NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will reopen its visitor center on May 3, 2022, for walk-in self-guided exhibit tours after being closed for more than two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibits provide inspiring and captivating educational experiences for all ages. Virtual field trips for student and community groups are also available via reservation. Admission and guided programs are free.
The self-guided tour at the visitor center features many exciting exhibits that showcase the breadth of Goddard’s innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science and engineering. Families and small groups wishing to visit the visitor center and explore the exhibit gallery and rocket garden on their own do not need to make reservations.
The virtual field trip, lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes, provides interactive presentations taught live by an informal education specialist. Guests from kindergarten to fourth grade can learn about living and working in space. Guests from fourth to eighth grade can learn the steps it takes to build a satellite. Those in ninth grade and above – including adults – can join in on a Goddard overview focusing on current missions NASA is involved in. In-person program options may also be available.
NASA has adjusted its COVID-19 mask policy to reflect new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The visitor center will have COVID-19 safety precautions and guidelines posted based on current community transmission rates. Please plan to follow all posted regulations on the day of your visit.
Beginning May 3, visitor center hours will be as follows:
September through June: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
July and August: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and some Monday federal holidays (Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day): noon – 4 p.m.
For more information on the Goddard Visitor Center, visit its webpage here, call 301-286-8981 or email GSFC-VisitorCenter@mail.nasa.gov. You may also sign up for the visitor center’s events mailing list by emailing goddard-visitor-center-programs@lists.nasa.gov.
