The nonprofit Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center and a Certified Autism Center, has welcomed more than 1.1 million visitors to date, marking its highest annual attendance since opening in 1992. This milestone comes with one month to go in the year and just as the center is offering a new holiday tradition, Space Center Houston’s Galaxy Lights, presented by Reliant.
“Space Center Houston has made significant strides in offering exceptional, authentic science and space exploration learning opportunities for everyone,” said William T. Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston. “We are dedicated to advancing innovation and creative thinking to engage visitors in how science, technology, engineering and mathematics are relevant to our everyday lives as well as exploring space.”
The leading science and space exploration learning center is on pace to surpass last year’s attendance by 15 percent. This year it set record-breaking attendance nine out of 11 months including its best Spring Break, June, July and Labor Day weekend. Since 2012, the center has experienced an exponential 70 percent increase in growth from nearly 500,000 annual visitors.
Recognized as the No. 1 destination in Houston for international visitors according to Houston First, the center continues to draw people from around the world to explore the science and space exploration learning center and to participate in its leading educational programs.
Attendance rocketed this summer with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Space Center Houston drew visitors from 49 countries for its series of events with Apollo legends, astronauts and its first outdoor concert. On the anniversary of the Moon landing, the center experienced its best single day attendance ever with more than 13,000 people.
The center continues to offer new science learning opportunities for people of all ages. Space Center Houston’s new interactive fall exhibit Playing with Light explores light through engaging experiments and the all-new holiday experience Galaxy Lights, presented by Reliant. Galaxy Lights is the most technologically advanced light display in Texas and is open nightly through Jan. 5. For more information about activities, hours of operation and tickets during this unique holiday adventure, visit spacecenter.org/galaxylights.
