Although spacecraft have never, and will never, take off from or land at the NASA facility in Houston, Texas, it has an important role in United States space exploration.  Much research and design work is done here, as well as training of astronauts, and perhaps its most important function is that of Mission Control.

Space Center Houston is the NASA visitor center, adjacent to the Johnson Space Center campus.  For a reasonable admission price (our family cost less than $80), you can spend the day learning about NASA and its programs.

Want to go inside a space shuttle? There are exhibits containing both mockups and real spacecraft.

Want to touch a real moon rock? Here’s your chance.

Included in the price of admission are several talks by NASA personnel, describing current space projects, as well as films in various theatres including an IMAX screen.

Hungry? There are several food options in the large food court, although winter-season fare is limited to a few stands.  Prices are on the high side of affordable but not outrageous.  Need souvenirs?  Two gift shops will sell you anything space-related that you can think of.  Kids need a break?  Their favorite part of the day may well be the large climbing-sliding-ball-pit structure.

Want to have some interactive learning?  There are many hands-on activities that appeal to both kids and adults.

The highlight of our day, however, was the ability to take a tram tour.  There are two tours available: one goes to the Astronaut Training Facility, where you walk through a glass-walled hallway overlooking the actual facility;

the other goes to Mission Control, where seats overlook the actual Mission Control room.  That’s right, the actual Mission Control.  This was our favorite part of the whole day, as a knowledgeable guide told us about the things we saw in the room.  We were there on a holiday when it was very quiet, but if there’s a mission going on, you’ll be able to watch the controllers as they work.

Both tours end at Rocket Park, where there are some rockets outdoors and then a huge building enclosing the 36-story Saturn V rocket.

It is recommended that you take your tram tours early in the day, because they can fill up later in the day.

While Space Center Houston may not be exciting for infants or toddlers, anyone from age three up should be able to find plenty to do.  We were there on a relatively quiet day and never had to wait in line for the shows, so we fit a lot into the seven hours we spent there.  While there’s plenty to do with the activities that are included in the price of admission, there are a few extras that you can do at an additional charge if you want to enhance your space experience.

Space Center Houston was our last outing before starting our journey home, and it was my favorite of all the places we visited in Texas.  Interesting, educational, awe-inspiring, and fun, it was great day for our entire family.

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