With the largest collection of space and aircraft relics in the world, this cultural institution is visited by more than eight million people per year. Its 161,145-square-foot Washington, D.C. location has more than 21 galleries with exhibits on topics such as space travel, astronomy and world wars. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum began as the National Air Museum in 1946 in the United States capital, however, the Smithsonian started preserving important flight artifacts in Washington, D.C. long before that. Some of the museum's treasured items include Charles Lindbergh's 1927 "Spirit of St. Louis" aircraft, 1903 Wright Flyer, 1924 Douglas World Cruiser Chicago, Mercury Friendship 7, Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia and the spacesuits of many famous astronauts.
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