Huntsville’s biggest attraction, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, documents many of this country’s achievements beyond the earth, including putting men on the moon, the development of the Space Shuttle program and living on space at the International Space Station. The majority of the exhibits are divided between two buildings: the Davidson Center for Space Exploration and the main museum. The Davidson Center for Space Exploration is home to an original Saturn V rocket, fully restored and laid out in such a way that visitors can learn about the function of each section and how they all came together to take man to the moon. It’s easily the most striking exhibit at the center, but by no means the only interesting artifact.
There are many exhibits to be found both in the Davidson Center and the main museum, which is home to traveling exhibits as well as the Spacedome IMAX Theater, the Olympus Mons Climbing Wall and the Mission to Mars Simulator. Outside, guests will love exploring the Rocket Park and Shuttle Park, which contain a number of rockets plus a full shuttle stack — the shuttle along with the external tank and booster rockets. Kids will also love the Space Shot and G-Force Accelerator, two attractions that give riders a taste of the physical impact experienced in space exploration. Note that both of these rides have height and weight restrictions, so not all children will be able to ride them.
In fact, the majority of the space center is ideal for kids 10 and older, although those ages 7 to 9 will also fare well. While many of the exhibits and displays include interactive components, they may still be a bit much for children younger than 6. However, there are two play areas dedicated to younger guests: Inside the Davidson Center, visitors will find the Kidspace Play Area, which is ideal for children 4 and younger; Near the Rocket Park, guests 8 and younger will enjoy the Kid’s Cosmos Outdoor Play area. The space center also features the Rocket City Grill, where visitors can grab a bite to eat. Overall, there is more than enough to keep guests entertained for well more than one day; when visiting, you may want to include extra time in your itinerary so that you can take it all in without feeling rushed.
