How to Visit Smithsonian's Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum
Several years ago the Smithsonian Institution realized that the airplane industry was manufacturing airplanes much larger in size and thus out sizing the Air and Space building located at the National Mall. A building, airplane hanger in size, many football fields long, would be required to house new exhibit acquisitions. Funded by Stephen Udvar-Hazy, whose fortune came from owning and leasing commercial planes to international carriers, the second Smithsonian Air and Space Museum opened in 2003 just south of Dulles International Airport. Those vacationing in the D.C. area have found accessing this museum to be quite challenging.
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Instructions
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Getting there by car: The best suggestion to reach Udvar-Hazy is by rent-a-car. This gives the visitor the most independence and the day is not determined by public transportation schedules. From either Reagan National or Baltimore/Washington International Airports, the visitor takes the Beltway (I495) south and west to Interstate 66, and then west toward Front Royal. At exit 53B take State Highway 28 north toward Chantilly and Dulles, and then follow the Udvar-Hazy brown directional signs.
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Getting there by taxi: Almost as expensive as a one-day car rental, and possibly more depending on hotel location, this alternative is the least recommended, but still less of a hassle the public transportation.
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Getting there by Metro: The District offers a great Metro system, which is the transportation of choice when one visits the sites within the city. However, the Metro simply doesn’t extend out to Dulles. Planning, bureaucracy, and legislation will only take the visitor on the Orange Line to the Rosslyn Station where bus 5A continues the trip to Dulles.
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Getting from Dulles to Udvar-Hazy; Once at Dulles Airport, the visitor will wait for the Udvar-Hazy shuttle, which circles hourly and at a cost of less then a dollar one way. Note these last two steps will require a planning a return to base as well, and also note, with emphasis, that of the four options, number one is recommended.
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Parking Charge; while every museum in the Smithsonian system is free, Udvar-Hazy leases the land from Dulles and consequently a parking fee is administered when entering the lot.
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What to see: The space shuttle Enterprise is here, as well as a Dash 80, a Constellation, a Concorde and the Blackbird. Several Vietnam and World War Two aircraft are here including the infamous Enola Gay which devastated Hiroshima. A tower of over 150 feet straddles the twin runways of Dulles offering a great view of planes either taking off or landing. There are also simulator rides and an Imax.
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Tips & Warnings
Approximately fifteen miles south of the museum is the Manassas/Bull Run National Battlefield where the Confederacy won two decisive engagements; an easy afternoon side trip if renting a car. The statue of Stonewall Jackson is impressive.
Just over thirty miles east is Washington’s Mount Vernon, easily accessible by car, and great for a spring or autumn side trip when the crowds are few.
