Museum of Space Travel
The Guide to Great Space Exhibits and Museums
Kennedy Space Center
Nov 16th
Ok, so it’s not strictly a museum. Yeah, it’s the actual working facility from which the United States launches most of its rockets and all of its manned space missions.
But they’ve got an amazing collection of treats for the space-buff. There’s the rocket garden, with a slew of (mostly real) vintage rockets: the Saturn IIb, a Mercury-Redstone, a Mercury-Atlas, an Atlas-Agena, a Gemini-Titan and more. Then, there’s tours to the launch pads. And the restored Mercury control center. And an endless bunch of artifacts. Really, like National Air & Space, this is a must-see.
The Astronaut Hall of Fame is also part of the KSC. Among the artifacts there: the Apollo 14 command module, “Kitty Hawk”. Most amazing: an actual Saturn
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Nov 17th
This venue has some things worth seeing: a full-scale mockup of Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 spacecraft (booster and all) outside…with an interactive program that tells the story of Shepard’s ground-breaking (and shaking!) flight!
Inside, you’ll find more about Shepard, and about another New Hampshire native, Christa McAuliffe—the teacher-in-space who lost her life in the Challenger disaster.
Also worth seeing—a finely detailed replica of Shepard’s Mercury spacecraft made by a master of the art, Bruce Olds. Oh, and a planetarium!
Location: 2 Institute Drive, Concord, NH 03301
Hours: Mon – Thurs 10 AM to 5 PM; Fri 10 AM to 9 PM; Sat – Sun 10 AM to 5 PM
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire
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Michigan Military and Space Museum
Nov 17th
With emphasis on local content, this Michigan museum features artifacts and stories of thirteen astronauts hailing from the state. They also have beatiful, large (albeit much smaller than life-sized) models of a Gemini spacecraft, and a Shuttle.
It’s located at 1250 Weiss Street,
Michigan Military and Space Museum in Frankenmuth, Michigan
, MI 48734. The phone is 989-652-8005. It’s open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. But it’s cold in Michigan and the museum is closed in January and February.
Michigan Space Science Center
Nov 17th
Part of Michigan’s “Air Zoo”, the Michigan Space Science Center offers a number of interesting space artifacts and exhibits. Among the artifacts are engines from a Saturn V launch vehicle (an F1 and a J2 engine), a Gemini training simulator, and the spacesuit of the final commander of the Mir space station as well as a spacesuit used by Michigan native Jack Lousma. Also worth seeing is a full-sized replica of a Mercury capsule.
This museum is strong on simulators, including simulations of the flight deck of a space shuttle, simulations of certain aspects of the International Space Station, and a full-sized replica of the Mars Sojourner—which can be operated by you!
We’ll be working to hunt down photos of this museum,
Mitchell Gallery of Flight
Nov 17th
A small museum worth seeing if you find yourself at Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport. There’s a small case commemorating Milwaukee’s contribution to an experiment flown aboard the shuttle Columbia in 1986. But the important stuff is in a case dedicated to Jim Lovell, who grew up in Milwaukee. They’ve got two items brought to the moon on Apollo 8 – a Wisconsin State flag, and a crew-used flashlight. Also, a flown checklist from Apollo 13. Finally, they have models of Gemini and Apollo spacecraft.
If you’re stuck at the airport anyway, check it out!
Mitchell Gallery of Flight
5300 S. Howell Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53207
414-747-4503
Mitchell Gallery of Flight in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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