How do astronauts poop in space? Or eat, sleep or wash their hair? It’s worth a drive down to the Perot Museum’s newest exhibition, Journey to Space, where curious adults and kids can get the answers to these questions and see and feel what it’s like to live aboard the International Space Station.
“For anyone who has ever dreamed of being an astronaut, or is just curious about our final frontier, this fascinating exhibition is about as close to space as one can get from Earth,” said Dr. Linda Abraham-Silver, Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the Perot Museum. “Visitors can actually experience the sensation that they’re floating in space on the exhibition’s rotating mock-up Destiny Lab, which is the primary research facility on the International Space Station.”
Journey to Space is a hands-on, bilingual (English and Spanish) experience that runs through May 6 at the Perot Museum and is presented locally by Highland Capital Management. This is the exhibition’s first stop in Texas, and it’s the largest traveling exhibition ever shown at Perot Museum. The stars of the experience are two massive, rotating labs that replicate what it looks and feels like on board the International Space Station Destiny module.
There is something for all ages and all interests here. Science geeks will get a kick out of interactive acivities like the water rockets or the robotic arm that visitors can use to pick up a tiny object (it’s pretty hard!). Space geeks will love the artifacts that have actually been to space, like Neil Armstrong’s helmet and gloves from the Apollo 11 mission. The youngest visitors can have hands-on play time in the appropriately-sized space station activity with moveable astronaut figurines and accessories. Displays present information on how astronauts carry on daily activities in space, like eating, exercising and going to the bathroom.
The experience continues with the film “Journey to Space 3D” in The Hoglund Foundation Theater, a National Geographic Experience. Narrated by “Star Trek: The Next Generation” actor Patrick Stewart, the 20-minute film explains how space exploration didn’t die with the end of the Space Shuttle program. Rather, some of the most exciting missions of our time are ahead – from capturing asteroids to landing astronauts on Mars.
Astronaut General Thomas Stafford welcomed the media to the opening of the impressive exhibition. Stafford flew four historic space missions, Gemini 6, Gemini 9, Apollo 10, Apollo-Soyuz – three of those as Mission Commander. He remarked of his years in the space program, “It was a wonderful time. I just thank God that I had the opportunity to be in those pioneering days where every mission was something new to be done, something that had never been done before.”
General hours of operation for the Perot Museum are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday. The Museum will close will close early Nov. 10 (1 p.m.) and all day Nov. 11 for the Night at the Museum fundraising gala. The Museum also will close Nov. 23 (Thanksgiving) and Dec. 25 (Christmas).
Museum general admission is $20 for adults (18-64), $13 for youth (2-17) and $14 for seniors (65+). For a limited time, save $2 on general admission by booking online. Museum general admission is free for members. Children under 2 are always free.
The Journey to Space exhibition requires a surcharge of $10 for adults (18-64), $8 for youth (2-17), $9 for seniors (65+), and free for children under 2. Member tickets are $7 for all age levels. The film “Journey to Space 3D” also requires an additional surcharge.
For parking information and other details, visit the Perot Museum website or call 214-428-5555.
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More photos from the Journey to Space exhibit:
