In support of an official event 

The Museum will be closed Sunday, May 25
In addition, the Fourth Hangar will be closed Saturday, May 24

Guided tours of the 4th building, normally scheduled at 3:00 p.m. daily, are canceled through May 28.

Effective immediately, the William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery will have limited guest access due to scheduled event preparations. The only accessible exhibits during this time include: Douglas VC-54 Sacred Cow, Flying the President Exhibit, USAF Established Artifact. We anticipate full gallery access will resume by June 5, 2025.

american rocketry challenge (ARC)

Have a blast with us!

group of people watching a rocket being shot off of its launchpad

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is inviting students entering grades 6 through 12 to apply to be a member of the museum's "American Rocketry Challenge" (ARC) team for the 2025/2026 school year. This program is free to all participants.

Applicants should have a strong desire to work on a team of students learning about rocketry principles with the goal of participating in this national-level engineering challenge involving designing, building and launching rockets. They should also have the time and dedication needed to commit to this extensive project. 

ARC is the world's largest rocket contest and involves having students design, build and launch rockets to meet a specific goal which changes each year. This is a very well-respected program by government agencies, industry and academia - with a multitude of sponsors and partners including NASA, the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Association of Rocketry, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and many more.

Please go to the ARC website to learn more at https://rocketcontest.org.

The museum is looking for students who are eager to learn, who want to contribute to a team effort, and who have the time and interest to devote to this program. It requires a lot of work to be successful, but the rewards are numerous! Colleges and employers are looking for students with just the kind of experiences and skills that being on the ARC team will develop. Designing, building and launching rockets is great fun, too!

Previous experience with building a rocket is not a requirement. However, a dedication to learn and the willingness - and ability - to spend the effort and time is a must!

The contest runs from about July 2025 through May 2026. This program will be a major commitment in terms of the student's time and energy. (Approximately 5 hours each Saturday.) It may even include a trip to Virginia in May should the team place in national finals. Meetings and launches are held at the museum, or a nearby location.

Interested students: please complete this form to be considered for a position on the NMUSAF ARC team.
Applications are being accepted until noon on June 6, 2025.

 

For more information about this, or other educational programs, please contact the Education Division at nationalmuseum.mut@us.af.mil or call (937) 255-8048.

Materials for this program are provided by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc. 
(Federal endorsement is not implied).

ARC Grants

National Museum of the USAF (NMUSAF) American Rocketry Challenge Grants are available for a limited number of eligible Title I schools, as well as homeschool groups, 4-H clubs, and Scout troops demonstrating financial need who are interested in participating in the American Rocketry Challenge. 

The American Rocketry Challenge is the world’s largest rocket contest with nearly 5,000 students nationwide competing each year. The contest gives middle and high school students the opportunity to design, build, and launch model rockets and hands-on experience solving engineering problems.

The NMUSAF looks to educate and inspire students via informal learning methods in order to complement formal learning acquired through institutions, educators, and students that influence academic and career achievements.

Grant applications must be completed by August 24, 2025. 
Download the Grant application HERE. and return to NMUSAF.MUT.AerospaceCamps@us.af.mil.

All applications will be reviewed, and winners will be notified within two weeks of grant application closing date.