The Wandering Disciple

A Douglas DC-3 hangs from the ceiling at the National Air and Space Museum. The America by Air exhibit is one of the many exhibits at the museum that highlight the advancements in aviation. From the early days of flight with the Wright Flyer to the great space race, all eras of history are represented here. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

A replica of the Voyager Spacecraft sits on display at the National Air & Space Museum. Developed in the 1960’s the Voyager program was designed to explore outer planets in the solar system. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

A Presidential Proclamation in 1939 by Franklin D Roosevelt declared the anniversary of Orville Wrights birthday to be honored as National Aviation Day. The Wright Brothers were the pioneers of aviation and in 1903 conducted the first powered flight from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The 1903 Wright Flyer can be seen on display along with other Wright inventions at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

The command capsule of Skylab 4 is on display at the National Air & Space Museum. Skylab 4 was launched from Kennedy Space Center in November 1973 and orbited in space for 84 days. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

An Eastern Air Lines DC-3 suspends from the air in the America by Air exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. The exhibit showcases the history of commercial aviation in the United States. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

An Eastern Airlines DC-3 hangs from the ceiling of the America by Air exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum. The Air and Space museum is home to over 60 aircraft and 160,000 square feet of aviation history focusing on air and space travel. (Photo: February 16, 2009)

Washington, DC: On the south side of the National Mall lies the most popular of the Smithsonian Institute’s museums. Accommodating over nine million visitors annually, the National Air and Space Museum is home to over 50,000 aviation related artifacts ranging from helmets to actual aircraft and rockets. The museum’s existence began by an act of Congress in 1946 declaring the need for a national museum to house the growing aviation collection. President Harry Truman singed the act into law, establishing the National Air Museum as a branch of the Smithsonian Institute. During the early days of the museum, the exhibits were housed in the Smithsonian Arts and Sciences building. In 1948, the museum received possession of the 1903 Wright Brothers Flyer, the keystone of aviation history. The aircraft collection continued to grow and in 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower approved the planning of a new facility. It wasn’t until 1972 before Congress approved the funding to construct the faci...