The Washington, DC museum introduces aviation and space through objects including the 1903 Wright Flyer and the first Moon walker’s spacesuit. Admission is free, but everyone needs a timed-entry pass. Check galleries while renovation proceeds; this entry is not the separate Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

It beats CosmoCaixa for the power of original objects to connect a family with engineering history. Miraikan wins on our broader interaction criterion. A space enthusiast could put Washington first. Ask what problem a machine solved; free entry still needs planning.

Sources: Visit.

Photo: xiquinhosilva · CC BY 2.0. Resized/compressed.