National Air and Space Museum Prepares Activities and Educational Resources for April's Solar Eclipse

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2024 -- The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum will serve as a major source of information, educational activities and experiences on and around the total solar eclipse taking place April 8. The next total solar eclipse will not be visible in the contiguous United States for over 20 years.

The museum will hand out eclipse glasses to the public in advance of the eclipse, host eclipse-viewing opportunities and other events in the lead-up to the eclipse and provide eclipse-related resources for educators and parents/caregivers across the country.

Solar Eclipse Glasses

Beginning in late March, the museum will hand out limited supplies of solar eclipse glasses at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Glasses will also be handed out on the National Mall during the eclipse April 8. Solar eclipse glasses are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA. The museum will share full details on how to pick up a pair solar eclipse glasses on its website March 15.

Eclipse-Viewing Events

On April 8, the museum will host the "Solar Eclipse Festival on the National Mall" in Washington, D.C. This event, presented in collaboration with other Smithsonian museums, NASA, NOAA, NSF and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, will run from noon to 4 p.m. Attendees can participate in many activity stations and view the sun using a variety of safe telescopes. A limited supply of solar eclipse glasses will be available for event attendees. "Solar Eclipse Festival on the National Mall" is made possible by the support of Phillip N. and Mary A. Lyons.

Visitors will also be able to view the eclipse through safe solar telescopes at the museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, from 2 to 4 p.m. For those not in the Washington area, the museum has compiled a map of eclipse-viewing events taking place at Smithsonian Affiliates across the United States. The map features over 15 events, with additional events being added.

Other Eclipse Events

The museum will host the "Get Ready for the Solar Eclipse Family Day" April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum's location in Washington, D.C. "Soar Together at Air and Space" family days are made possible by the support of Northrop Grumman.

During the month of April, the museum's "Flights of Fancy Story Time" series will be eclipse themed, featuring a reading of Eclipse by Andy Rash and a hands-on activity to make safe eclipse-viewing tools. "Flights of Fancy Story Time" is made possible by the support of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

On March 26 at 6 p.m., the museum will host "What We Do in the Shadow: The Total Solar Eclipse Experience" at Washington's Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Neighborhood Library. 

Virtual Eclipse Resources

The museum also has available on its website educational resources that teachers, parents and caregivers can use to teach children about eclipses. This includes hands-on activities, videos and materials that can be incorporated into lesson plans. Astronomy education is made possible by the support of Thomas W. Haas Foundation, Otto Haas Charitable Trust, The Waterman Trust and Wyncote Foundation.

The museum's "AirSpace" podcast will release an episode about eclipses March 13. "AirSpace" is made possible by the support of Olay. March 25, the museum will release an eclipse-themed episode of "STEM in 30," its Emmy-award winning educational webcast series for middle school teachers and students. "STEM in 30" is made possible by the support of Boeing, Hexcel and Safran. "AirSpace" is made possible by the support of Olay.

The museum is also selling limited-edition merchandise celebrating the solar eclipse. Items such as T-shirts, posters and mugs can be purchased for a limited time.

Full details about all of the museum's eclipse activities and important information about how to view eclipses safely can be found on its website.

The National Air and Space Museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and has locations in Washington, D.C., and Chantilly, Virginia.

SOURCE Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum