	Statement

		Smithsonian Institution: Care of National Air and Space Museum Aircraft

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: We are pleased to be here today to discuss the report that we issued last October to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison on matters relating to aircraft restoration at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum (NASM). In fiscal year 1994, NASM received about $15.4 million in federal appropriations, grants, and contracts. Few Resources Devoted to Restoration

We found that NASM devoted relatively few resources to aircraft restoration. NASM had consistently requested increased funding for collections management and for storage facilities repairs in recent years, but it had to compete with other Smithsonian museums for limited resources and was unable to obtain needed funding. However, it was uncertain when or whether the extension will be built, given the museum’s need to raise at least $100 million in private funds for its construction. Further, the Director indicated that as NASM prepares to move to the Dulles extension in about 5 years, it will assess each artifact to ensure that it rightfully belongs in the collection and plays a meaningful role in exhibits and for research, or whether it could be deaccessioned or traded; has not yet established collecting priorities that are linked directly to its mission statement and prioritized the aircraft in its collections based on their historical and technological significance; is preparing a list of artifacts that will be relocated to the Dulles extension for public display and plans to assess the condition of, and develop an action plan and treatment schedule for, each aircraft on the list. For those aircraft that cannot be displayed immediately, a preservation and storage strategy will be developed; and will launch a major capital campaign this fall for the Dulles extension after Congress has authorized construction of the facility.
Why GAO Did This Study

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.

What GAO Found

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.