Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex, Fun for Space Explorers of Any Age.

Written by Kristen Schmutz

Belden Communications News

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex is the visitor center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Through multiple exhibits, displays, and attractions that are geared toward Space Explorers of any age, there is plenty to see and do.

Before walking through the gate, you are welcomed with the sight of the John F. Kennedy Fountain, a beautiful piece of artwork that has an interactive water display, that ‘lifts-off’ when the recorded countdown reaches zero. Walking through the gate, the towering rockets that are displayed in the rocket garden are an inviting sight.

To the immediate left just past the gates, the Heroes and Legends building stands tall with a sculpture of Astronauts proudly displayed for all to see. The exhibit lets you experience the dawn of the space age with astronaut pioneers with displays of actual artifacts, including the Redstone rocket suspended overhead along with the Sigma 7 capsule and a unique close-up look at the Gemini 9 capsule. Past the Hero and Legends exhibit, lies the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame where visitors can remember and honor American astronauts while learning about their accomplishments.

The Atlantis exhibit, which is also home to the Hubble Space Telescope Theatre, and the Shuttle Launch Experience offers a walking tour that educates visitors on its creation, and the first mission to space before taking you to the display of the Atlantis Shuttle, for visitors to see herin all her glory. The memorial honoring the astronauts who lost their lives during certain space missions can be found in the exhibit.

The Shuttle Launch Experience lets you experience the sights sounds and sensations of what blasting off into space feels like, before allowing you to experience the multiple Astronaut Training Simulators, and experience what life is like in space aboard the International Space Station through exhibits of a space kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.

Going further into the complex you find a multitude of other exhibits and attractions like the IMAX theatre, the Journey to Mars, the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tours, multiple restaurants, souvenir shops, and much more. However, with the threat of the Coronavirus Pandemic still looming, Kennedy Space Center has taken proper precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus.

Unfortunately, at this time some exhibits, and attractions are closed down, like the Bus Tours, where social distancing is unable to be practiced to stop the spread of the virus. But in order to make up for these unforeseen circumstances, the complex is offering return tickets to the complex next year (2021) with each ticket purchase.

There is also a mask policy in effect for the entirety of the complex. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex asks that if you are enjoying the attractions and exhibits offered throughout the complex that visitors wear a mask at all times unless they are eating and/or drinking. Employees are also encouraging frequent hand washing or sanitation. For this reason, the complex has provided a multitude of hand sanitizing stations throughout the exhibits, stores, and the complex itself.

Overall, Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex offers many options for a fun-filled day of space exploration. Visitors of all ages will be sure to find different exhibits or attractions of interest and fun. Be sure to add a visit to Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex on your next trip to the Space Coast!