Moon rocks. Mission control. Space suits. The 250,000-square-foot Space Center Houston serves as the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. More than 400 exhibits, attractions, and artifacts dot the space like stars in a pocket-size galaxy, fueling a passion for science, engineering, math, and technology.

Within the new Independence Plaza visitors can enter and explore a high-fidelity space shuttle replica mounted to the top of the original NASA 905 shuttle-carrier aircraft. Guests can also take a tram tour to visit Historic Mission Control, the actual mission control facility where NASA technicians monitored nine Gemini missions as well as every Apollo mission. The Center also features select pieces from the largest collection of lunar samples for public viewing. Other exhibits allow visitors to explore the International Space Station or contemplate the challenges of successfully sending astronauts to Mars provide a great look at the present and future of space exploration.