Ever since the Apollo flights, Houston has been synonymous with space travel. Space Center Houston, of NASA's Johnson Space Center, allows visitors to study and understand the making of space history. Enter the five-story plaza which features a full-size shuttle mock-up, complete with a flight deck. By far, the most popular highlight for adults is the tram tour that takes you to various buildings throughout the Space Center. You will be able to have a seat in the viewing room of the original Mission Control room and stroll past full-size mock-ups of the original Apollo rockets. When you need a break from all the activity, The Food Lab is on hand to fix you right up.
Situated in the lovely Hermann Park, the Houston Zoo is home to more than 6,000 animals and over 900 species. Experience a true wildlife adventure as you check out the lions, Komodo dragons, flamingos, tigers, gorillas, bears, and bats, just to name a few! There is a wonderful Natural Encounter area where you can get up close and personal with otters and meerkats; and be sure to take a spin on the Wildlife Carousel, featuring hand-carved and decorated animals that showcase many endangered species of the world. If watching the animals eat makes you hungry yourself, there are two outdoor concession stands and one indoor dining area. Get ready to spend a day with the animals as you learn more about the beauty and wonder of the natural world.
Children's Museum of Houston opened in 1984 and is devoted to teaching through interactive play. Galleries here cover subjects like history, culture, fine and performing arts, technology, science, and geography. Here, children can navigate an exciting multi-obstacle course, learn all about cyberspace, create a molecule model, and even learn to code. Adults are welcome to take a break in the Teacher and Family Resource Center where extra teaching materials are available to boost those creative juices. While Fiddle Sticks offers exciting books and toys for the little ones, Fresh Cafe is the place to grab some nutritious snacks during your visit to the museum.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science offers a wide variety of exhibits that are worthy of a full day's outing. The three-level live butterfly exhibit will fascinate visitors of any age, as will the dinosaur exhibit in the Morian Hall of Paleontology. The Wiess Energy Hall and the Hall of Gems and Minerals are also worth a visit. You can also catch an interesting IMAX show at Wortham Giant Screen Theatre and spend the night stargazing at the George Observatory.
The selection of exhibits at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts covers both modern and ancient art and represents the talent of artists from Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. You will find Frederic Remington's fine Western art mingling with medieval pieces and the work of early European masters. Paintings are abundant, but the lovely sculpture garden here is also worth viewing. Both the Glassell School of Art and the Hirsch Library for Art History call this museum home. Film buffs love the museum for its weekly showings of classic and foreign films. A gift shop and restaurant are both on hand to satisfy your hunger after a day of exploring.
In his midnight millennium speech, Pope John Paul said the most defining elements of the 20th century were the rise and fall of two oppressive ideologies that victimized millions of people, Communism and Nazism. This museum is a tribute to the victims of the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Through changing exhibits, films and lectures, it seeks to inform future generations of the racism of the holocaust and the horrifying results of hatred. In addition to exhibits, there is a library, theater and document archives.
Houston will be forever grateful for George Hermann's generous gift of land in the early 1900s. The park spans over 445 acres (180 hectares) and is one of Houston's oldest public parks. People from all walks of life gather here for various events throughout the year. A monstrous statue of Sam Houston welcomes you to the park. Those seeking an educational outing for themselves or the kids will find many options inside the park. The Museum of Natural Science, Houston Zoo, Burke Baker Planetarium and an IMAX theater are all popular attractions. Lighter family entertainment is available in the form of pedal boats, train rides and other activities.
Buffalo Bayou Park is a lush 160-acre park (64 hectares), where everyone can come to soothe the senses. Eleanor Tinsley Park, located within the park is host to many of Houston's festivals and a variety of activities. Experience a canoe trip or take a serene walk with a loved one through the beauty of this park. The park also has a play area for children, a dog park, unique art installations, sculptures and fountains throughout, and also includes bike trails.
If you are in the mood for some good baseball, head on over to Minute Maid Park which is home to the Houston Astros. Formerly known as both Enron Field and later, Astros Field, Minute Maid Park has a retractable roof and can be fully air-conditioned. The field is known as being friendly to the hitters, resulting in exciting games for the fans! For multi-taskers, wireless Internet is available for a fee. Besides major league baseball, the field occasionally hosts other sports games such as college baseball and private functions.
Spread over 1,620 acres (655 hectares) in Houston, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is one of the main centers for spaceflight in the United States. Home to NASA's Astronaut Corps, it functioned as Mission Control during the Gemini and Apollo space shuttle programs. It was also the primary flight control center for all following manned space missions, including Apollo 11 which put the first man on the moon. The Lunar Receiving Center at JSC is where they store most of the samples from moon missions and astronaut training takes place at JSC as well. At the forefront of technological and space discovery, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center continues to push the boundaries of scientific achievement, as it has for over half a century.