As the fourth-largest city in the country, Houston, Texas, is known as “Space City.” It earned this moniker in 1967 because it was home to NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center. Find out more about three space-themed locations to visit in Houston.
George Observatory
Located in nearby Needville, the George Observatory is the perfect spot to stargaze on Saturdays, after dusk. View the sights of the night sky via 14-, 18-, and 36-inch observatory telescopes. The 36-inch telescope is one of the largest in the world that’s available to the public. Even if the sky is cloudy and you can’t see the stars, you can learn about telescopes from an astronomer.
Johnson Space Center
Opened more than 50 years ago, the Johnson Space Center leads the country in human achievement and exploration of space. Its complex occupies more than 1,500 acres of land near downtown Houston. Visitors can see spacesuits, scale models, photographs, and pop-up displays. Take an open-air tram tour to see where astronauts train.
Space Center Houston
The Space Center Houston is part of the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation, which is a nonprofit educational organization. The space exploration learning center is one of the city’s top attractions, welcoming in more than 20 million people since its opening in 1992. It typically attracts almost 1.1 million visitors annually to view more than 400 space artifacts and exhibits.
Make a point to visit one of these three out-of-this-world destinations in Houston. All three spots provide you with different vantage points of space exploration.
Image via Flickr by Tim Pearce, Los Gatos
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