Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
National Air and Space Museum East End Galleries
Overview
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum East End Galleries celebrates the history and future of flight, space exploration, and scientific innovation. Reich&Petch led design development, detailing and technical documentation.
Details
Client
Smithsonian Institution
Project
National Air and Space Museum, East End Galleries
Size
65,200 sq. ft.
Project Delivery
Design-Build
Scope
Exhibit Design - Aviation
Location
Washington, D.C., USA
Year Completed
2026
The Goal
The Smithsonian Institution selected D&P as the design-build project lead with R&P to complete exhibit design for 10 state-of-the-art galleries. The Museum’s artifacts and stories needed to be optimally showcased while meeting ambitious budget and timeline targets. The 10 galleries range from hands-on, interactive exhibits like Textron How Things Fly to galleries focused on iconic artifacts like the Hubble Space Telescope in RTX Living in the Space Age and Charles A. Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis in Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight. Highlights also include a walk-through reconstruction of the International Space Station’s Destiny Module in At Home in Space.
Each gallery integrates iconic aviation artifacts ranging in size from small objects like coins, pins, and uniforms to large aircraft and spacecraft using a mix of conservation cases, suspended displays, and open platforms. R&P’s goal was to enhance the visual impact and functionality of these spaces, develop the approach to accessibility with the Museum and their advisors, as well as document and coordinate all aspects of the design.
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
The Design
R&P coordinated AV, graphics, mechanical interactives, accessibility, lighting, health & safety systems, and MEP. R&P developed a comprehensive approach in creating exhibit specific typology systems and coordination efforts that allowed streamlining of the fabrication process. While creating these efficiencies, it was crucial that each gallery maintain a unique identity through its distinct layout, objects and finishes. In collaboration with the Museum’s accessibility consultant from the Institute of Human Centered Design, R&P carefully analyzed and refined the installations to ensure accessible solutions for galleries rich in dense objects and interactive experiences.
R&P also developed extensive artifact layouts, and selected final finishes for all galleries. The team utilized REVIT to produce detailed and comprehensive design documentation, supporting extensive museum reviews throughout the process. R&P also developed photo realistic fundraising renderings and flythroughs at the end of each milestone to be used for fundraising and communications purposes.
The transformation of the Museum represents..... a remarkable evolution of the Museum’s immersive learning experience..Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum
The Result
The Smithsonian renovation is a strong example of a museum-wide transformation that combines ambitious exhibition design with the practical demands of preserving a major institution. It has refreshed iconic displays while creating more interactive, inclusive and contemporary ways for audiences to experience the history and science of flight and space exploration. The project has demonstrated substantial progress in exhibition renewal, collections presentation, infrastructure modernization and continued public access.
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Daniel Soñé
National Air and Space Museum East End Galleries
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Details
Client
Smithsonian Institution
Project
National Air and Space Museum, East End Galleries
Size
65,200 sq. ft.
Project Delivery
Design-Build
Scope
Exhibit Design - Aviation
Location
Washington, D.C., USA
Year Completed
2026
Overview
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum East End Galleries celebrates the history and future of flight, space exploration, and scientific innovation. Reich&Petch led design development, detailing and technical documentation.
The Goal
The Smithsonian Institution selected D&P as the design-build project lead with R&P to complete exhibit design for 10 state-of-the-art galleries. The Museum’s artifacts and stories needed to be optimally showcased while meeting ambitious budget and timeline targets. The 10 galleries range from hands-on, interactive exhibits like Textron How Things Fly to galleries focused on iconic artifacts like the Hubble Space Telescope in RTX Living in the Space Age and Charles A. Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis in Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight. Highlights also include a walk-through reconstruction of the International Space Station’s Destiny Module in At Home in Space.
Each gallery integrates iconic aviation artifacts ranging in size from small objects like coins, pins, and uniforms to large aircraft and spacecraft using a mix of conservation cases, suspended displays, and open platforms. R&P’s goal was to enhance the visual impact and functionality of these spaces, develop the approach to accessibility with the Museum and their advisors, as well as document and coordinate all aspects of the design.
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
The Design
R&P coordinated AV, graphics, mechanical interactives, accessibility, lighting, health & safety systems, and MEP. R&P developed a comprehensive approach in creating exhibit specific typology systems and coordination efforts that allowed streamlining of the fabrication process. While creating these efficiencies, it was crucial that each gallery maintain a unique identity through its distinct layout, objects and finishes. In collaboration with the Museum’s accessibility consultant from the Institute of Human Centered Design, R&P carefully analyzed and refined the installations to ensure accessible solutions for galleries rich in dense objects and interactive experiences.
R&P also developed extensive artifact layouts, and selected final finishes for all galleries. The team utilized REVIT to produce detailed and comprehensive design documentation, supporting extensive museum reviews throughout the process. R&P also developed photo realistic fundraising renderings and flythroughs at the end of each milestone to be used for fundraising and communications purposes.
The transformation of the Museum represents..... a remarkable evolution of the Museum’s immersive learning experience..Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Daniel Soñé
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
The Result
The Smithsonian renovation is a strong example of a museum-wide transformation that combines ambitious exhibition design with the practical demands of preserving a major institution. It has refreshed iconic displays while creating more interactive, inclusive and contemporary ways for audiences to experience the history and science of flight and space exploration. The project has demonstrated substantial progress in exhibition renewal, collections presentation, infrastructure modernization and continued public access.
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Daniel Soñé
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Daniel Soñé
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Mark Avino
Photo courtesy of Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Daniel Soñé
