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21 reviews for NASA Johnson Space Center
I am a huge NASA fan, but a little less of one now after visiting the Space Center...
The Tram Tour was interesting, but I wish I hadn't taken it. So much of the glamor, pride and wonder I had for NASA has been lost in their run-down facilities. And the security wasn't that tight, so that was kind of lame as well. Okay, seeing the control room and the training facility was suuuper cool! And the best thing is that they have bikes at every building for their employees, that's amazing! Saturn V was really awesome, some fantastic work!!!
The best part about the museum was seeing the old spacesuits and pictures of all the previous astronauts. The 'Blast-off' show was alright, but when they show the spaceship taking off, I admit I felt emotional and I'm not really a patriotic person. I went in the museum expecting to drop at least $40 on a t-shirt or some postcards and magnets and left with nothing. In fact the one part of NASA I was hoping to see something vintage and didn't was in the gift shop. I guess I need to visit ebay.
Regret: not making a reservation for the Level 9 tour, I guess if you really want to see NASA, that is the tour you should take. Damn!
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Our seven year old was more appauled than the adults in less than 10 mins after arriving. We received a fast 100% refund from the Manager in charge.
NASA !! that better not be my tax dollars,we've seen better equiped Goodwills to amuse kids.
P.S
I joined yelp to warn others and to remind others to ask for a refund if in fact all the bad reviews are correct.
We really felt bad for the employees trying to stand up tall with pride to be working at NASA and really it's food court of bar food and soda with broken exibits.
Sorry if the truth hurts NASA. Your patches should be stripped off off the uniforms !
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Skip the tram ride, and paying to get in...
go to the rocket garden and see all the rockets for free. Stop by the front and take pictures of the airplanes. For free. Get eaten alive by a large ant that happens to attack you while taking pictures of airplanes. For free!
If you give the information desk your drivers license, you get a 45 minute pass to the Space Center. For free. You even get your license back at the end of it.
Only thing I couldn't get out of...paying the $5.00 for parking to get to the Space Center. Drat it.
Almost free...except for the shot glass, post cards, magnets, dehydrated ice cream and err...other items I err...purchased.
Uh...ya. Still fun and edumicational though. And almost almost free!
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About a year ago, on a visit to Houston I purcased a yearly pass' for my niece and myself b/c I thought it'd be good if for my niece ... and when I went back to Houston for a couple months, I took full advantage of it.
I have to say, I was deeply disappointed. Even my niece, outside of the kids playcenter ... was always kind of bored.
It's not interactive, like you would hope a bunch of informed staff would be showing you how things happen. It's more like, "read and play w/it yourself to see if you get it" which is disappointing -- since they're not exactly the cheapest place to visit.
It also annoys me that they charge $4 for a ride! Are you kidding me??? Of course, when you're w/a kid ...it's hard to say no but the ride is insanely disappointing. It's freaking NASA and the kiddy rides at the local amusement park contain more animation than that dumb ride.
BUT I will rec'd you do the tram tour ... you may get lucky and get a good interactive guide. It was informative and you'll see a big ass space shuttle that will knock your socks off, nerds and lay people alike.
I wouldn't spend on a yearly pass. This is a one-hit-wonder kinda place, if ya know what I mean.
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Went here with my family. What can i say? IT was BORING. lol seriously i didn't really appreciate all the space stuff. Like it wasn't My thing. oh well.
Sat on a fkn cart for like EVER. and didn't see anything interesting.
They took pictures of you and stuff and you had to buy it. YEa..........
looked around the rooms and it wasn't that fun. Like a gift shop bought a few things. thats about it.
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I visited here on a Thursday afternoon with my wife and our 2 young boys (4 and 7). I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. First of all, we bought our tickets at the HEB which was a couple blocks away for $12.95 each, which saved us $16. That ticket will get you admission into the space center. I was expecting the tour to cost more, but was happy when they said it was included.
For me, this tour of the campus was the best part of our visit. The tram took us to the mission control building, where we saw the historic control center for the Apollo missions. We weren't able to see the Shuttle Mission Control room or the Space Station Mission Control room, although they were in the same building. The guide said that they show you the Shuttle room on weekends, but not this coming weekend since the shuttle is landing then.
After that, we went to a huge building where they had life-sized mockups of the different spacecraft and space station modules. They use these for training, and as "copies" of the space shuttle that is in use. Remember that scene in Apollo 13 where they try to figure out how to solve some emergency by using that copy capsule that is down on Earth? Same thing. This building was massive, and it was incredible to see just how big the shuttle actually is. (the one here had it's wings and other parts removed) My wife and I were kind of surprised to see how lo-tech it all seemed, though. Kind of haphazard with old-looking equipment. It looked like it was state-of-the-art circa 1986.
