Houston – you inevitably associate it with NASA and the associated Space Center. The name alone brings to mind legendary radio messages (“Houston, we have a problem“), rocket launches and the infinite expanses of space. So it was clear to us that while we were in town, a visit to the Space Center Houston was a must. Find out how we liked the NASA visitor center in our travel report.
Table of contents
Interesting facts about the Space Center Houston
Space Center Houston is the official visitor center of the NASA Johnson Space Center and is located in the city of Webster, about 40 kilometers southeast of downtown Houston (location in Google Maps). Since its opening in October 1992, it has become one of the most important educational and tourist attractions in the US state of Texas. Every year, around 1.25 million visitors come to take a look behind the scenes of space travel. The center houses more than 400 space exhibits, including the legendary Saturn V rocket – one of the three remaining originals in the world – and Independence Plaza, where an original shuttle carrier jet with a space shuttle replica can be viewed.
We stayed at the Hyatt House Houston Medical Center (studio suite, 1 king bed and sofa bed, kitchen) for 140 EUR incl. breakfast. We had breakfast in a really nice hotel with a pool near the city center. For great deals in Houston take a look at Booking.com by.
In addition to the exhibits, Space Center Houston also offers guided streetcar tours of the active NASA site. Among other things, guests can see the Mission Control Center, training modules for the International Space Station ISS and development facilities for future Mars missions. There is also a focus on educational programs: More than 250,000 schoolchildren take part in workshops, camps and interactive learning opportunities every year.
Opening hours, parking & admission
Space Center Houston is open daily, usually from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., although opening hours may change slightly depending on the day of the week and the season. A paid parking lot is available for visitors directly in front of the center and the parking fee is 10 USD per vehicle.
The entrance fee varies according to age: adults pay around 30-35 USD, children between the ages of 4 and 11 pay around 25 USD, while children under the age of 4 are admitted free of charge. Online tickets are usually a little cheaper and can be purchased here.
A map of the Space Center Houston
The following map clearly shows the individual areas of Space Center Houston. You can download the latest version of this map with lots more information free of charge from the official website.
Map of the Space Center Houston
Tour through the different subject areas
We were at the Space Center at around 10:30 in the morning and went through the individual areas one by one with our two kids.
Space Center entrance hall
The entrance hall of Space Center Houston is the central starting point for a visit to the center. It is designed as a spacious, high area and enables quick orientation. From the entrance hall, visitors can access the Space Center’s main attractions. These include the interactive exhibitions on the history of space travel, the visitor information desk, the museum store, catering facilities and access to the streetcar tour.
International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) area at Space Center Houston provides a comprehensive insight into the structure, function and everyday life on board the largest research station ever built by humans in space. A central element is the replica module of the ISS, which visitors can enter. Here they experience how astronauts work, research and live in a confined space. Topics such as sleeping facilities, food preparation, personal hygiene and sporting activities in weightlessness are clearly presented.
The exhibition also shows the technical and scientific significance of the ISS. Models, interactive stations and original exhibits illustrate how the space station is structured, how international cooperation works – especially between NASA, ESA, Roskosmos, JAXA and CSA – and which experiments are carried out there. Overall, this area shows how the ISS, as an “outpost of humanity in space”, contributes to basic scientific research and at the same time stands as a symbol of international cooperation.
Artemis Moon
The Artemis Moon section is dedicated to NASA’s current lunar program, which runs under the name Artemis. The aim of this program is to bring humans back to the moon for the first time since the Apollo missions, to establish a long-term presence there and to use the moon as a testing ground for later manned missions to Mars.
The most important components of the program are presented in the exhibition:
Space Launch System (SLS): The most powerful rocket ever built by NASA is designed to transport astronauts and cargo to the moon.
Spaceship Orion: A specially developed spacecraft that takes the crew safely to the moon and back to earth.
Lunar Gateway: A planned small space station in lunar orbit that serves as an intermediate station for moon landings and as a research platform.
Lunar landing systems: Various landers that will bring astronauts from orbit to the lunar surface.
Independence Plaza
The Independence Plaza area is one of the highlights of Space Center Houston. It houses a 1:1 replica of the space shuttle “Independence”, which is permanently mounted on the specially converted original Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). This unique combination can only be seen here worldwide.
Both the space shuttle and the carrier aircraft can be viewed from the inside. Various exhibition areas are set up in the “Independence” to explain the structure of the space shuttle, its technology and the missions of the shuttle program. This is complemented by interactive stations and exhibits that illustrate the everyday life of astronauts on board. Inside the Boeing 747 SCA, you can find out more about the complex logistics required to transport the space shuttles between their deployment sites.
Starship Gallery
The Starship Gallery at Space Center Houston is an exhibition area in which numerous original exhibits from US space history are presented. The Starship Gallery offers a chronological overview from the beginnings of manned space flight to current and future programs. Among the most important exhibits are the space capsules from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, including original return capsules that were actually in space. And also artifacts and modules from the Skylab era, the first US space station.
Lunar Surface
The Lunar Surface area at Space Center Houston is entirely dedicated to the exploration and investigation of the moon. The focus here is on the Apollo era, i.e. the missions with which NASA brought humans to the surface of the moon for the first time between 1969 and 1972.
The highlights include:
Original moon rock that visitors can touch themselves“Touch the Moon“) – one of the few publicly accessible moon samples in the world.
