"Houston, Tranquility Base here" were among the first words radioed from the Moon, and this is where that connection gets physical. Space Center Houston, the official visitor center of NASA's Johnson Space Center and a Smithsonian Affiliate, opened in 1992. Out front, Independence Plaza stacks a full-size shuttle replica on the back of NASA 905, the original Boeing 747 carrier that ferried orbiters 223 times over 42 years. You can walk through the shuttle and then into the jet's cavernous body. The bigger prize is the NASA Tram Tour onto the Johnson campus next door. The Rocket Park route brings you to a 363-foot Saturn V lying on its side in its own climate-controlled hall, the only Saturn V on display built entirely from flight-certified hardware. Other routes walk an elevated path over the astronaut training facility, and a separately ticketed tour enters the Christopher C. Kraft Mission Control room used for Gemini, Apollo and early shuttle flights.
What to expect
- Pay for parking by phone with the QR codes posted around the lot as you arrive.
- Every bag is screened at the door; big backpacks and suitcases can be stored for $7 a bag.
- No coolers or big spreads inside, but there is a picnic area by the front entrance.
- Wheelchairs rent at Guest Services ($10, or $35 electric), and the trams have ramps.
- Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather; some stops keep you outdoors a while.
What to do
- Climb through the shuttle replica Independence and the interior of NASA 905 at Independence Plaza
- Take the NASA Tram Tour to George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park and walk the full length of the Saturn V
- Book the Historic Mission Control tram tour in advance to sit in the room that ran the Apollo missions
- 363 ft long, one of three leftSaturn V
- 223 shuttle ferry flightsNASA 905 missions
- October 16, 1992Opened
- since 2014Smithsonian Affiliate