The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development is pleased to recognize the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Southwest Washington as the December 2012 One City Location of the Month. Containing the world’s largest collection of aviation and space artifacts, the National Air and Space Museum is one of the most beloved and recognizable treasures of the nation’s capital. The Museum offers 22 exhibition galleries, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater, flight simulators, a three-level Museum shop, and a food-court-style restaurant.
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall at 6th Street and Independence Ave SW, boasts 161,145 square feet of exhibition floor space. It was established in 1946, as the National Air Museum, and opened its main building in 1976. It is internationally recognized as a center for research into the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. Almost all space and aircraft on display are originals or backups to the originals.
The museum, designed by St. Louis-based architect Gyo Obata, is comprised of four simple marble-encased cubes containing the smaller and more theatrical exhibits, connected by three spacious steel-and-glass atria which house the larger exhibits such as missiles, airplanes and spacecraft. The architecture of the museum is similar in design to the National Gallery of Art and uses the same pink Tennessee marble as the National Gallery. The west glass wall of the building is used for the installation of airplanes, functioning as a giant door.
One of the most popular exhibits in the museum is “How Things Fly,” where museum visitors can experience hands-on interaction including fascinating science demonstrations; paper airplane contests; and 50 exciting interactive devices.
In 2011, the DC Film Office launched its One City Location of the Month to bring attention to the wide range of varied, cinematically compelling locations that are available to film and television productions. Former One City Location of the Month recipients include the Maine Avenue Fish Market in Southwest, the Frederick Douglass House in Southeast, the Adams Morgan neighborhood in Northwest, and Gallaudet University in Northeast.
To learn more about the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and to view photos please visit the One City Location of the Month feature. If you are interested in using the National Air and Space Museum for a future filming location, please contact us at [email protected].