How much does it cost to visit the Goddard Visitor Center?
Admission and parking at the Goddard Visitor Center are free.
What are the hours of the Goddard Visitor Center?
- September through June
Tuesday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday: noon – 4 p.m. - July through August
Tuesday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday: noon – 4 p.m.
The visitor center is closed Mondays except for some federal holidays.
It is open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day from noon to 4 p.m.
It is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, July Fourth, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Please note that visitor center hours are subject to change. If you have a question about holiday hours, please call 301-286-8981.
NOTE: If NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is closed due to inclement weather, the visitor center will be closed as well.
Where is the Goddard Visitor Center located?
The visitor center is located adjacent to the main campus of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The visitor center is located off ICESat Road. Driving directions are available here.
How can I arrange a tour of Goddard?
Families and small groups wishing to visit the visitor center and explore the exhibit gallery and rocket garden on their own do not need to make reservations.
The Goddard Visitor Center asks that groups interested in scheduling a facility tour or program make a reservation at least one month in advance. Currently, security regulations do not permit “drop-in” facility tours by the public.
Facility tours are presently available to school, community and cultural groups. Groups must have a minimum of eight people and cannot exceed 40 people. Tour participants must be at least 10 years old or in the fifth grade. Depending on which areas are available that day, facility tours visit satellite construction, testing and operations areas. Facility tours are two hours long and also include a guided presentation.
Facility tours and in-house programs are only available Tuesday through Friday, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., with an advance reservation. Weekend tours and programs are not available.
Foreign nationals from most countries can participate in a facility tour. Security regulations require that the full names, dates of birth, passport numbers and passport expiration dates for each foreign national in your group be submitted at least two weeks prior to your scheduled visit. Foreign nationals who do not provide this information in advance will not be permitted on the tour.
Please email GSFC-VisitorCenter@mail.nasa.gov to book your visit. If you need assistance, please call 301-286-3978. Please note that this telephone number is only for callers wishing to reserve a private program for their group.
Does Goddard have a gift shop?
The Goddard Employee Welfare Association operates a gift shop, which is located next to the Visitor Center, in Greenbelt, Md., off Route 193 and ICESat Road. The Goddard Gift Shop is closed on Mondays. For more information about store hours, call 301-286-6476.
What is there to see at the Goddard Visitor Center?
The visitor center has many exciting exhibits that showcase the breadth of Goddard’s innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science and engineering. Please see our “Permanent Exhibits” page for more information.
Are there any special programs offered at the Visitor Center?
From time to time we offer special public lectures and programs touching on different aspects of science. Consult the “Events and Programs” page for details about these programs.
What food options are available at the Visitor Center?
The visitor center has no cafeteria, but guests are welcome to bring their own food and eat at any of the picnic tables on the visitor center grounds. There are several restaurants and other food options nearby on Greenbelt Road. Guests may not bring alcohol onto visitor center grounds. Please note that there is no food or drink permitted inside the visitor center.
What is the Goddard Visitor Center’s photography policy?
Guests are welcome to take photographs in and around the Visitor Center, but due to security regulations, no photographs are to be taken of any of the Goddard buildings other than the Visitor Center. Guests may photograph the rockets in the Visitor Center’s Rocket Garden.
