NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

I recently stopped at the Visitor Center for the first time in probably over a decade. I used to visit a lot during my youth and there were a lot of fond memories. Sadly, when I visited in the early 00’s there was mostly nostalgia and not much else. A few new exhibits, but mostly the same things worn down by use and age.
That changed when I brought my own children here for a nice day out. They’ve updated so much about this location, with many interesting (and high-​tech) displays. If I had the time to stop and read everything (impossible with a 4-​year-​old), I could easily have spent a couple of hours or more. They’ve really done an amazing job updating everything and keeping up with space technology. Even then, there’s still some older items from my youth that remain, including the Gemini capsule everyone can sit and play in.
I think the only notable issue was that the public display area has become much smaller. A lot of the building space is now taken up with classrooms and educational offices for the groups that meet there. Honestly, that’s a positive as they work with local kids to encourage science and leadership. Still, it does limit the amount the public can participate in, although that could still fill a morning or afternoon.
Whether you’ve visited the museum before or are just looking for interesting local sights, I recommend adding Goddard to your list. This is a hidden gem that’s recently been polished and worth the trip. Even if it’s mostly nostalgic for you, the next generation will find just as much wonder as you did years ago.

I have to say that the NASA Goddard Visitors Center is a very fascinating and intriguing interactive museum that makes one feel just slightly insignificant when compared to the greater depths of the universe. Front desk staff were very helpful and informative. The movie and corresponding exhibits are a fun way to further your appreciation of modern research, engineering, and the logistics of space exploration.
Additionally, there are several exhibits highlighting the importance of Antarctic research as a tool to better understand both our planet and the universe. I think most of the fascinating research and studies coming out of Antarctica by way of both NASA and the American Antarctic Survey are often ignored by the general public, so I am glad that there are several exhibits showcasing many of the research efforts down south.
The gift shop is filled with a pleura of NASA decal and souvenirs including t-​shirts, shot glasses, key chains, and a million and one other things that visitors can take home for souvenirs. Kids and adults alike will love the astronaut «ice-​cream» food available in numerous flavors.
Overall, definitely a great way to spend a couple of hours!

Went to The nasa home brew club yearly
Crab picknic, I had the best time I’ve had all year. Fine beer, great band, all the crabs and barbecue items you can eat From noon to 5.
Bent fender played a good collection of classic rock and originals. Not often do I hear Beatles or cream played anymore, oh darling and white room were especially welcome.

I walked into the visitor center with high expectations. I mean, I was shooting for the stars on this one. Unfortunately, there’s not a lotta boost in this ol’ rocket. The museum is pretty rundown and dated. There’s some cool stuff for kids, and even a little play area, but that’s about it. The highlight is the «sphere,» which is a 360 degree movie projected on a globe suspended from the ceiling. The staff is super-​nice and extremely helpful. Oddly enough, as others have mentioned, the gift store is stocked full of goodies and may even surpass the museum in terms of interest. So take stock in that. If you are local, definitely go and bring the fam. Otherwise I would not really go out of my way, or if so, don’t plan on spending a lot of time there.

Full disclosure: I am as ardent a fan of NASA as anyone who has ever walked this Earth. (Or even those who floated through space). I once had an internship at this particular facility. Yet, Goddard Space Flight Center isn’t a thrilling destination. I want so badly to give them a five-​star rating, but it’s just not there.
Their Visitor Center is nice. There are a bunch of grand, brilliant pictures of nebulae and stars. There isn’t as much information as one would expect; the only hands-​on piece I saw in the small space was a plasma globe, which have been available for purchase to the general community since black lights were big.
If you’re local and looking for something to do with your kids, Goddard is worth checking out. It’s free. It’s convenient to 495 and 295. If your kids are really into space, they’ll appreciate it. Even if they’re not, they might be impressed. NASA has done a good job with the space, but I know they can do better. If you’re an adult who follows space and has a solid grasp of space science, you’ll find nothing to blow your hair back.
As a life-​long NASA supporter, I’m disappointed. Goddard isn’t tied to the manned space program; their expertise is in the science. They work with unmanned satellites and probes, so it would be nice to see them press their advantage there. They have a couple models of the International Space Station and the (now-​retired) Space Shuttle. I’d love for them to have more of their own contributions.
If you or your kids want a real NASA experience, get to Kennedy Space Center in Florida or the Jet Propulsion Lab in California. Kennedy has all the manned space program highlights, including the Saturn V Complex, which houses the largest rocket ever built, the Saturn V. It got 12 men to the moon and back. Plus, the Vehicle Assembly building is one of the largest buildings in the world. (Before they fixed it, it used to accumulate enough moisture that it would actually rain inside.) The Jet Propulsion Lab focuses more on space probes, but have a top notch tour and visitor center.
If you’re in the area and want a thrilling experience, check out the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall, it has better exhibits. If you really want to impress the kids, take them to the Air & Space site in Chantilly, Virginia (by Dulles Airport). They have the first shuttle, the Enterprise, on display along with a host of other space stuff. (Plus an unbelievable number of other aircraft.)
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out though that Goddard does have a top notch gift shop. Just today I spent $ 70 there. Basically anything NASA or space-​related is there. (Kennedy Space Center’s gift shop is 5 times the size, but still). Astronaut Ice Cream is also $ 3, as opposed to the Smithsonian’s $ 5.
Lastly, Goddard is a closed work environment, but once a year they have an open house and let the public bask in all the science their hearts desire. (Around May, methinks). If you see the Visitor’s Center and want more, definitely check that out.

Fun spot, definitely great for children. I’ll admit it, I had fun too. It could stand a revamp though, I don’t think it’s changed since I went there in elementary school, but then again Nasa has consistently had its budget cut, so I wouldn’t imagine they would spend much time on the museum and gift shop.

Pretty nice place to bring the kids to look at some of the things that NASA has done in the past. (Very educational). They also have a pretty nice gift shop with all sorts of things!

I’m interested in space exploration but this museum didn’t grab me. There’s not much to see and many of the exhibits that are there have seen better days. At least the gift shop had some cool stuff for sale!

It’s hard to critique this valuable organization. I tip my hat to all of the hard working people that are involved in all aspects of space exploration.
The Goodard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, unfortunately, was not an entertaining family experience. Their website makes the attractions seem more interesting than they really are. For example, the «rocket graden» is just a small handful of displays in a not-​very-​scenic grassy area, described by inadequate informational signs.
A theatre has a 3-​D globe on which information is projected in a continuous loop. The information is dry and there is no thrill like one might get at a planetarium. The interactive displays would mostly interest a very precocious middle school student who loved reading and hearing everything space related. It doesn’t take long to go through the displays, several of which were under repair and others of which were static and uninviting.
A large school group was running around the place, but I saw few of them interested in the actual information. They were more interested in playing with toys from a toy chest and randomly pushing buttons on a display before running off somewhere else.
This would probably not be most people’s idea of a «destination». If you’re in the area, you might drop by. If you have just visited the website and are intrigued, and you need to travel 45 minutes or an hour to get there, I would consider that it might not be what you think.
Their hearts are in the right place. However, I think other museums and science centers do a better job of creating interest in the subject and involving the audience.