# § 77. National Air and Space Museum
**(a)** **Establishment; board; administration; reimbursement of expenses** There is hereby established under the Smithsonian Institution a bureau to be known as a National Air and Space Museum, which shall be administered by the Smithsonian Institution with the advice of a board to be composed of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or his designee, the Chief of Space Operations, or the Chief’s designee, the Chief of Naval Operations, or his designee, the Chief of Staff of the Army, or his designee, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, or his designee, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, or his designee, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or his designee, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, or his designee, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and three citizens of the United States appointed by the President from civilian life who shall serve at the pleasure of the President. The members of the board shall serve as such members without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as members of the board.
**(b)** **Appointment and compensation of head of museum** The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, with the advice of the board, may appoint and fix the compensation and duties of the head of a national air and space museum whose appointment shall not be subject to the civil service laws.
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**Source Credit**: (Aug. 12, 1946, ch. 955, § 1, 60 Stat. 997; July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 208(b), 61 Stat. 503; Pub. L. 89–509, pt. I, §§ 2, 3, July 19, 1966, 80 Stat. 310; Pub. L. 89–670, §§ 3(e), 6(c)(1), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 932, 938; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title IX, § 927(g), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3832.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2021—Subsec. (a). , which directed amendment of subsec. (a) of (, chapter 995; ) by inserting “the Chief of Space Operations, or the Chief’s designee,” after “the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, or his designee,”, was executed to this section, which is section 1 of , to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
1966—Subsec. (a). , changed the name of the museum from the National Air Museum to the National Air and Space Museum, expanded the advisory board to include additional members including the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Agency, and an additional member appointed from civilian life to serve at the pleasure of the President, and provided for reimbursement for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as members of the Board.
Subsec. (b). , substituted “national air and space museum” for “national air museum” and struck out provision that the salary of the head of the museum shall not be subject to the Classification Act of 1923, as amended.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Short Title of 1966 Amendment
> “That this Act [amending this section, sections 77a, 77c, and 77d of this title, and provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 77b and 77d of this title, and repealing
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> ] may be cited as ‘the National Air Museum Amendments Act of 1965’.”
, , , provided:
### Transfer of Functions
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under .
“Chief of Staff of the Air Force” substituted in subsec. (a) for “Commanding General of the Army Air Forces” pursuant to , , which transferred functions of Commanding General of the Army Air Forces to Chief of Staff, United States Air Force. Section 208(b) of act was repealed by section 53 of , . See sections 8031 and 8034 of Title 10, Armed Forces.
“Federal Aviation Administration” substituted in subsec. (a) for “Federal Aviation Agency” pursuant to , §§ 3(e), 6(c)(1), , , 938, which transferred all functions, powers, and duties of Federal Aviation Agency and of Administrator and other offices and officers thereof to Secretary of Transportation and established a Federal Aviation Administration in Department of Transportation. See , Transportation.
### Appropriations
> “There is hereby authorized to be appropriated the sum of $50,000 for the purposes of this Act [this subchapter] and there are hereby authorized to be appropriated annually hereafter such sums as may be necessary to maintain and administer said national air and space museum including salaries and all other necessary expenses.”
, , as amended by , pt. I, § 10, , , provided that:
### Construction of Museum Center
> **“SECTION 1. CONSTRUCTION OF MUSEUM CENTER.**
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> “The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to construct the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum Dulles Center at Washington Dulles International Airport.
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> **“SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.**
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> “No appropriated funds may be used to pay any expense of the construction authorized by section 1.”
, , , provided that:
### Extension at Washington Dulles International Airport
> **“SECTION 1. PLAN FOR NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM EXTENSION.**
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> “The Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution shall have authority to plan and design an extension of the National Air and Space Museum at Washington Dulles International Airport.
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> **“SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.**
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> September 30, 1993
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> “There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years beginning after , a total of $8,000,000 to carry out this Act.”
, , , provided that:
### Ratification of Compensation Paid Head of Museum
> “Payments of compensation heretofore made to the head of the National Air Museum at rates fixed by the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution without regard to the Classification Act of 1949, as amended [chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees] are hereby ratified and affirmed.”
, pt. I, § 11, , , provided that: