Explore the red planet during your next visit in our new Mission Mars exhibit. Experience a virtual Martian sunset, climb into a simulated Orion capsule and feel the texture of rock cliffs inspired by the red planet in our brand-new interactive exhibit. Discover what it takes to travel to Mars, what hardware will get us to the fourth planet in our solar system and how humans may live on the red planet in the next few decades. A must-see is the international landmark Independence Plaza presented by Boeing. It is the only shuttle replica mounted on a shuttle carrier aircraft, and the only place where visitors can enter both vehicles. The eight-story, multiple-exhibit complex gives visitors a rare glimpse into the historic shuttle era and the NASA breakthroughs and technological advances gained from the Space Shuttle Program which impacted future exploration.

Don’t miss Space Center Houston’s most popular attraction, the NASA Tram Tour. This is your chance to go on site at NASA Johnson Space Center and get a behind-the-scenes look at human space exploration. Explore Rocket Park, where one of only three of the remaining actual Saturn V rockets is displayed. Visit Historic Mission Control from which NASA led Gemini and Apollo missions, including the first lunar landing. Discover the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility where NASA astronauts train and where scientists are developing the next generation of space exploration vehicles.The nonprofit Space Center Houston draws more than 200,000 teachers and students from around the world annually to take part in its extraordinary learning opportunities. Students train underwater like an astronaut and discover space science through immersive, hands-on activities in year-round educational programs like Space Center University.

Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, is Houston’s No. 1 attraction for international visitors and the first Smithsonian Affiliate in the greater Houston area.