Goddard Events & Programs
Upcoming Special Events:
Family Science Adventure
Saturday, April 27, 1 – 3 p.m.
Bring your family along for a group exploration of NASA science and engineering! Join us at this in-person program to solve problems and create discoveries around NASA subjects. Registration is required for this free, virtual program. Recommended for groups with adults and children ages 6 and up. For more information, please email gsfc-visitorcenter@mail.nasa.gov or call 301-286-8981.
Registration is required for this event: NASA Goddard Visitor Center | Eventbrite
Space for Me: Sensory Friendly Hour
April 27, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Explore the Goddard Visitor Center during a sensory-friendly hour before we open for the day. Sounds and lighting in our exhibit spaces will be limited during this time. We will also have touch items for visitors to experience. Registration is required for this free program. For more information, please email gsfc-visitorcenter@mail.nasa.gov or call 301-286-8981.
Registration information can be found at NASA Goddard Visitor Center | Eventbrite
Recurring Events:
Sunday Experiment
Sunday Experiment is a free monthly program offered at the Goddard Visitor Center. Activities are best suited for children ages 5 to 10, and registration is not required. For program information, please call the visitor center at 301-286-8981. The Sunday Experiment, generally taking place the third Sunday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m., features activities showcasing Goddard’s world-renowned science and engineering research and technological developments. Families leave inspired by the activities, wowed by the scientists and engineers, and excited about Goddard’s revolutionary research and technology.
In addition to celebrating all things science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the Sunday Experiment celebrates major science missions that are managed by NASA Goddard and set to launch in the near future. The Sunday Experiment is a place where children and adults alike can discover the excitement of Goddard through fun and engaging activities. Upcoming scheduled topics are as follows:
Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program
April 21, 1 – 3 p.m. ET
Founded on Earth Day in 1994, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program is an international science and education program that provides students and the public with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, as well as contribute to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. In 2016, GLOBE expanded to include volunteer scientists from the public through GLOBE Observer, a smartphone app-based tool for data collection.
Join us for Sunday Experiment on April 21, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET, to learn how you can explore your environment as a volunteer scientist with GLOBE Observer and make connections to NASA satellite data. We’ll show you how to take your own observations using the Clouds, Land Cover, Trees, and Mosquito Habitat Mapper tools, and share hands-on activities to help you understand the data and why the perspective from the ground is important in complementing the view from satellites.
You can also check out the past virtual Sunday Experiment series here.
Saturday Science
Second Saturday of the Month, 1 – 3 p.m.
Science is all around us! Join us to discover more about the science found in our daily lives and the science studied here at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center! Each session will focus on a different science topic and have hands-on activities and demonstrations. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is not required for this free program, which is recommended for children ages 6 and up. For more information, please email gsfc-visitorcenter@mail.nasa.gov or call 301-286-9891.
- April 13 – Saturday Science is #READYTOGOES
- May 11 – Spring Into STEM!
Grow With Goddard
Third Thursday of the Month, 9 – 10 a.m.
Grow with Goddard! Join us for activities and demonstrations for ages 3-5 here at our visitor center during a special morning hour before we open to the public. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is required for each child participant. Parents and guardians do not need to register, but at least one parent or guardian must be on-site for the program.
Registration is required for this event: NASA Goddard Visitor Center | Eventbrite
- April 18 – Earth Day
- May 16 – Planets
Model Rocket Launches
First Sunday of each month at 1 p.m.
(some holidays excluded; weather, security conditions permitting; call ahead to confirm: 301-286-8981)
Like to build model rockets, but don’t have a launch pad? Now you do! Anyone can bring a model to fly at the Goddard Visitor Center rocket launches; there are no costs or fees to participate. Rockets, motors and supplies are available for purchase at the nearby Goddard Gift Shop (and many hobby shops or toy stores) and you can even get rocket construction and launch tips from our on-site experts on launch day!
Don’t want to launch your own rocket? That’s fine, too — come out to watch, and cheer on our rocketeers!
Model rocket launches are held at the Goddard Visitor Center the first Sunday of the month (some holidays excluded, and weather and security conditions permitting). Launches start at 1 p.m. and are brought to you by the NARHAMS Model Rocket club (http://www.narhams.org/). These launches have been part of Visitor Center programs since 1976.
Visitors bring and prepare their own models; a group safety briefing is given at 1 p.m., and models are given a preflight safety assessment. We allow single-engine models that must not exceed C-class models. 1/2A or A models work best for our field. We do not permit models whose altitude may exceed 2,000 feet, nor do we normally allow glider models.
Weather decisions will be made the day of the launch — to check the status of a launch, please contact the Visitor Center front desk at 301-286-8981.
Ask a Scientist:
Second Sunday of the Month, 1 – 3 p.m.
Bring your curiosity and NASA science questions, and find some answers during a family-friendly afternoon of discovery and learning! No registration is required. For more information, contact the visitor center front desk at 301-286-8981.
Other Goddard Events and Programs
Please note: The events and activities listed below are not affiliated with Goddard’s Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is listing them here as a courtesy. For more information, please contact the respective sponsoring organizations.
Visit the following websites for information on seminars and colloquia at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
