Posted in New Hampshire August 23, 2019 by

The Sky’s The Limit At McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center In New Hampshire

A fair few notable people hail from New Hampshire. While we’re proud of them all, NASA’s first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe, is particularly special. Killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, she’s a local hero. Today, we’re telling you about a special discovery center named partially in her honor. There’s so much to do and explore here, you’ll probably want to devote an entire day!

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord is an air and space museum offering tons of ways to learn more about the world of space.
Harvey K / TripAdvisor
It's named for Alan Bartlett Shepard, who was the first American to travel to space and Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space.
Android Smartphone / Google
In the spirit of their intrepid curiosity, the museum offers a chance for visitors to have hands-on fun, while learning about the history of the country's space program.
Harvey K / TripAdvisor
There are a number of interactive exhibts, a planetarium, an observatory, and lots of educational programs.
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center / Google
There are two fun floors of permanent exhibits that offer interaction on things including astronomy, aviation, Earth and space science, space history, general science, and engineering.
Luis Campusano / Google
We love the exhibits that show actual machinery and equipment used in our space and air history.
Dale Arnt / Google
There are also ongoing programs, including summer STEM camps for kids.
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center / Google
Visitors also look forward to AerospaceFest, the annual aerospace festival taking place the 1st Saturday of May. There's also Super Stellar Fridays, which includes special programming the 1st Friday of every month.
Traveling without regrets / TripAdvisor
There's so much to see here, including a wonderful planetarium, that you'll want to plan on a full day exploring the exhibits and taking part in the programs.
Traveling without regrets / TripAdvisor
And lest you think this is all about learning and education, don't worry! There are plenty of ways to be silly here, too.
melissa l / TripAdvisor

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The first Friday of every month they’re also open from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. During school vacation weeks and the summer, their days open vary so be sure to check their website for hours and ticket costs. Tickets range from $8.50 to $11.50 depending on your age and the size of your group. For other questions, you can call them on 603-271-7827.

Address: 2 Institute Drive, Concord, NH 03301

Looking to learn more about New Hampshire’s museums? Click here for 8 that are all lesser-known and where admission is free!