Next we went to see the giant Saturn V rocket. It was huge! They have it in a giant warehouse building, and there are poster displays all along the wall for you to learn about the Apollo missions. Unfortunately, we only had about 10 minutes in here, which was not nearly enough time to look at everything. Its really too bad because there's a lot of interesting stuff to read.
After the tour, we went back to the main building and the kids had fun playing in the playscapes and trying out the interactinve exhibits. While the tour was of most interest to adults, the main building is geared towards kids. We saw one show, which was about living on the space station, and it was pretty good! Interesting and funny. A couple other attractions (virtual rides) will cost a few bucks extra, and we passed on those.
Like I mentioned earlier, we went on a Thursday, and the place was not crowded at all. There was no line for the tour, and they were leaving it seemed every twenty minutes.
A nice place to visit, but if you are expecting a hardcore learning experience, you will be disappointed. While there a few nerdy things for the space-geek, it's actually more of a space-themed kids' playground.
I have a flickr photoset here:
http://www.flickr.com/...
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When I was younger, I really wanted to be an astronaut. I mean, I seriously worked and scrimped and saved to try to come up with enough cash to go to space camp. I was so into it.
Then reality set in and I was forced to come to terms with the fact that I am really not very strong with the maths. I also kind of like to stay on this planet most of the time.
While reality may be disappointing, the Space Center Houston it a whole lot of fun. If you go in the right side (not the high security one we drove into) you'll find an array of attractions and exhibits with lots of education for the whole family.
I really like the parts of the exhibits where they show you how astronauts live in space thereby demonstrating just a few of the reasons I'd have made a poor astronaut. There are films and the tram tour - everything geared toward teaching you how NASA is working for you.
During lunch I got an astronaut shaped cup with a straw that is so awesome. The food was a little less awesome but I kind of expected that.
So, even though I can't be an astronaut, I can still go to Space Center Houston and enjoy my time marveling at all the things NASA has going on right here in Houston.
P.S. I still kind of want to work for NASA.
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As far back as i can remember, i always wanted to be an astronaut. But alas those dreams did not come true. NASA is the closest thing i have to reliving my childhood.
I was here in i believe February. We didn't have much time to do any of the Level 9 tour, so we just did the regular tour.It was still pretty fun. Make sure you go on the tram. It takes you to the old mission control where they landed Apollo 11 and 13 and all that stuff. It is educational and i wish i could have spent more time here as they have tons of stuff such as simulators and big actual Saturn 5 rockets and all that.
But hey, Astronaut ice cream. that's a plus in my book!
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I like this place and it's my second visit, though I have to say it wasn't a cool as the first, but things rarely are. There is not much in the main area other than a gift shop, Imax, Space shuttle cockpit replica and few other things. The main attraction is the tour, so don't miss that. You get to check out Mission Control used for all the Apollo missions, the Space Shuttle training center and the newly restored Saturn V rocket....it's massive and awe inspiring.
A must see if you are in the Houston area.
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First time I visited was 20 years ago. The last time I went was two months ago. Disappointedly and surprisingly, not much has changed within that time frame. The exhibits are not interactive enough to hold interest. There are simulated rides available but at an additional cost. Space Center definitely has the potential to create new and exciting rides to attract visitors and repeat customers but has not invested in that at all. Unless you have a particularly heightened interest in space, I would skip this. Highlight was astronaut's ice cream in the gift shop.
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NASA is cool!
My favorite part of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was when he went and toured factories. He'd show all the components of how apples get from the tree to your grocery store or how you how a loaf of bread is made, sliced, and packaged. Touring the Houston Space Center is educational in the same sense. I still can't remember all the names of the missions or what year we landed on the moon but I have a slightly better idea of how it all works!
Actually, I'm fairly certain that I liked touring the facility as an adult more than I would as a kid. Standing behind the plexiglas and looking in to the Mission Control Center is worth the trip alone. The astronaut training facility is awe-inspiring. I didn't get to meet any Houston astronauts but maybe that's a good thing.
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Picture i took of mission control:
http://images.yelp.com...
PIcture i took of Saturn V rocket:
http://images.yelp.com...
Picture i took of Astronaut Training Facility
http://images.yelp.com...
Ok well...all in all, this place was pretty cool...
When you walk in however...it is normal to get a gimmicky feeling and be underwhelmed, if you're a kid or have kids, you will like all the fun stuff they have for kids going on thin the plaza, if you're a teenager or adult, the high point for you will be the tours, they take you to the real Johnson space center, and depending on the tour you choose they show you around the ACTUAL mission control room, granted, you only get to sit in the back behind soundproof glass and watch the mission control guys actually working and talking to the guys on the ISS....icredibly cool!
OR...you get a tour of the astronaut training center, where they learn the finer points of being an astronaunt...with all the fullsized models of the shuttle and ISS...
