One of the things I love about Hampton Roads is its unique blend of government and military-based activities that you won’t find in many other places. The area is full of interesting museums, historic houses, and fascinating history walks that show the area’s rich heritage. One of these amazing activities is the Virginia Air & Space Science Center. It’s not only a fascinating museum, but it’s also the “visitor’s center” for NASA’s Langley Research base!
We had the chance to visit with some friends earlier this summer, and we had such an amazing time. The museum is absolutely packed with educational material, interactive exhibits, and famous aircraft! It’s such an immersive experience, with planes hanging from the ceiling and dark, space-themed rooms.
Sadly, we couldn’t do everything because of social distancing. But there’s so much to see that we didn’t mind too much.
The Virginia Air & Space Science Center has 6 exhibits: The Exploration Station, Aircraft, Spacecraft, Adventures in Flight, Space Explorer Gallery, and the Solarium. This post will give you an overview of what to expect in each, with plenty of pics!
If you have time, you can also step up to the rooftop and soak in the Hampton waterfront views. And don’t forget to use your free ticket at the Imax to see a fun, educational film.
FAQs about the Virginia Air & Space Science Center
How much does it cost? General admission to the museum is $20 per adult ($17 if you’re active military), $16.50 per child, and $18 per senior. This includes full access to the center and an Imax film!
Where is it located? 600 Settlers Landing Rd, Hampton, VA 23669
Where can I park? There’s free parking right across the street in a little shopping center. You can also pay for street or garage parking nearby.
What are the business hours? The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. It’s closed on most Mondays, so be sure to check before you head over.
How long does it take? We spent about 2 hours here and could have used more time. I’d recommend at least 3 hours if you really want to enjoy all the exhibits, read the material, and watch your free Imax film.
Is this a good activity for kids? Yes! While the center definitely has a lot of educational material to read, it also has lots of fun activities and cool things to see that kids will definitely enjoy. There’s even a small playground inside in case they need an extra brain break.
The 6 Exhibits of the Virginia Air & Space Science Center
Adventures in Flight
The Adventures in Flight exhibit covers the history of aviation–both public and military–with a big emphasis on Hampton Road’s contributions to the process.
You may know that the Wright brothers took their famous Kitty Hawk flight just a few hours south of Hampton. The museum has a lot of information about their early work, including models of their wind tunnel and the Wright Flyer.
Plenty of cool displays with flight suits, bomber jackets, and military planes add visuals to the fascinating story of aviation developments in Hampton Roads and around the world.
This area also has lots of fun, interactive parts, like a giant passenger jet that you can walk through and sit at the controls, a soundproof room that simulates progress in making air travel quieter, and a place to create and fly your own paper airplanes!
Space Explorer Gallery
Most of the Space Explorer Gallery is new and is currently undergoing renovations. However, based on what it was like a few months ago, it’s definitely going to be one of the more immersive parts of your tour.
As of July, it was a giant, Outerspace-like room filled with famous space vessels, training simulators, and information about space research.
The Virginia Air & Space Science Center hasn’t released a ton of information about what will remain in this room and what will be new, but I’m sure it will be amazing!
Right outside this section, there is also a big “Command station” where you can play with a lot more simulations and try your skills at building and launching a rocket.
Aircraft
The Aircraft “exhibit” is all over the ceiling! You can see many significant airplanes, jets, and even missiles hanging at different levels around the museum. You’ll want to hit every level for close-up views of the ones near the ceiling.
Spacecraft
The Spacecraft exhibit is an amazing testament to NASA’s legendary space program. This section is full of incredible pieces of space history, including the Apollo 12 Command Module, the Gemini Test Capsule, and the Mercury 14 Spacecraft!
Those are just a few of the more famous highlights, however. This area also has awesome information about space developments, famous astronauts, and more, plus an interactive section where you can do space simulations, such as launching a rocket into the atmosphere at the correct velocity.
Exploration Station
Sadly, we had to skip this particular exhibit during our visit due to social distancing. A lot of the touch-dependent activities were roped off to slow down the spread of germs.
However, if it’s open when you visit, be sure to stop by! It’s a super interactive gallery filled with different activities that let you measure atmospheric properties like a NASA scientist! There are an 80-inch touchscreen and tons of information about studying Earth from space.
Solarium
The Solarium is a small exhibit (by comparison), but it’s really cool. Located in a small theater-like room, large screens play footage of the sun’s surface! It’s a very fascinating, undulating effect to see the surface rippling with different shades of light. And it’s even cooler when you understand how much effort goes into this footage!
Closing Thoughts on the Air & Space Center
Don’t forget to hit the rooftop for a beautiful view of the Hampton waterfront! There’s a panoramic covered deck where you can see about 270 degrees of the landscape.
We loved our visit to the Virginia Air & Space Science Center! My only regret is that we couldn’t enjoy everything because of the pandemic. However, we still had a great time, and there are plenty of things that don’t require touching to enjoy.
Have you ever been to this NASA center? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t be afraid to drop questions, either! I’m happy to answer all that I can.
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