Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73
§77 National Air and Space Museum
Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, NATIONAL MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VII— - NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM › § 77
Summary
Creates a National Air and Space Museum inside the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian will run the museum with help from a board made up of top military and aviation leaders (including leaders from the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard), the heads of NASA and the FAA, the Secretary of the Smithsonian, and three U.S. civilians picked by the President. Board members are not paid, but they will be paid back for travel, meals, and other necessary expenses. The Secretary of the Smithsonian, using the board’s advice, can hire the museum’s director and decide that person’s pay and duties. That director’s job is not covered by the regular civil service rules.
Full Legal Text
Title 20, §77
Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)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)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.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, which directed amendment of subsec. (a) of section 1 of the Act of August 12, 1946 (60 Stat. 997, chapter 995; 20 U.S.C. 77(a)) 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 act of Aug. 12, 1946, ch. 955, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1966—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 89–509, § 2, 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). Pub. L. 89–509, § 3, 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 Pub. L. 89–509, § 1, July 19, 1966, 80 Stat. 310, provided: “That this Act [amending this section, section 77a, 77c, and 77d of this title, and provisions set out as notes under this section and section 77b and 77d of this title, and repealing section 77b of this title] may be cited as ‘the National Air Museum
Amendments
Act of 1965’.”
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 section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of
November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. “Chief of Staff of the Air Force” substituted in subsec. (a) for “Commanding General of the Army Air Forces” pursuant to act
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, § 208(b), 61 Stat. 503, which transferred functions of Commanding General of the Army Air Forces to Chief of Staff, United States Air Force. section 208(b) of act
July 26, 1947 was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. See section 8031 and 8034 of Title 10, Armed Forces. “Federal Aviation Administration” substituted in subsec. (a) for “Federal Aviation Agency” pursuant to Pub. L. 89–670, §§ 3(e), 6(c)(1), Oct. 15, 1966, 80 Stat. 932, 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 section 106 of Title 49, Transportation. AppropriationsAct Aug. 12, 1946, ch. 955, § 6, 60 Stat. 998, as amended by Pub. L. 89–509, pt. I, § 10,
July 19, 1966, 80 Stat. 311, provided that: “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.”
Construction
of Museum Center Pub. L. 104–222, Oct. 1, 1996, 110 Stat. 3025, provided that: “section 1.
Construction
OF MUSEUM CENTER.“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. “SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.“No appropriated funds may be used to pay any expense of the
Construction
authorized by section 1.” Extension at Washington Dulles International Airport Pub. L. 103–57, Aug. 2, 1993, 107 Stat. 279, provided that: “section 1. PLAN FOR NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM EXTENSION.“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. “SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.“There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years beginning after
September 30, 1993, a total of $8,000,000 to carry out this Act.” Ratification of Compensation Paid Head of Museum Pub. L. 89–509, pt. I, § 11,
July 19, 1966, 80 Stat. 311, provided that: “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.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
20 U.S.C. § 77
Title 20 — Education
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73