Christa McAuliffe-Alan Shepard Discovery Center

(Paid Affiliate Link)

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

It was a real treat to return to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and share it with my grandson so many years after having shared it with my young daughters. While the memory of the tragedy of January 28th, 1986 brings up a range of emotions, this beautiful tribute to two of New Hampshire’s amazing explorers, reminds us of the human spirit and desire to explore beyond our boundaries.

In 1985, Christa McAuliffe emerged from a field of thousands to become the face of NASA’s ‘Teacher in Space Project.’ She was the answer to President Reagan’s vision of a ‘gifted teacher’—someone who could capture the imagination of students and bring the frontier of space into classrooms everywhere.

McAuliffe emerged as the final choice following an extensive selection process involving more than 11,000 candidates. It was during this journey that she shared her iconic quote, “I touch the future, I teach,” which resonated with students and teachers worldwide.

(Paid Affiliate Link)

Exhibits and Simulators

The Center offers two floors of immersive exhibits designed to engage curious minds of all ages. Beyond the space shuttle’s upper forward fuselage—where you can grab the controls and simulate a mission into orbit—you can step inside a Mercury capsule replica or stand beneath the wing of a 1956 Crusader jet. From ‘touching’ a simulated tornado to seeing yourself through an infrared camera, the center blends history with hands-on science to keep both kids and adults captivated for hours.

Interactive displays bring to life the stories of Christa McAuliffe and her fellow crew members, highlighting the educational mission of the ‘Teacher in Space’ project.

Planetarium

We thoroughly enjoyed the planetarium show 3-2-1 Liftoff!, which follows an ambitious gerbil named Elon on a daring quest to return his robot friend to the mothership. While the immersive visuals left us feeling slightly ‘seasick’ during a few intense moments, we safely completed the mission alongside Elon and his crew!

The planetarium houses one of only three 10K laser projection systems in North America, offering incredibly bright and immersive shows.

Observatory

While I wish we had time to schedule a viewing at the observatory, it will be a new reason to stop back again for another adventure. The observatory offers the opportunity to view sunspots during the day and the night sky in the evenings. 

The Discovery Center offers a wide variety of programs including: school visits, outreach programs, Scout visits, sky viewing at the observatory, STEM summer camps, a home school program, and lots more!

(Paid Affiliate Link)

I hope you enjoyed this post and video from The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in beautiful Concord, New Hampshire.

For another Concord treat, check out my post on Downtown Concord. It’s a beautiful city to stroll and explore. 

Subscribe to stay updated on the next adventure. I send a favorite picture from each post with every notice to subscribers. Like and follow and share on social media!

This post was created in collaboration between the author and the AI Tool Google Gemini.

Until the next post: “Live Free and Explore!”