Thomas Haas honored with James Smithson Bicentennial Medal

Thomas W. Haas, member of the National Air and Space Museum’s National Board, was presented with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal April 10 in recognition of his generosity and the profound impact he has had on this remarkable museum and the entire Smithsonian.

Established in 1965 in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the birth of our founder, James Smithson, the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal is reserved for individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the advancement of art, science, history, culture, education, or technology.

Haas has been instrumental in the Smithsonian’s work to document and share the history and science of aviation and astronomy with the world. Because of his generosity and dedication, the National Air and Space Museum has been able to evolve into the remarkable and beloved place it is today.

Secretary Lonnie Bunch, Thomas Haas with the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal and John and Adrienne Mars Director Chris Browne in the entrance of the We All Fly Gallery 106 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. April 10, 2024. (Smithsonian photo by Mark Avino).

“Tom’s contributions are evident in the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory, Astronomy Park, and the endowment of the astronomy curator, all of which honor his grandmother, one of the first women to earn a PhD in astronomy,” said Chris Browne, director of the National Air and Space Museum.

“They are evident in the Thomas W. Haas We All Fly Gallery, which celebrates the breadth and depth of aviation and the myriad ways flight technology has reshaped our society.” Brown continued. “And they are evident in Tom’s expertise and wisdom as a pilot, flight instructor, and aircraft mechanic. He brings all of them to bear along with his generosity as part of the National Air and Space Museum Board.”

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch also praised Haas’ contributions to the Smithsonian. “I’d like to express my personal thanks to Tom for his unwavering support of the Smithsonian. It’s public-private partnerships like these that allow our Institution to reach beyond the limitations of federal funding and achieve something truly spectacular.

“The Air and Space Museum is where my Smithsonian career began. I was fresh out of grad school and I knew nothing about aviation, but I was taken by the wonder of this museum all the same. It’s amazing to see how far this place has come over the years, in part because of Tom’s fervent belief in the magic of the museum.

“I know I speak for all of us here at the Smithsonian when I say: thank you. We are immensely grateful for the potential you see in our work and your commitment to help realize it.”

James Smithson Bicentennial Medal

Previous recipients of this honor include:

2022 – Gloria Estefan
Emilio Estefan
Dave Grohl
Susan Tedeschi
2017 – Harrison Ford
Betty White
2016 – Jeff Bezos
2015 – Sebastian Thrun
Ellsworth Kelly
2014 – Ralph Lauren
2013 – Robert Gardner
2012 – Clint Eastwood
2010 – Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.)
Franklin McCain
Joseph McNeil
David Richmond (posthumously)
2009 – Claude Lévi-Strauss
2007 – Patricia B. Wolf
Raul Yzaguirre
Robert H. Rosenblum (posthumously)
2006 – Malcolm Bilson
Jorge Ruiz
2005 – Stephen W. Hawking
Skitch Henderson
Anner Bylsma
2004 – Sir David Attenborough
Maestro Jaap Schroeder
2003 – Ellen Ochoa
Artie Shaw
2002 – Olga Guillot
David N. Baker
Antonia C. Novello, M.D.
2001 – Henry Z. Steinway
Dolores Huerta
Celia Cruz
2000 – Dave Brubeck
Jerry Lee Lewis
Billy Joel
1999 – Steven Spielberg
Katherine Dunham
Alberto Rex Gonzalez
1998 – Leslie Casson Stevens
Sir Edmund Hillary
Johnny Smith
1997 – Wilcomb C. Washburn (posthumously)
Patrick J. McGovern
Hal Prince
Jim Henson
George Lucas
1996 – Walter Cronkite
Sir Colin Marshall
Pete Seeger
Les Paul
Julia Child
James Whitmore
Jacques Cousteau
Don Ricardo Alegria
Dale Chihuly
Chuck Jones
1995 – Gene Carl Feldman
1992 – Rosemary Clooney
Hal Roach
1990 – Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Tomie dePaola
Tito Puente
Robert Redford
Robert Jastrow
Richard E. Leakey
Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson
John Birks Gillespie
International Poetry Forum
Helen Hayes
Hank Jones
Gordon Parks
George W. Gross
Geoffrey Holder
Emerson String Quartet
David Macaulay
Betty Carter
20th Century Consort

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