Looking to visit a space museum in Florida? You’re in luck because you have a few museums to choose from among the many attractions in Florida.
These museums are all owned and operated by experts and officials in the space exploration field so they are home to many authentic artifacts like rockets, flight suits and more.
The following is a list of space museums in Florida:
American Space Museum & Space Walk of Fame:
Address: 308 Pine St, Titusville, FL
Website: spacewalkoffame.org
Established in 2001, the American Space Museum is a space museum in Titusville.
The museum features exhibits and artifacts related to the American space program as well as outdoor monuments and a U.S. Space Walk of Fame.
Some of the artifacts on display in the museum include the Mercury spacecraft hatch from the MA-1 mission, a launch and re-entry suit that was used on six missions, Cape Canaveral Complex 36 launch consoles, tiles from the Space Shuttle, Russian space program gloves and Norm Thagard’s recumbent seat used on STS-71, which was the 100th U.S human space launch conducted from Cape Canaveral.
The museum was established by the U.S. Space Walk Hall of Fame Foundation.
Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum:
Address: 191 Museum Cir, Cape Canaveral, FL
Website: ccspacemuseum.org
Established in 1966, the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum is a space museum in Cape Canaveral.
The museum features exhibits and artifacts about the development and heritage of U.S. Space Force space launch activities such as missiles, rockets and space flight equipment and memorabilia.
Some of these artifacts include the Gemini spacecraft thruster, an aluminum fragment from the Juno II rocket, a booster engine from the Atlas missile, a rare V2 rocket engine and the Gemini 2 Capsule.
The museum is also home to the Sands Space History Center which features historic information and displays for each launch complex at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The museum is owned and operated by the United States Space Force.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:
Address: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL
Website: www.kennedyspacecenter.com
Established in 1962, the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is a space museum in Merritt.
The complex features exhibits that are grouped into chronological order of the various space missions. These exhibits explore everything from the dawn of space exploration to current and ongoing missions.
Some of the artifacts you’ll see at the complex include the actual Apollo spacecraft, the Gemini 9A capsule, authentic space suits covered in real moon dust, a Saturn V rocket and the Space Shuttle Atlantis.
The museum also features a U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and many interactive exhibits where visitors can do things like walk on a projected moon surface and also touch a moon rock that was brought back to Earth from the Apollo 17 mission.
The complex also offers a bus tour of the historic launch sites and spaceflight facilities located at the Kennedy Space Center, a NASA Overnight experience and four types of astronaut encounters where visitors can meet an astronaut, an astronaut training experience and space camp.
The Kennedy Space Center and the visitor complex are owned by NASA and are operated by NASA contractor, Delaware North.
If you want to visit more museums, check out this article on the 9 best museums in Florida.
Sources:
“Florida’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a surprisingly emotional tour through America’s space race.” Cleveland.com, 6 April. 2023, cleveland.com/travel/2023/04/floridas-kennedy-space-center-visitor-complex-offers-a-surprisingly-emotional-tour-through-americas-space-race.html
“Visitor Info, Maps & Itineraries.” Kennedy Space Center, kennedyspacecenter.com/info
“About.” Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum, ccspacemuseum.org/about/
“About Us.” American Space Museum, spacewalkoffame.org/about-us
