Space Center Houston: Your 2026 Guide to NASA's Universe
Explore Space Center Houston in 2026, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center. Discover exhibits, artifacts, and space history for ~$30!
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Explore Space Center Houston in 2026, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center. Discover exhibits, artifacts, and space history for ~$30!
Honestly, Houston... or rather, Texas itself isn't really known for having many famous tourist spots for international visitors.
I was actually just visiting my cousin's place,
but then it hit me: Houston has NASA, doesn't it?!
NASA... the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration!!!!
So, there *must* be a space-related museum there, right?!
📍 Space Center Houston
1601 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058 USA
📍 Johnson Space Center
2101 E NASA Pkwy, Houston, TX 77058 USA
And indeed, there is! Of course!!!!
When I first searched on Google Maps, just typing 'NASA' brought up the NASA Johnson Space Center,
but that's actually where the National Aeronautics and Space Administration employees work! How cool is that!
To visit the museum, you actually need to go to Space Center Houston!
A NASA museum in the US, how incredible!!!
I was so thrilled that I didn't even check what was there; I just went! 😄
The entrance fee was a bit on the pricier side at $29.95.
At the time, with the exchange rate around 1,300 KRW to 1 USD, that was about 40,000 KRW (~$28). Ouch! 😭
It seemed like there was so much to see that they even offered annual memberships, similar to a 'Member' program.
They also have tours available that include transportation from the city center! Check it out 🔽
Haha, seeing them making money from souvenir photos here,
I thought, 'Ah, America's just the same!' 😂 And they're even more expensive!
The composites were a bit funny though ㅠㅠ. They didn't allow personal photos, and I definitely didn't print theirs, so I don't have it, but
it was pretty hilarious! 😂
The colorful tickets were pretty too! ✨
Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!
It was absolutely amazing! I was just so thrilled~!~!~!~ (Being a NASA employee was once my childhood dream after seeing it in movies!)
Stepping inside, a vast lobby unfolded before us!
On the left, it was bustling with people... haha, probably a school field trip for kids.
If something like this is nearby, you'd definitely want to visit at least once a year, right? 😂
Hmm, if I had gone alone, I would have really taken my time to read all the explanations from beginning to end.
But we had a schedule set for the afternoon,
and well, besides me and my dad, everyone else wasn't super interested, so we just zipped through it! 😂
There were lots of models...
and even a corner where you could experience what it's like to see the views from an actual spaceship!
Oh, these souvenir photos are a must-do! ✨
They also recreated the living spaces inside a spacecraft, showing what it would be like to live in space.
So cool and fascinating!
There was a shop and a restaurant too, haha!
Oh, I really wanted to buy this cup, LOL! 😂😂😂
In space-related movies, you always hear, "Houston, We have a problem."
It's because if a meteorite flies by or something happens, they have to contact the aerospace agency in Houston.
This phrase, calling out "Houston," has actually become a popular meme in America!
However, my house is overflowing with mugs, so I didn't buy one. It would have been a good memory, though...
I'll probably go again someday, won't I? hehe.
And honestly, the tram tour of the Johnson Space Center was *the* highlight of Space Center Houston.
Seriously, if you don't take this tram, that $29 admission fee would feel like a real waste!
After you enter, head to the information desk on your right.
Ask about the tram tour schedule, get your ticket,
and then just make sure you're there on time!
You'll be zipping around on a tram like this! haha.
Even in winter, the weather was around 25 degrees, so it was absolutely lovely and perfect!
I was absolutely thrilled! ✨
Can you see the SATURN V way over there?
Is that a model of the SATURN rocket in its actual size... or is it the real thing? Either way, it's displayed there, laid out horizontally – absolutely mind-blowing! 🤯 We'll be heading there soon.
Suddenly, a water buffalo or a regular buffalo? (A somewhat unexpected sight!)
Oh, as we passed by on the tram, there was a waterside, and we even spotted an alligator there! 😂🐊
We actually got to enter the area where the staff work!
Of course, it wasn't super close, and the space was separated,
but to open up such a vast area to the public is incredible!
The people working there just ooze coolness. 😎
It made me think, "Wow, this is truly America!" 🤩
As we rode the tram, they explained various things,
but it was outside and hard to hear, so I mostly just breezed through it... Now, let's head to the SATURN rocket!
Another spacecraft next to the SATURN rocket!
And here's the SATURN rocket!
Its overwhelming size couldn't even be fully captured with a panorama shot – absolutely colossal! 😱
It was truly... incredibly, incredibly magnificent! ✨
And finally, this!
It's the Space Shuttle orbiter riding piggyback on a Boeing 747! 😂
They say it was used when they needed to transport space shuttles within the US.
I actually didn't know this when I saw it back then; I only just found out now, haha. (A little bit of a facepalm moment...)
I went so unprepared, so next time, I really need to watch some NASA YouTube videos before I go!
My cousin better still be living in Houston by then... (fingers crossed!)
'NASA Johnson Space Center' is where actual aerospace agency employees work. For museum visits, you should go to 'Space Center Houston'.
The admission fee for Space Center Houston is $29.95. At the time of writing, this was approximately ~$28.
Taking a tram tour of the Johnson Space Center is highly recommended. You can check the tram tour schedule and get tickets at the information desk to the right of the entrance, then go at your scheduled time.
SATURN is displayed as a full-scale model or an actual spacecraft laid horizontally. You can see its overwhelming size firsthand through the tram tour.
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