Futures in Space, and Innovations. That coverage also described the Spirit of St. Louis moving to the Pioneers of Flight gallery and noted updated and interactive exhibits in the World War I and Futures in Space galleries.

Why it matters now

The National Air and Space Museum is one of the Smithsonian’s highest-traffic sites and a major National Mall draw. The renovation is shaping how the institution presents aviation and space history heading into the U.S. 250th anniversary period.

The June 30 opening adds momentum to a project the Smithsonian has framed as a broad modernization effort. With two galleries still to come and the final completion target still ahead, the museum’s rebuild is not finished yet, but it is moving into its last stretch.