The main building of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum opened on July 1, 1976.
Its opening took place on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., during the United States Bicentennial. The building provided a large public home for aircraft, spacecraft, and artifacts documenting the history of human flight and space exploration.
The institution itself dates back to 1946, when Congress established the National Air Museum. Its name changed as the collection and mission expanded to include spaceflight, especially during the space race.
The museum’s opening date is close to, but not the same as, Independence Day on July 4. The launch of the National Air and Space Museum building was one of the major cultural openings associated with the 1976 anniversary year.