Smithsonian Institution: Care of National Air and Space Museum Aircraft
(Testimony, 09/25/96, GAO/T-GGD-96-192).

GAO discussed its 1995 report on the Smithsonian Institution's National
Air and Space Museum's (NASM) aircraft restoration and preservation
efforts, focusing on: (1) the adequacy of aircraft storage facilities;
(2) recommendations for improving the care of museum aircraft; and (3)
the Smithsonian's response those recommendations. GAO noted that: (1)
NASM devoted relatively few resources to aircraft restoration in fiscal
year 1994; (2) inadequate storage facilities contributed to the
deterioration of previously restored aircraft; (3) NASM must compete
with other Smithsonian museums for limited funding; (4) NASM ability to
raise $100 million in private funds for the construction of a storage
facility is in doubt; (5) NASM has drafted a new mission statement that
will focus the museum on its original goal, but it has not established
collecting priorities that are linked to that mission statement; and (6)
NASM will launch a major capital campaign to raise funds for the Dulles
extension facility.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-GGD-96-192
     TITLE:  Smithsonian Institution: Care of National Air and Space 
             Museum Aircraft
      DATE:  09/25/96
   SUBJECT:  Site selection
             Aircraft
             Historic preservation
             Museums
             Inventory control
             Aircraft maintenance
             Federal facilities
             Government facility construction
             Cost analysis
             Funds management
IDENTIFIER:  Dulles International Airport (VA)