Air, space artifacts make way to new home in Va.

Many historic aircraft and space artifacts—including a Navy dive bomber from World War II and spacesuits from the Apollo era—are slowly moving to a state-of-the-art Smithsonian hangar in northern Virginia.

Faced with an ongoing shortage of suitable space to preserve its massive collection, the Smithsonian's new air and space restoration and storage facility is a bright spot for the museum complex.

At an open house Saturday, conservators will offer the public the first behind-the-scenes look at the massive facility. It's located at the National Air and Space Museum's annex in Virginia.

Artifacts are being moved one by one from an outdated facility in suburban Maryland. Last year, the Smithsonian's inspector general testified in Congress that substandard facilities pose a risk to important art and science collections.

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