AND...after each tour they drop you at rocket park...Home of one of the last 3 remaining Saturn V rockets...ya know...the HUMONGOUS ONES...that was also pretty cool...
The food at the food court isn't actually that bad, well, ya it kinda is...but and its really expensove too, but who cares.
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It took me two years of living in Houston to get me to the NASA Space Center. Don't get me wrong, it isn't because I haven't wanted to go--things just came up. So this weekend, when the parents were in town, we decided to take a look.
Let me just say that while I expect to pay for parking AND admission fees at an amusement park, I was a little irked to do so here. This is supposed to be educational and you're paying so much! $5 to park and then around $20 to get in. And, they didn't have student discounts. Seems a little strange.
Nevertheless, we paid the money and went in. . .to a zoo. Seriously, I understand that it is a Saturday afternoon in the middle of summer vacation, but there were about thirty kids to every one adult. It was insane. We was grabbed, pulled at, run into, and knocked over so many times that I felt lucky to escape with my life. There was absolutely no organization, no adult supervision, and no staff members to be seen anywhere. There were a few benches for parents to sit on while they watched their kids passively, but that just meant the rest of the parents were crowded around blocking the walkway. So, you're probably wondering how there can be no adults, yet they're crowding walkways, right? Here's how: they have jam packed this building with so many rides/activities for the kids to do, there is actually no room outside of said ride/activity. That means that the parents of 40 children must all wait in a 4x4 area off to the side. Where they obviously don't fit. So they overflow into the walkways.
Space issues aside, there is a decent sized cafeteria (with overpriced food) and a gift store (with overpriced gifts) available to get away from some of the crowds.
For the adults (and children over the age of eight), there is a tour on a tram that is worth checking out. I enjoyed what I learned, but there were a lot of things that could be improved. For example, when it is over 100 degrees outside, it would be nice to actually get started with the tour instead of sitting around for 15 minutes. Yes, I understand you want full trams, but next time, just make the trams shorter and people won't be afraid of heat stroke. Secondly, while it was kinda cool to get the voice-over footage from Kennedy and Bush, it was really boring to hear a taped recording on the trip. I know that the high school volunteers can't be trusted with much, but anyone can read off of a cue card, right? Finally, before you board up, it would be nice to know that the trip will take over an hour. That is quite a commitment, especially in the heat.
In the end, I enjoyed the tour quite a bit. We only got to go into one of the buildings and during some of the visits, you'll actually be behind the glass watching real people work. The little spiel was interesting, though a little cheesy. The enormous rockets were AMAZING (though I think you can see those without paying the exorbitant fees) and by far the most impressive part of the trip.
I wish I got to see more, but with my claustrophobia from overcrowded spaces, annoyance at being shoved around by rude, unattended children, a strange encounter in the restroom by the custodial staff, and the scary thought of getting into leather seats after my car sitting outside for a few hours, I was just ready to get home. Did I enjoy my trip? Yes. Did I learn some things? Yes. Did I feel that I overpaid? Very much so.
Next time I have guests in town, I'll encourage them to wait until the fall or winter to head back over so we don't fight heat exhaustion just for a tour.
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This place is strictly for kids or people who have some need to see a rocket (read baby boomers). You don't get much for the amount of money you have to fork over. Suggestions to please adults: a regular schedule of lectures about the history of the space program. The exhibits seem too scattershot to me.
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I used to work here! and It was a pretty awesome job- I got to run the attractions team, wear a flight suit, give tours and etc.
People come from all over the world to visit as it is the only way to get inside Johnson Space Center buildings.
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It's neat to visit once. Watch some movies on space on big screens. Ride a tram around and look at mission control and then go in a steel building to look at a gigantic grounded Apollo 1. The artifacts room is cool. Be warned the center of the large complex is a kid zoo of various bouncy activities so if you have a low tolerance for children, go early on a weekday and steel your nerves. I love children and my nerves were at breaking point by 5 pm from kids bouncing off my shins.
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at the time of this review, NASA Johnson Space Center gets 4 of 5 stars. are you freakin kidding me? this place is so disappointing! it's poorly organized, poorly staffed, poorly run--poorly executed, period.
the 12 minute historical video they show (already forgot the name of the attraction, and i just left) is a compilation of footage historical footage badly assembled and awfully outdated, with such bad sound quality that you can't even hear what the astronauts in the video are saying. a huge missed opportunity for a high quality informative film about the history of the space program or something--i don't know, maybe narrated or something (honestly, it wasn't even narrated).
the museum exhibit with real spacecraft parts, and lunar bits was kinda cool, especially with the audio component. that earned the two stars.
we wanted to do the tour, which i hear is the best part, but the wait for it was 1 hour (they wanted us to stand there), and the tour takes over an hour. we didn't even know about it until we were about out of time for the day--hence the poor organization and information on behalf of the museum employees, since we asked more than one rep about the attractions and how to spend our time there.
