Space Center Houston
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If space travel inspires you, the Space Center Houston should be on your bucket list. Located adjacent to NASA Johnson Space Center in Southeastern Houston, this attraction is one of the most heavily visited in Texas. Nearly 1.25 million annual visitors interact and view over 400 space-related exhibits and artifacts.
Space Center Houston opened in 1992 to showcase and tell the story of NASA and the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Several crafts, models, and displays began accumulating haphazardly across JSC grounds in the 1960s. The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation Inc. is a non-profit formed to create a facility where the public and space flight could touch one another. Space Center Houston is that facility.
Team members called on the expertise of Walt Disney's design and master planning group to help create the layout and artifact displays you'll see when visiting. The museum covers 250,000 square feet of real estate, providing educational programs, interactive displays, and views of NASA training equipment and actual spacecraft flown in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
How to Get There
Arrive via nearby airports like William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Major cities near Space Center Houston include Sugar Land (19 miles west), Galveston (50 miles southeast), Beaumont (86 miles east), and College Station (95 miles northwest). Transportation options include BCycle bike share, METRO buses, METRORail light rail, taxis, Uber, and Lyft.
Rent an RV For Your Visit to Space Center Houston
Visit Space Center Houston
If you plan to visit Space Center Houston, note that you will have access on all days except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Operating hours trend from mid-morning (9-10 a.m.) to early evening (5-6 p.m.). The weather shouldn't prevent you from visiting throughout the year, but you might experience colder days in January and February. It rains a lot, so be prepared for that, especially while you explore outdoor exhibits.
Independence Plaza is one of the outdoor sections of the Space Center Houston, containing the only replica shuttle called Independence. It sits atop NASA 905, one of the two Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft used during the program. It is a must-see attraction, as the public can enter both crafts. Other outdoor exhibits include a Falcon 9 rocket and two T-38 Talon jets near the entrance.
Tram tours take you offsite to the astronaut training facility (blue tram), JSC mission control (white tram), and the segmented Saturn V at the rocket park (red tram).
You'll also want to visit Starship Gallery. It is home to three craft flown on space missions, several test trainers, a test vehicle, and one of only eight moon rocks you can actually touch! While inside, check out the spacesuit collection on display.
The Artemis exhibit allows you to interact with things like the International Space Station gallery, Mission to Mars, films, and presentations. Space Center Houston also offers several temporary exhibits that cycle through the museum with science and space-related themes. If you want a unique experience, try the NASA VIP tour, with lots of behind-the-scenes access.
Ticket Information
If you plan to visit the Space Center during your trip to the Houston area, you can get general admission tickets online or at on-site kiosks or the box office. Ticket prices come with online discounts or full-person at the Space Center.
Children 3 and younger are free. Tickets for kids 4-11 range from $24.95 to $29.95, while anyone between 12 and 64 can get tickets for $29.95 or $34.95. Guests 65 and older can buy online for $27.95 or on-site for $32.95.
There are several ways to save, including memberships, military discounts, and group discounts.
Family-Friendly Options
The Space Center Houston has plenty to offer the whole family, including Space Center U. This multi-day program teaches teamwork, problem-solving, and communication in a space-themed environment for future astronauts ages 11-18.
Families can opt to spend the night and enjoy hands-on fun, tram tours, and dinner snacks in a fun and safe environment. Each family member will need to purchase a ticket for overnight experiences.
Explorer camps for children aged 4-11 are also available. These experiences have themes like Mars explorers, moon explorers, and rockets and robots.
How to Make the Most of Your Visit
You'll need seven or more hours to explore this site fully. Your itinerary should include all stops on the NASA tram tours, Starship Gallery, Independence Plaza, the Food Lab, Mission Mars, the Artemis exhibit, the International Space Station gallery, the gift shop, live shows, and the film at the Space Center Theater.
Aspiring photographers should prepare for indoor and outdoor photography, including flashes and filters. Many artifacts are behind glass, so take precautions to avoid glare. It gets busy, so you must be patient and considerate when setting up for shots. Some amateur photographers like using fish eye lenses for their outdoor photos of the shuttle and rockets.
