The National Air and Space Museum’s National Mall building opened on July 1, 1976.
Its opening came during the United States Bicentennial, just three days before the July 4 anniversary celebrations. The building gave the Smithsonian Institution a dedicated public home for aircraft, spacecraft, and other objects connected with the history of flight and space exploration.
The museum had originated in 1946 as the National Air Museum, but its collection eventually outgrew available exhibition space. The new building was designed by Gyo Obata of Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum and built beside the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Michael Collins, the Apollo 11 astronaut, was the museum’s director during construction and opening. The building’s location, opening date, and aviation subject made it a prominent part of the Bicentennial landscape. It remains one of Washington’s best-known museums, although later renovations have changed many galleries.