Pricey Air and Space Museum Gets Our Stamp of Approval

Jackson and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather today and finally make our first visit to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (named after the guy who paid for it) Dulles Airport annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

It was well worth it, even though the place is not cheap, especially by our Washington DC standards of free museums. But after $15 for parking, $14 to take a simulation space flight, $25 for toys (that arguable work) and candy in the gift shop, and $10 at the in-museum McDonald's, it felt a little like we should have just gone to Six Flags instead.

Complaining aside, our visit was super fun. On the space flight, we got into a tube and watched a movie with 3-D glasses on our faces while the thing bounced around for a bit. It worked. Towards the end, Jackson looked up and me and asked, "Daddy, are we in space?" I assured him we were, for what it's worth. He wanted to take some of the other rides, but he wasn't tall enough, saving my pocketbook just a tad.

We loved all the spacemen, the "shark plane," the elevators, and the high walkways. But the really awe-inspiring highlights were the Enola Gay, famed for dropping the first bomb on Hiroshima, and the newly-arrived and massive Space Shuttle Discovery, which flew over our home just a month ago en route from Florida.

And the whole experience was aided by Jackson's steady stream of super-happy goofiness, and the monkey stamp he gave himself right on the forehead.

This museum is a must-see for all kids.