Virtually every NASA field center has a visitor center and
tours available. A few of the best are:
Space Center
Houston
Space Center
Houston is the official visitor
center for the Johnson Space
Center, where astronauts are
trained and where space shuttle missions are controlled. Space Center Houston
contains numerous exhibits, including a gallery of space suits dating back to
the dawn of space travel, a collection of artifacts from the history of manned
space flight from Mercury through the Apollo program, and a series of kiosks
that contains simulations of space flights, everything from landing a space
shuttle to planning and conducting a manned mission to Mars. Space
Center Houston
is also the venue of special exhibits, most geared toward children. Tours of
the Johnson Space
Center are available with stops at
such places as Mission Control, and the rocket park (where a Saturn V is
located). Summer day camps for children are also available.
Kennedy Space
Center Vistors Center
The Visitors Center
at the Kennedy Space
Center is a sprawling place, on the
edge of the vast launch complex where people have been launched into space for
over forty years, several to the Moon. It includes two IMAX theaters, an
education center for young people, a rocket garden, interactive simulators,
live shows, and the Astronauts Memorial, commemorating those who died for the
exploration of space. The Visitors Center
is also the jumping off point for bus tours of the Kennedy
Space Center.
These generally end at the totally enclosed Apollo/Saturn V Center with
artifacts and multimedia displays depicting the first expeditions to the Moon,
Public viewing of space launches, including that of the
space shuttle, is possible. Contact the Visitors
Center for details.
The Kennedy Space
Center is about forty five minutes
away from Orlando and is in easy
proximity of other central Florida
attractions such as Disney World and Universal Studios.
NASA Visitor
Center – Space and Rocket
Center Huntsville
Located in Huntsville, Alabama,
this visitors center contains a museum and IMAX theater. The museum contains
numerous artifacts and interactive displays depicting the history of space
flight and rocketry. It is also collocated at the US Space Camp.