A Lunar Module replica showing how the astronauts landed on the surface of the moon.
A lunar rover, as used on the later Apollo missions, to extend the astronauts’ reach on the lunar surface.
Equipment and spacesuits that illustrate the conditions under which the astronauts worked on the moon.
There are also many interactive hands-on stations for the whole family.
Mission Mars
The Mission Mars area at Space Center Houston is dedicated to current and future plans for exploring the Red Planet. The exhibition is interactive and shows the technological, scientific and human challenges associated with a manned mission to Mars. Central contents are:
Mars landscape & rover models: Visitors can see replicas of Mars rovers such as Curiosity or Perseverance and learn how these vehicles are used to explore the surface of Mars.
Interactive stations: Simulators allow visitors to experience what it would be like to stand on the surface of Mars or steer a vehicle across the planet.
Future technologies: Models and concepts illustrate how astronauts could live and work on Mars – e.g. habitat modules, life support systems or energy supply methods.
Scientific context: The exhibition explains why Mars is so interesting for research – for example because of the question of past life, the geological structures and the possibility of using resources such as water.
What tours are available at Space Center Houston?
Space Center Houston offers four different tours that give visitors an exclusive look behind the scenes at the Johnson Space Center. Most tours are free, but require free reservations on site. As most of the time slots were already taken during our visit, we were only able to do the “Rocket Park Tour”, for which we didn’t need an extra reservation.
Further information on the tours can be found on the official website.
The 4 different NASA Tram Tours at Space Center Houston
Rocket Park Tour (45 minutes)
The Rocket Park Tour at Space Center Houston is included with admission, requires no reservations and is the most popular and easily accessible tour. Within 45 minutes you can explore the Rocket Park, where an original Saturn V rocket and other historical exhibits are on display.
During the streetcar tour, you will be taken to the grounds of the NASA Johnson Space Center, where historic launch vehicles are on display in Rocket Park. The central exhibit is a Saturn V rocket, which is presented in its full length (over 110 meters) in its own hall. This rocket is an original from the Apollo program that was never launched, but was fully prepared for use. It is regarded as one of the most important engineering achievements in the history of space travel and vividly illustrates the dimensions and complexity of the lunar missions.
In addition to the Saturn V, other rockets representing different phases of US spaceflight are on display in Rocket Park, including a Little Joe II used for test flights in the Apollo program, a Redstone rocket that carried the first Mercury astronauts into space and other historic launchers documenting the development of manned spaceflight.
Astronaut Training Facility Tour (60 minutes)
The Astronaut Training Facility Tour lasts about 60 minutes and is included in the entrance fee. However, you need boarding passes, which can only be obtained on site and on a first-come, first-served basis at the visitor information desk. On this tour you can see real training environments for astronauts, including training modules from the International Space Station and advanced robotic systems.
NASA Campus Tour (35 minutes)
The NASA Campus Tour is also included in the entrance fee. On the streetcar tour, you will be guided through the Johnson Space Center, visit training facilities, research laboratories and historic spacecraft – with the option of getting off at the Rocket Park station. Boarding passes are available on site, also first-come, first-served.
Historic Mission Control Tour (60 minutes)
The Historic Mission Control Tour is not included in standard admission and must be booked online in advance as places are very limited. Here you can take a 60-minute tour of the historic Apollo Mission Control Center, which has been faithfully restored and is a National Historic Landmark. The legendary Apollo and Gemini missions were conducted here, including the first moon landing.
Historic Mission Control Center in Houston
Is a visit to the Space Center in Houston worthwhile?
Anyone interested in astronauts, rockets or life in space will definitely be thrilled. And where else do you have the opportunity to touch real moon rock? 😉
The Houston CityPASS®
If you plan to visit several sights, tours or attractions in Houston, then the Houston CityPASS®, which we had for exploring the city, is definitely worthwhile. With a CityPASS you get free access to 5 top attractions such as the Space Center Houston, Houston Zoo, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Kemah Boardwalk, Children’s Museum Houston or the Museum of Fine Arts.
More activities & tours in Houston
Take a look at GetYourGuide. Here you will find many exciting tours & activities.
Round trip through Texas - Our travel route & reports
We did a lot of research for our round trip through Texas and in the end we probably put together a "typical" round trip where you explore the best-known cities and regions. We started our trip in Dallas and Fort Worth, then went on to the capital Austin, then to Fredericksburg and San Antonio, from there to the Gulf Coast to Galveston and finally we visited Houston. All in all, a really beautiful and varied route that you can do very well in 3 weeks with 2 small children 🙂
Our itinerary & travel reports:
➥ Dallas - Sights, Attractions & Photo Spots
➥ Fort Worth - Cowboy feeling in the Wild West
➥ Fossil Rim Wildlife Center - A safari in Texas by car
➥ Austin - Sights of the Capital of Texas
➥ Fredericksburg - The most German city in Texas
➥ San Antonio - Top 10 attractions: River Walk, Alamo & more
➥ San Antonio - SeaWorld & Aquatica Water Park
➥ San Antonio - Mission (UNESCO World Heritage)
➥ Galveston Island - relaxing on the Gulf Coast
➥ Houston - Our highlights and activities
➥ Houston Space Center - Dive into the world of space travel