Space Shuttle Discovery, the longest-serving orbiter in the space shuttle fleet, will be accepted into the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum collection at the museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. on on April 19, 2012.
Space Shuttle Discovery. Approaching Mir Photo courtesy of NASA
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is one of the world’s most popular museums with more than 8 million visitors in 2008. Its mission is to commemorate, educate and inspire visitors by preserving and displaying aeronautical and space flight artifacts. The museum maintains the world’s largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft among more than 60,000 objects and serves the public through exhibitions, public programs, educational activities, publications and electronic outreach.
The National Air and Space Museum’s Mall building is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Va., off of Route 28 near Washington Dulles International Airport. Both facilities are open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Closed Dec. 25.)