Events and Public Programs
Participate in free events and activities at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center!
Visitor Center Experiences
To enhance your self-guided experience, our staff and volunteers will occasionally conduct special “pop-up” programs and activities for guests of all ages to explore science topics and NASA missions. All experiences are free of charge.
Gallery Programs
Look for an informal educator and our curiosity cart in the main exhibit hall to complete a challenge or engage in fun, hands-on science demonstrations.
Science On a Sphere Solar System Tour
Take a self-guided tour of our local solar system and explore past, present, and future NASA planetary missions.
Special Events and Programs
Join us in one of our upcoming events or programs to explore a special STEM topic. All programs are free; those requiring advanced registration will be noted in the event description.
March
Cosmic Quest: Exploring the Solar System
March 28 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Embark on a cosmic adventure on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to noon exploring our celestial neighborhood. Investigate the marvels and mysteries of the planets, moons, stars, and more within the solar system through hands-on activities. Take a tour of the solar system, guided by one of our educators, on NOAA’s Science on Sphere Interactive Theater at 10:30 a.m. Get curious about the wonders of space, and join us on this quest to explore the solar system.
April
Artemis II Watch Party
April 1 – 5:30 p.m.
Join us Wednesday, April 1 at 5:30 p.m. inside Wallops Visitor Center for a special Watch Party and witness NASA’s Artemis II mission launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida!
The Artemis II test flight will send NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on an approximately 10-day, 685,000-mile journey around the Moon and back.
The crew will lift off inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft on the agency’s powerful (SLS) Space Launch System rocket to help confirm the systems and hardware needed for human deep space exploration.
As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, Artemis will pave the way for new U.S.-crewed missions on the lunar surface in preparation toward the first crewed mission to Mars.
The Watch Party is a free, family friendly opportunity to watch the launch along with NASA.
Wallops guests will be able to experience the launch excitement via a livestream in our auditorium, participate in hands-on activities like building and launching a miniature SLS rocket, explore our exhibits, and visit the gift shop during this evening event!
Registration is REQUIRED for each attendee of this event and is good for the first launch attempt on April 1.
Wednesday, April 1st
- Check-in for attendees starts at 5:30 p.m.
- Launch window opens at 6:24 p.m.
- Launch window closes at 8:24 p.m.
- Event ends 30 minutes post launch or scrub
- Attendees will be notified of any changes as soon as possible and notified via the email used for program registration.Please keep an eye on the Artemis Blog (Artemis – NASA) for updates as well.
Click here to reserve your ticket today!
Artemis’ Legacy (Homeschool event)
April 14 – 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Homeschool groups are invited to register for Artemis’ Legacy: The Next Giant Leap, a special on-site event specifically for homeschool-aged students.
Hunt for ice, navigate craters, and master space survival in this epic homeschool adventure.
Pack your gear and prep the lander—we’re heading to the most mysterious territory on the lunar surface. In this session, students won’t just learn about the Moon; they’ll join a simulated mission to the Lunar South Pole, a region of jagged peaks and craters that haven’t seen sunlight in billions of years.
Replicate the Artemis mission with these hands-on stations:
- The Hunt for “Blue Gold”: Investigate why NASA is racing to find water ice hidden in the shadows of the Moon’s impact craters.
- Rover Navigation: Map out and traverse through treacherous, boulder-strewn terrain using real topographic data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO).
- Survive the Moon Escape Room: Our mission is a go, but major challenges lie ahead. In our Moon Adventure Game, traverse the dangerous lunar surface studying seismic data to learn where moonquakes are originating, mine the ice that you discover along the way to provide valuable energy to your base, and restore power to save the mission!
This is a free event, but registration is required to participate. Click here to reserve your spot today!
