One hundred years ago, the christening of the USS Shenandoah marked the official start of the Era of the Rigid Airship

In October 1923, the airship ZR-1 was officially christened the USS Shenandoah, a name that was thought to translate to “daughter of the stars.” The USS Shenandoah marked many firsts for the United States. It was the first rigid airship to be inflated with helium, a rare lifting gas that was safer than the more common hydrogen. It was also the first rigid airship to be constructed by the United States.

Many saw rigid airships as the future of aviation and dreamed of a time when an entire fleet would sail the skies. Although this dream did not become a reality, the USS Shenandoah did pave the way forward for future rigid airship pilots and crews, offering an invaluable platform for training.

To mark this important moment in aviation history, we've launched an interactive web experience that looks at the history of the Shenandoah. The website features recently-digitized artifacts from the Museum's collection and an interactive map that uses a first-person account to trace the airship's 1924 North American crossing.

This experience is interactive and may not work with assistive technologies. While we work to make the interactive experience more accessible, you can find an accessible version of this experience here.