Bell is sending the mockup of its Nexus eVTOL aircraft design to the Smithsonian Institution’s Arts and Industries Building (AIB) “Futures” exhibit in Washington, D.C., this fall. The mockup made its public debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2019, but since then the helicopter manufacturer has said little about how the program is progressing.  

“The Bell team is paving the way for future electric-powered vehicles and greener technology to flourish,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell. “We have a rich history of partnership with the Smithsonian Institute, with our various legacy aviation and aerospace products on display throughout the years, and I’m excited that the Bell Nexus will be part of the new Futures exhibit.”

The Nexus exhibit will include digital display monitors that allow visitors to explore the vehicle’s technology and its real-world applications as well as Bell’s history. Bell is also exhibiting the Bell Rocket Belt, which was the world’s first jet pack. Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum is already home to the Bell X-1 plane, the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, and the Bell 47B, the first helicopter to receive civil certification.

Celebrating the Smithsonian’s 175^th anniversary, “Futures” will temporarily reopen the AIB, which is part of the Smithsonian national museum, for the first time in nearly two decades.