What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Houston, Texas? NASA! Growing up in Houston, I loved visiting Space Center Houston and learning something new about space exploration each time I visited.
That is why I am excited to share my collaboration with the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center and a Smithsonian Affiliate, Space Center Houston to show you how to plan a fun, educational and safe visit!
About Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston is a project of the 501(c)(3) Manned Space Flight Education Foundation and is more than just a Houston attraction. It is a 250,000 square feet museum (perfect for social distancing) with exciting exhibits and more than 400 space artifacts! The center also offers a variety of education programs, virtual and in person to inspire the next generation to choose careers in STEM. Does your child love NASA? Youth ages 11-18, adults and educators can attend Space Center University! The center now has a new Space Center University Clean Room experience to learn how NASA is the leader in crew safety, health and sanitation. Just imagine the high level of sanitation needed to send astronauts into space! Learn more about education programs here. You can also support these programs and the nonprofit’s mission here.
Fun fact for Disney fans: Disney Imagineers helped design the layout for the center!
Where is Space Center Houston located?
Space Center Houston is located about 30 min (28.5 miles) from downtown Houston at 1601 NASA Pkwy, Houston, Texas, 77058. From downtown, you can head down I-45 South and exit NASA Road 1 and turn left to follow signs to the center. Parking is free for now. Visit spacecenter.org for updates.
What to Know Before You Go
You can safely experience new exhibits, new live shows and outdoor activities at Space Center Houston thanks to the center following state, local and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19. Since the center’s reopening in July 2020, there is an increase in safety and sanitation that I noticed on my recent visit like social distancing markers on the ground (shaped like spacesuit foot prints), hand sanitizers throughout and a touch-less entry to ensure each guest feels safe. I will be sharing all about my recent visit to the center in this post. But first, here’s what I highly recommend to do for an enjoyable visit:
- Read the Know Before You Go Guide for reopening procedures like the new timed admission tickets, face mask requirement, what size of bags allowed, water bottles allowed and more!
- Purchase your advance timed tickets here.
Child (ages 3 & younger) Free, Kid (ages 4-11) $24.95, Adult (ages 12 & older) $29.95, Senior (ages 65 & older) $27.95.
- Download the FREE Space Center Houston app here. Trust me, you’ll need this to fully experience all there is to offer, including reserving your Tram Tour seats as shown below. Plus there are augmented reality features!
What to see in Space Center Houston?
I recently visited the center on a Saturday in August 2020. We arrived at 10 am right when the center opened (Hours of Operation: 10 am – 5 pm). The recommended time to spend there is 2-3 hours, but you can easily spend up to 6 hours like we did. There is just so much to do! When we arrived, we put on our NASA-themed masks and immediately noticed the new tent with a welcome concierge desk, a small line with social distancing markers and hand sanitizer dispensers handy. Once we made it through the bag check line, there was a cool family photo op in front of a green screen with a space-themed background available for purchase!
Exhibits, Activities & Experiences
Once we went through the touchless entry, we were greeted by space music, space artifacts suspended from the ceiling and the NASA Lunar Rover which is another great photo op!
Apollo 13: Failure is not an option
One of the newest exhibits at Space Center Houston is the Apollo 13: Failure is Not an Option exhibit. Although Apollo 13 did not land on the moon due to a malfunction, flight controllers were able to create new procedures to successfully rescue the crew. This exhibit is available July 19th – December 31st.
Destiny Theater
In previous years, I would have recommended to start your visit with the Tram Tour since the lines get longer throughout the day, but with the limited capacity, we felt at ease to sit down and watch the historic film “Human Destiny” which shows NASA’s space journey from the beginning of the space race to the moon landing and more – pretty awesome to see on the big screen. Fun fact: The podium displayed in this theater was used by President John F. Kennedy at Rice University in Houston, Texas during his historic speech informing Americans why we must explore the moon!
Starship Gallery
Starship Gallery is one of the coolest galleries at Space Center Houston. We saw so many different space artifacts that have flown in space! One of my favorites was the Gemini V that floated above us as we walked into the gallery. The Gemini V (Gemini, also meaning “twins” in Greek) was designed to have 2 crew members and is recognized for its duration of 8 days to land on the moon and travel back. You can safely explore this gallery with the new one-way path to see the Skylab 1-G Trainer Module for America’s first space station, the Lunar Roving Trainer, lunar rocks and more!
Independence Plaza
Once we walked through the Starship Gallery, we followed the path to enter the large outdoor space where the 159-ton NASA 905 plane and the 80-ton shuttle replica Independence are. Make sure to take the elevator or stairs up to enter the plane and the shuttle during your visit – you’ll love the views and exhibits in both!
SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Exhibit
One of the newest and exciting exhibits at Space Center Houston is outdoor next to the Independence Plaza and displays the massive SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Falcon 9 is elevated 14 feet so we could easily walk under it and admire the length and scorch marks on the first commercial space exhibit at the center. This exhibit is a big deal because SpaceX has now proven that they can launch, land and reuse a rocket which is the future of space travel!
Gift Shop
After reserving our seats for the Tram Tour on the Free Space Center Houston App, we decided to browse through the gift shop for some new NASA merchandise and astronaut ice cream! I do recommend visiting the gift shop during the earlier part of the day to avoid waiting in line due to limited capacity.
NASA Tram Tour
This tour normally takes visitors to the Mission Control Center, but it is currently only going to Rocket Park to view the massive Saturn V Rocket – which is still pretty cool. The Saturn V is impressive because it is the heaviest, tallest and most powerful rocket that has been flown! We learned more about this rocket with the help of the augmented reality on the Space Center Houston app. The Tram Tour is definitely something you can’t miss during your visit!
Zero-G Diner
After the Tram Tour, we took a lunch break at the Zero-G Diner to fuel up (see what I did there?) for some more space exploration. As a reminder, water bottles are allowed so I brought a cute NASA water bottle. Light snacks, sandwiches and vending machines are available for a quick break.
Astronaut Gallery
When we walked into this gallery, there was an astronaut on stage answering questions from the audience (whose seats were spaced out)! After the Meet an Astronaut series, we walked through the gallery to see the incredible collection of spacesuits worn by the men and women of space exploration. Two suits that stood out to me were Judy Resnik’s T-38 flight suit and Sally Ride’s Shuttle Inflight Coveralls. Judy Resnik was part of NASA’s first astronaut class that included women. Unfortunately, this is the last suit she wore before the tragic loss of the crew aboard the Challenger. Sally K. Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and these overalls commemorate her dedication to space exploration and her motivation to inspire young girls to pursue careers in STEM. NASA continues to support women in space such as creating different garments for women like radiation vests to protect their bodies in harsh environments.
Check out more exhibits like the International Space Station Gallery here.
General Information
Phone: +1 281 244 2100
Email: schinfo@spacecenter.org
1601 NASA Pkwy,
Houston, Texas, USA
77058
Hours 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where to Stay: Hotel List
Tours/Transportation: HGS Travel
Space Center Houston’s official social web pages are:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpaceCenterHouston
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/space-center-houston
Instagram: @SpaceCenterHou
Whether you are a local or an out-of-towner, visiting Space Center Houston to learn more about NASA and space exploration is a must! I hope you enjoyed this guide on how to plan your next visit. Thank you to Space Center Houston for allowing me to inspire you to learn more! Share this post with someone who loves space. Don’t forget to tag Space Center Houston and A Tasteful Trip, we want to see your adventures!
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