WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — The Smithsonian Institution is planning a four-day festival with NASA to welcome space shuttle Discovery into its collection in April.

The National Air and Space Museum announced plans Tuesday for a series of more than 25 special exhibits, programs and activities to highlight the history of the 30-year space shuttle program and the future of space exploration.

Discovery is scheduled to depart from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on the back of a Boeing 747 on April 17. It is expected to arrive by mid-morning and will fly over parts of the Washington area. The Smithsonian is planning “Spot the Shuttle” gatherings at various locations.

A formal ceremony for Discovery is planned for April 19 at the museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia near Dulles International Airport, where it will be displayed.

Discovery will be the new centerpiece to the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar.

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