1. Travel

Discuss in my forum

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center - Alabama's Top Paid Tourist Attraction

By , About.com Guide

1 of 4

Visiting the U.S. Space and Rocket Center - Overview
Exterior view of the Davidson Center; Photo Credit:  The U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Exterior view of the Davidson Center at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Photo Credit: The U.S. Space and Rocket Center
The U.S. Space and Rocket Center, located in Huntsville, is Alabama's top tourist attraction among attractions that charge admission. The Center, which opened in 1970 as NASA's first visitor center, includes a museum, Space Camp, Aviation Challenge and X-Camp. Also part of the complex, an Education Training Center houses the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Education Department and Marshall Space Flight Center's Educator Resource Center.

The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is a state agency of the State of Alabama. The museum, which serves as the visitor information center for Marshall Space Flight Center, achieved Smithsonian Institution Affiliate status in 2002. Saturn V, displayed in the museum's immense Davidson Center, was the first Saturn V to be displayed publicly and is the only one designated as a National Historic Landmark. It is also listed as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.