the live presentation about current and future space programs was semi-informative and interesting, but the person they had presenting was having a struggle with his presentation--just not a stunning job at all.
this place would be really cool if you were 8, since the majority of the center is designed for little ones. it's really off putting and disappointing if you're over the age of 8. it's outdated, dirty, broken, smelly, half-assed, and horrifyingly overpriced, which is not something you'd expect from NASA. NASA should really do better. Maybe they should visit the Exploratorium in San Fransisco or the Ruben H. Fleet Center and San Diego to get some ideas on getting their act together?
i don't have a lot of cash to waste, and i'm so sorry i paid nearly $50 to get myself and my brother in here. what a waste.
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All my guests from out of town want to go here. The space suits are cool to look at and the capsules and mock ups. But the tour is ridiculous. Here is the building that the astronauts work.... ok but its off limits, so the bus continues, here is the building that the engineers work... ok the tour continues, here is the building that the designers work... ok the tour continues and building after building.....
Its boring. Not even a real astronaut to meet and sign and autograph.
Surely NASA could at least do that for the tourists from time to time.
The space Ice cream is sick. Its a NERDS DREAM place to visit though. I just dont have any Nerds in the family but know some. I like them they are nice but really.... How exciting is it to go to mission control that you can watch on TV and see these people monitor computers ?
I will have to go here everytime someone new is in town but I dread it.
Memory foam and astronaut ice cream. Keep up the good work! For that I'm more than willing to overlook a few dead monkeys floating around in space. Minus 1 star for the Challenger disaster though.
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We ride around Johnson Space Center with our guide -- Sara -- telling us of the various Buldings on the grounds and what they stored. I can't remember for the life of me what they were, but they sounded interesting. We stop at the SMVF, which is like a mockup vehicle simulator building, and after a brief video, are let inside. The mockups of the Shuttle and docking parts are pretty cool. We ride around some more after about a 15 minute tour of the mockup facility. We pass Memorial Grove, which is a ring of trees dedicated to the lives of the astronauts who perished in the 1986 Challenger shuttle explosion. To our right were a line of trees dedicated to the astronauts who died in the Columbia explosion of 2003. We continue past Rocket Park (where the magnificent Saturn V rocket was stored) and stop at a large building. Sara tells us that everyone has the option of getting off the tram at this point and taking a look around. Inside the building is what was to become the Apollo 18 rocket. It was never launched due to the cessation of funding to the Apollo program in 1975. NASA kept the rocket and put it in Space Center Houston as a tourist attraction. Mom and dad decide that since this was probably going to be the only time we were going here, that we would go see it. There was gonna be another tram to come along and pick us up anyway. We walk inside and there's this huge rocket resting on its side. When I say huge, it's huge. The hangar had to be easily over 2,000 square feet.
We return to the visitors center where we have lunch. Well, we picked up our pictures first. It was a pretty neat pic. Dad stood at a point in the picture where you look at it and it looks like he's blowing smoke out of his ass. It's actually the exhaust from a rocket launch, but I thought that was pretty funny. The girl who gave us the pics commented on my Star Trek shirt, which I thought was befitting of the occasion. It's now about 4:30. I was gonna get a chai latte from the Starbucks cart (you can't escape Starbucks, even at NASA), but for equal price at $3.75, I would have gotten an Icee, which on a hot, overcast day like that day, would have been heaven. I would have gotten more value than ordering a chai latte. That's for sure. After a small lunch (I was worried I'd get a stomach ache again), we just explored the place. We went to the gift shop. Mom and dad got some stuff, including a couple of shirts for themselves and one for Hiep (since we felt sorry for him for not going on the trip) and mom got a small locket key chain, which I thought looked cool. I got one long-sleeved tee that has the NASA logo in front with the back saying, "It's not rocket science. Oh, wait. Yes, it is." 27 bones, but worth it, I think.
We look at the mockup of the cockpit of the Shuttle, then took in a brief show at the Starship Gallery theater. Mom and dad then take an opportunity to sit down for a while and take in a demonstration about what life will be like on a space station in the future. I go to the bigger gift shop near the front of the center. This one had another shirt I thought was very clever: a shirt that says "I need my space" within a vista of star fields and nebulae. I was gonna get the maroon colored shirt, but saw that they had black so I got that one instead.
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It's really a kid's place. But since I never got a chance to see stuff like this as a kid, it's still pretty cool as an adult. Reviewing all the space history and looking at all the rockets, capsules, mock-ups and artifacts, I had a fleeting thought that I too could be an astronaut. Then I came back to earth and realized how ridiculous an idea that is at my age. But surely this place will keep the dream alive and encourage the many kids running around that they too can be up in space in their not so distant future.
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