National Air and Space Museum Dulles Collections Center

Located at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Dulles Collections Center and Hangar Swing Space provides a purpose-built, climate-controlled environment to support the museum’s multi-year modernization on the National Mall. Designed by Ayers Saint Gross, the three-story, 124,000-square-foot facility serves as secure storage for artifacts, exhibits, and display materials, while also functioning as a critical swing space during renovations and as long-term collections storage for the broader Smithsonian portfolio.

Designed to accommodate large-scale aerospace artifacts and sensitive collection materials, the facility enables the safe relocation, storage, and staging of objects during extended renovation periods.

Flexible, High-Volume Collection Spaces

The building includes three expansive open collection areas—each approximately 28,000 square feet and spanning three stories—designed to support large artifacts and high-volume storage needs. Additional smaller collection rooms and support spaces provide flexibility for a wide range of object types and handling requirements.

Two dedicated environmental chambers—one cool storage and one cold storage—support materials requiring specialized conservation conditions. Together, these spaces allow the museum to tailor environmental performance to the specific needs of diverse collections.

Engineering Systems for Precision Environmental Control

Mueller Associates provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and controls engineering for the Dulles Collections Center, designing systems to deliver reliable, energy-efficient environmental control at a large scale.

The facility’s HVAC systems maintain consistent temperature, humidity, and air circulation throughout the general storage areas, while dedicated systems serve the cool and cold storage chambers with precise control for sensitive objects. Stand-alone mechanical heating and cooling plants, energy-efficient chillers and boilers, and a fully integrated digital control system support operational resilience and long-term collections stewardship.

Electrical infrastructure includes robust power distribution, emergency generation, and supporting systems to ensure continuity of operations for this mission-critical facility.

Preserving the Nation’s Aerospace Heritage

By combining high-capacity storage, specialized conservation environments, and resilient infrastructure, the Dulles Collections Center plays a vital role in safeguarding the National Air and Space Museum’s collections during renovation—and well into the future. Mueller’s engineering solutions quietly support the preservation, care, and stewardship of some of the nation’s most significant aerospace artifacts, enabling the Smithsonian to continue its mission of research, education, and public access.