“The Ascent of Rauschenberg” To Open During the Rauschenberg Centennial Celebration
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum will open its newly renovated Flight and the Arts Center July 1. The gallery, which is part of the museum’s multi-year transformation, will open with the inaugural exhibitions “The Ascent of Rauschenberg: Reinventing the Art of Flight” and “The Art of Air and Space: Interpretations of Flight” on the 50th anniversary of its flagship building in Washington, D.C. The exhibition focused on the art of Robert Rauschenberg will open during the centennial celebration of the artist’s birth.
“As visitors step into the Flight and the Arts Center, they will not only encounter evocative artworks but also engage with the stories, histories and emotional landscapes that accompany the human pursuit of flight,” said Carolyn Russo, art curator at the museum. “We are excited to present ‘The Ascent of Rauschenberg’ and offer a richer understanding of Robert Rauschenberg’s innovative techniques, sustained legacy and unique perspective on all things that fly.”
“The Ascent of Rauschenberg” will present 30 of Rauschenberg’s artworks, several that have rarely been displayed, and will be the first exhibition of his work specifically related to flight. Rauschenberg often returned to the theme of flight throughout his career, viewing it as a metaphor for human ambition, collaboration and imagination while challenging traditional artistic forms to create compelling visual narratives. The one-year exhibition will include works on loan from the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. The works on view will include the lithograph and screenprint “Sky Garden (Stoned Moon)” (1969); sculptures “Prehistoric Rose Spore (Kabal American Zephyr)” (1981) and “Wing Swing Glut” (1988); four screen-printed, mirrored plexiglass panels “Star Quarters I – IV” (1971); and the offset lithograph “Autobiography” (1968).
The accompanying exhibition catalog, The Ascent of Rauschenberg: Reinventing the Art of Flight, written by Russo and published by Smithsonian Books, was released ahead of the exhibition to coincide with the artist’s centennial in October 2025. The museum will also be offering a limited-edition commemorative poster for sale at the museum store later this year.
The newly renovated Flight and the Arts Center will comprise two floors; the Rauschenberg exhibition will be on the second floor, and “The Art of Air and Space” will be on the first. This exhibition will feature over 75 works of art from the museum’s collection, organized by artistic movements and themes in aviation and space flight. Some of the artists featured in “The Art of Air and Space” will include Ay-Ō, Richard Estes, Francisco Goya, Man Ray, Norman Rockwell, Alma Thomas, Annie Leibovitz and William Wegman. There are over 7,000 artworks in the museum’s art collection.
Founding support for the Flight and the Arts Center is provided by The Hillside Foundation—Allan and Shelley Holt.
The museum’s multi-year renovation includes redesigning all 20 exhibition spaces, complete refacing of the exterior stone, replacement of outdated mechanical systems and other repairs and improvements. The second set of renovated galleries opened in July 2025 making a total of 13 new galleries currently on view at the museum. The remaining seven will open in 2026. More information about how the museum is transforming all of its exhibitions and revitalizing the building is available on the museum’s website.
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required to visit. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, timed-entry passes are not required and parking is $15.