Donald D. Engen Tower

The Donald D. Engen Tower at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is an observation tower with a 360 degree bird's eye view of Washington Dulles International Airport and the surrounding area. Visitors can watch planes land and take off from the nearby airport. The tower is named in honor of the former Director of the National Air and Space Museum, Vice Admiral Donald D. Engen.

The tower is operated by NASM Visitor Services Volunteer Specialists. The only way to access the tower is by elevator which extends about 164 feet above the ground level. The elevator transports 15 people approximately every 5 minutes to and from the two levels of the tower. The elevator is accessed from the ground (lower) floor adjacent to the IMAX Theater entrance. Strollers are not permitted on the elevator and a stroller parking area has been designated outside the elevator on the ground floor for visitor use.

The Engen Tower does not require timed tickets, however lines can be long. The Engen Tower will close before the rest of the Museum. Visitors are asked to plan your visit to the tower accordingly. Please inquire at the Welcome Desk about closing time for the Engen Tower.