McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center: New England’s Only Air and Space Science Center
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center honors the legacies of two New Hampshire heroes and is a place for visitors to explore, discover, and be inspired. As the only air and space science center in New England it welcomes all ages to have fun while learning about the universe in which we live.
Be inspired, have fun and learn something new, in honor of Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH. Just look for the rocket soaring above its door, a prominent dome of an observatory, and more than 45,000 square feet for interactive science exhibits, a gift shop, café, and theater space. This is New England’s first air and space science center in Concord, New Hampshire. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a lively educational science center. It features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, and Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of science and engineering programs.
The engaging, robust educational programs are for pre-K-12 and college students, educators, families, community groups, and lifelong learners of all ages. The Discovery Center will also offer conference areas, and a NASA Educator Resource Center.
Visitors to the Discovery Center are greeted by an outdoor 92-foot-tall Mercury-Redstone Rocket. The interactive, multi-sensory exhibit around it tells the story of New Hampshire hero Alan Shepard, his historic flight as the first American in space on May 5, 1961, and the story of the Space Race that inspired much of our current aerospace initiatives and high technology spin-offs.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center honors the legacies of two New Hampshire heroes and is a place for visitors to explore, discover, and be inspired. As the only air and space science center in New England it welcomes all ages to have fun while learning about the universe in which we live. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center features 21st century interactive exhibits on aviation, astronomy, and Earth and space sciences, a state-of-the-art planetarium and a variety of engaging programs. More information at www.starhop.com.
