Columbia Memorial Space Center facts for kids
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| Established | 2009 |
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| Location | Downey, California |
| Type | Science Museum |
| Key holdings | Space Shuttle Inspiration |
| Visitors | 30,000 (in 2013) |
The Columbia Memorial Space Center (CMSC) is a cool science museum located in Downey, California. It's in the Los Angeles area and is owned by the City of Downey. This museum is a fun place for everyone to explore space and science with lots of hands-on activities.
What the Center Does
The main goal of the Columbia Memorial Space Center is to get people excited about science, technology, engineering, and space. They also want to honor Downey's long history with aerospace.
A Look at History
The museum stands on a very important piece of land. This was once a big factory where parts for the Apollo Command/Service Modules were built. These modules were used in the Apollo missions that sent astronauts to the Moon! The idea for the Space Shuttle was also first thought of here.
When the factory closed in 1999, the City of Downey decided to build something new and educational. Construction for the space center began on April 12, 2007. The building is now 20,000 square feet, which is pretty big!
The CMSC first opened its doors in 2008. It is a special national memorial to the Space Shuttle Columbia and its brave crew. The Space Shuttle Columbia was lost during its STS-107 mission.
Cool Exhibits and Activities
The Columbia Memorial Space Center is a designated Challenger Learning Center. This means it offers many exciting programs. You can join camps, workshops, and monthly events. All these activities are designed to spark your interest in STEM fields.
The museum has two floors filled with interactive exhibits. You can learn about how the Space Shuttle worked. There are also exhibits about living and working on the International Space Station. You can explore the Solar System and learn about aerospace engineering. The center also has a robotics lab and a high-definition computer lab. These areas help you discover different jobs and studies related to space exploration.
In 2012, a full-size model of a Space Shuttle was displayed here. It was made of wood and plastic in 1972. This model was called the "Space Shuttle Inspiration". It was later taken apart and stored in 2014.
Right outside the center, you can see a special display. It's a dummy Apollo command capsule called BP-12. This was the very first Apollo capsule to fly in a test! The City of Downey now owns it. The center also owns another Apollo boilerplate, BP-19A, which is currently in storage.
See also
- List of science centers
