Space Center Houston in Texas

As the official visitor center of NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas - Space Center Houston is home to an array of space memorabilia, scientific displays, and historic artifacts from various NASA missions. In addition to a tram tour and Saturn V Rocket, the standout exhibit at Space Center Houston is the replica space shuttle Independence sitting atop the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier, N905NA. As you'd expect, it's an incredible facility to explore.

Saturn V Rocket at Space Center Houston

A few visual highlights of the Saturn V Rocket at Space Center Houston in Texas.

Space Shuttle Endeavour in Los Angeles, California

Currently on display in the Samuel Oschin Pavilion at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California - Space Shuttle Endeavour was the fifth and final operational shuttle built by NASA. Between 1992 to 2011, Space Shuttle Endeavour spent a total of 296 days, 3 hours, 34 minutes, and 2 seconds in space over the course of 25 missions.

Seeing a space shuttle up close is pretty awe-inspiring. Endeavour still wears the damage from her final re-entry through the Earth's atmosphere, which only further emphasizes the reality of standing in the same room with something that has left our planet and come back again. It's not only a technological marvel, but with the shuttle program now retired, Endeavour is symbolic of a prolific and bygone era in space travel and exploration.