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The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, also called the Udvar-Hazy Center, is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM)'s annex at Dulles International Airport in the Chantilly area of Fairfax County, Virginia. It holds numerous exhibits, including the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Enola Gay, and the Boeing 367-80, the main prototype for the popular Boeing 707 airliner.

The Template:Convert facility was made possible by a $65 million donation in October 1999 to the Smithsonian Institution by Steven F. Udvar-Házy, an immigrant from Hungary and co-founder of the International Lease Finance Corporation, an aircraft leasing corporation.<ref name=Small2003>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The main NASM building, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., had always contained more artifacts than could be displayed, and most of the collection had been stored, unavailable to visitors, at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility in Silver Hill, Maryland. A substantial addition to the center encompassing restoration, conservation and collection-storage facilities was completed in 2010. Restoration facilities and museum archives were moved from the museum's Garber facility to the new sections of the Udvar-Hazy Center.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Architecture and facilitiesEdit

Designed by Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum, who also designed the National Air and Space Museum building, the Center required 15 years of preparation and was built by Hensel Phelps Construction Co.<ref name=Triplett2003>Triplett, W. "Hold everything!" Smithsonian. Vol. 34, December 2003, p. 59.</ref> The exhibition areas comprise two large hangars, the Template:Convert Boeing Aviation Hangar and the Template:Convert James S. McDonnell Space Hangar. The Donald D. Engen Observation Tower provides a view of landing operations at adjacent Washington Dulles International Airport. The museum also contains an IMAX theater.<ref name=presskit/> A taxiway connects the museum to the airport.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

An expansion of the Udvar-Hazy Center is dedicated to the behind-the-scenes care of the Smithsonian's collection of aircraft, spacecraft, related artifacts and archival materials. On December 2, 2008, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center received a gift of $6 million for phase two from Airbus Americas Inc. — the largest corporate gift to the Smithsonian Institution in 2008.<ref name=":0" />

The wing includes:

  • The Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar — spacious enough to accommodate several aircraft at one time with a second-floor viewing area designed to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
  • Archives — the foremost collection of documentary records of the history, science and technology of aeronautics and space flight will be housed in a single location for the first time, providing researchers with ample space and equipment.<ref name=":0" />
  • The Emil Buehler Conservation Laboratory — provides conservators much-needed space to develop and execute specialized preservation strategies for artifacts.<ref name=":0" />
  • Collections processing unit — a dedicated loading dock and specially designed secure area for initial inspection and analysis of artifacts.<ref>National Air and Space Museum Receives Gift from Airbus for Phase Two of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Template:Webarchive</ref>

A further expansion of the collections center was approved in December 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The addition will be made up of three additional storage modules on the south side of the building.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

CollectionEdit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The center was opened on December 15, 2003. The Udvar-Hazy Center displays historic aviation and space artifacts, especially items too large for the National Air and Space Museum's building on the National Mall, including:<ref name="presskit">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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The museum is still in the process of installing exhibits, and 169 aircraft and 152 large space artifacts were on display as of May 2012;<ref name=presskit/> plans called for the eventual installation of over 200 aircraft.<ref>"Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Looking Ahead" Template:Webarchive Accessed September 30, 2006</ref> The current list is maintained at the Objects On Display page of the Smithsonian Institution NASM Collections site.

EventsEdit

A number of events are held at the museum throughout the year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These include lectures, book signings, sleepovers, and events for children. Some of the museum's larger events include Air & Scare for Halloween,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> an open house,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Innovations in Flight: Family Day and Outdoor Aviation Display.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Media appearancesEdit

The center made its first media appearance in the 2009 film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The center remained open while filming took place, although certain areas were closed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

GalleryEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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