Space Center Houston Accommodations
Campgrounds Nearby
You can stay at this RV park on the mainland and still see the sights in Galveston. Bayou Campground in Dickinson, which is less than 25 miles from the famous barrier island, has lovely, shaded campsites. If you’re in the area for the fishing opportunities, you’ll find plenty of them at this campground near Galveston, Texas.
Tropic Garden RV Park is near San Leon, Texas, where oyster harvesting and fishing are favorite hobbies. This park is also conveniently located near NASA and plenty of golf courses. Kemah Boardwalk and a community private beach are also both located nearby. The park is family- and pet-friendly. Community markets are a regular occurrence, and there are shower and laundry facilities. You can also enjoy free Wi-Fi throughout your stay.
You will find Bay RV Park comfortably located between Galveston and Houston, and only minutes away from the attractions at Kemah Boardwalk. The park takes pride in being one of the highest-rated parks in the area. With its prime location to enjoy the bay and the city, you will find yourself loving your stay at Bay RV Park.
Activities Near Space Center Houston
Things to Do
Hiking
If you want more exercise, lace up your walking shoes and head to the University of Houston Clear Lake trail. Located near JSP, this three-mile trail is easy enough for everyone and should take about an hour to complete.
Aquatic Activities
Get out on the water on Clear Lake with watercraft rentals like deck boats and wave runners. Or, if you want to see the Gulf of Mexico, visit the beaches in Galveston.
National Sites
Weather, Safety & Accessibility
Weather & Packing
The climate in Houston is humid and subtropical, with only a handful of days during winter reaching freezing or below. It rains here more than in Seattle, averaging 45 inches of precipitation annually. That means it stays humid, which you might expect this close to the Gulf of Mexico.
When planning your trip, remember that extreme weather is possible year-round. Storms during hurricane season can be intense if they make nearby landfall, and the city has experienced more tornados (246) than any other in Texas between 1950 and 2022. Otherwise, it stays sunny, with many summer days hovering in the 90-degree range.
You should pack sunscreen, a weather radio, rain ponchos, and even jackets if you visit during the winter. Summer attire recommendations include lightweight shirts and shorts when exploring the parks outside. Temperatures are cooler inside the museum, but it shouldn't be too cold for guests. Comfortable walking shoes are a must year-round.
Safety & Accessibility
Note that aerial drones are prohibited. Large cameras, tripods, selfie sticks, action cameras, and lenses over six inches are also a no-go. All bags will get screened for everyone's safety.
The Space Center offers nursing mother's rooms and accessible restrooms on-site. You have accessible parking, restroom stalls, exhibits, and lifts on trams. They also have limited numbers of wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis.
There is a certified autism center with sensory-friendly events. ASL interpreters are available with advanced requests, and the facility offers captioned displays and induction loop technology for hearing aids. Visually impaired guests can experience tactile exhibits and unlimited Aira for free.
Conclusion
If you want to touch space and have it reach back to you, the Space Center Houston is worth visiting. It offers over 400 exhibits and artifacts related to space exploration. Family and handicap-friendly accommodations make this a place everyone can enjoy. With nearby accommodations and extracurricular activities, you'll find plenty to do year-round.
FAQ
There are several camping options near the Space Center in Houston. If you need nearby options catering to motorhomes, multi-acre places like USA RV Resorts or Bay Area RV Park will suit your needs. You'll find a more traditional setting at Brazos Bend State Park, west of the Space Center.
Houston's Space Center has plenty of RV-friendly parking for all classes of motorhomes. It has charge stations for electric cars but does not include any RV hookups. Accessible parking is available near the entrance, but you can only park camper vans or small Class C motorhomes here.
NASA Tram Tours are some of the most popular things at the Space Center Houston, so book in advance. The motion and VR simulations are not part of general admission and are first-come, first-served. Finally, if you want to see everything, plan on spending seven or more hours here.
The Space Center in Houston is family-friendly. One of its missions is education, and the facility offers explorer camps, overnight experiences, and Space Center U to children. Students can enjoy field trips and scout programs, and the Stars & STEM program is open to all from K-12th grade.
Houston's Space Center is not pet-friendly, so keep your four-legged family members home. There is, however, an exception for service animals. These animals are certified and trained to help those with disabilities or impairments.