There is one place on Earth where humans can get as close to outer space as possible without leaving the planet, and this place is in Florida.
Apollo 11 landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. In celebration of the 55th anniversary of this global event, earthly visitors will be able to enjoy Moon Fest Weekend at the Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, a world-class educational attraction and the centerpiece of Florida’s transcendent Space Coast, delivers an experience beyond the imagination. Visitors get up close to real flight-flown artifacts, meet veteran NASA astronauts, feel the rumble of real rocket launches, and so much more.
“There are very few places in the world where a visitor can become immersed in the past while being surrounded by real artifacts from the present and a science-informed look at the future of space exploration and interplanetary travel,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
“The visitor complex offers all this and more, through authentic and original experiences, displays, artifacts, and activities, immersing visitors in the real side of space exploration. We also offer guests the opportunity to take advantage of special programs included with admission and engage daily with veteran NASA astronauts, hearing their thrilling stories and learning about their experiences.”
According to Tripadvisor, Google, and other reviews, visitor complex guests agree. They consistently rank the visitor complex among the top destinations in the state and the country, with Tripadvisor listing Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as the #1 thing to do in Merritt Island, with an average ranking of 4.5 stars. In addition, the visitor complex has a Google ranking of 4.7 stars out of 5 stars.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers a multi-day, edutainment experience rooted in real-life facts, history and science. Included with admission: the all-new Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex®, All Systems Are Go!, an exciting immersive edutainment experience featuring state-of-the-art puppetry, lights, sounds and the beloved Peanuts characters in the Universe Theater sponsored by Northrop Grumman; Heroes & Legends, featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing®, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Journey To Mars, space films, the Rocket Garden, Planet Play and the Apollo/Saturn V Center.
This year, 2024, has seen a record number of launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, another compelling reason to visit. Launches so far this year already total 50, on the way to outpace 2023’s record of 72 launches. That is an average of one launch per week, providing frequent opportunities for seeing a launch during a trip to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Several launches are complemented by special package opportunities to secure premier viewing and enjoy bucket list experiences, like live, expert commentary, and commemorative, collectible souvenirs.
A visit to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex isn’t complete without a trip to the World’s Largest Space Shop. The 15,372-foot Space Shop is the world’s largest store devoted to space memorabilia and NASA gear, featuring a large collection of souvenirs, memorabilia and merchandise. Still surrounded by history even while shopping, guests can walk in the steps of NASA astronauts across the original Apollo 11 gantry located on the second floor. Additional retail outlets – the Right Stuff and Shuttle Express – can be found at the Apollo/Saturn V Center and Space Shuttle Atlantis®.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is once again offering a limited-time savings of $7 for one-day admission when purchased online. The Summer SAVE7 offer runs through August 31, 2024. The offer can be used for advanced purchases on one-day admission for adults (ages 12+) and children (ages 3-11). Tickets must be used by Dec. 31, 2024. The offer is not valid with other discounts on admission, nor can it be redeemed on blackout dates, such as certain launch days. The deal must be purchased by August 31, 2024.
