“National Air and Space Museum Announces Solar Eclipse Activities and Resources”

photo by Mark Andre

From an email:

“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

photo by Victoria Pickering

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 will be able to 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.

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.”