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Goddard Visitor Center

An excitedly smiling child appears silhouetted in profile against the backdrop of an image of the Sun, its surface curving across the screen from left to right and a bright yellow loop erupting from its red and yellow swirling surface. Space is black behind the Sun, and the Sun's corona appears as a diffuse red glow along its edge.

Welcome to your friendly neighborhood space flight center!

The visitor center showcases Goddard’s innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, engineering, communications and technology development. Activities, exhibits and events at the Goddard Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provide inspiring and captivating educational experiences for all ages.

Only 30 minutes from Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; and Annapolis, Maryland, the visitor center gives you the opportunity to explore the universe in your own backyard.

Visits are free of charge. For more information on the Goddard Visitor Center, browse this website, call 301-286-8981 or email GSFC-VisitorCenter@mail.nasa.gov. You may also sign up for the visitor center’s events mailing list by emailing goddard-visitor-center-programs@lists.nasa.gov.

Hours of Operation

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, Juneteenth, 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.

Permanent Exhibits

Learn more about the permanent displays and exhibits at the NASA Goddard Visitor Center!

Learn More about Permanent Exhibits
A colorful museum exhibit depicting the Sun as a large, horizontal circle with orange "orbits" and loops surrounding it, mounted on a gracefully curved white pillar. Large windows with visible sky and trees are in the background.