Space Center Houston

Nassau Bay

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1601 NASA Parkway
Houston, 77058
800-844-5253
281-244-2100

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Space Center Houston Description

The next best thing to actual blast off, this working space center is a giant "wow," where astronauts train, scientists work, and mission control still guides shuttles to a safe landing. Cool stuff includes a goose bump-inducing film about man's adventures on the moon and a place where visitors can touch an actual moon rock. Kids (and parents) love the trip into space via an impressive walk-through model of SkyLab, and everybody gets hooked on the electronic shuttle-landing simulators. If kids didn't want to be astronauts before they came, they will by the time they leave.

Kid Tips

School-Age Kids: The vast Kids Space Place, including Daredevil Island, includes numerous climbing areas and even a trapeze. There's so much more to see, though -- make sure to steer kids to the exhibits or you may spend your day right here.

Pre-Teens & Teens: Kids with real dreams of space exploration may love the five-hour Level 9 tour, including cool sights like Mission Control and the Astronaut Cafeteria. Tours are extremely limited, feature changing sites (depending on availability), and cost extra, so call ahead.

Planning Notes

Audio tours. There's a lot to see. Audio tours provide information about the exhibits, and include commentary from astronaut John Glenn and other famous flyers.

Stay warm. A sweater will be needed even on a hot Houston day -- the air conditioning inside is brisk.

Don't rush it. This isn't a place to pull up to at the end of the day. The 90-minute tram tour of sites around the base is an absolute must-do; allow at least two hours to adequately experience the indoor exhibits. A half day here is the absolute minimum.

Camp in. Summer and vacation camps are available for kids ages 4 to 14. Reserve well in advance.

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