Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum     

By Lloyd Salasin-Deane

You’re walking down the mall and you look to your right. There is a big building with a huge glass front. You are instantly intrigued. If you were looking from above you would see that this building is divided into three stone parts. A glass part divides each.This is a great example of modern archetectire in the Capitol. You walk up the steps past the dozens of school groups visiting today. You open the door and step into the National Air and Space Mueseum. As you enter you find your eyes transfixed on the ceiling, which is a host to many famous aircrafts, such as the Bell X-1 and the Spirit of St. Louis. Most people have heard of this place; it is one of the most popular museums in Washington, D.C. Anything you ever need to know about flight is in this building. There are sections on air craft carriers, survelliance planes, space ships, the history of flight, an Imax theater, and interactive exhibits which include my favorite exhibit, the flight simulaters.

The interactive flight simulaters are definelty worth the eight dollars paid for it. You start on an aircraft carrier with a mission to destroy the enemy planes. One person is a gunner and the other is a pilot. The simulator turns around and around, forward and back and even shakes. At points you can flip yourself so you are completely upside down. There is a joystick to your right and left. The screen fills up the whole wall in front of you with unrealistic graphics. However, this is made up for by the spinning and shaking. This is the most fun you will have anywhere on the mall.

Another interesting exhibit is about the military unmanned vehicles. This is a collection of unmanned air planes also known as drones. These planes are often used for survelliance by the military, thus the name. Some of them look like flying saucers. With one of the planes you can even operate the camera and film people near you.

This is just a small taste of the museum. I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you. If you‘re ever in D.C. go to this mueseum, you’ll love it.