Henry Crown Space Center facts for kids
Aurora 7 capsule
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | 5700 South Lake Shore Drive (at East 57th Street), Chicago, Illinois, US, 60637 |
| Type | Space Museum |
| Collection size | Spacecraft
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The Henry Crown Space Center is an exciting part of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. It first opened its doors in 1986. This special center is filled with amazing objects and hands-on activities. You can learn all about space travel and exploration here. It's a great place to discover real spacecraft and imagine what it's like to be an astronaut!
Contents
Explore Space: What You Can See
The Henry Crown Space Center has many cool things to explore. You can see actual pieces of space history. There are also fun exhibits that let you experience space travel for yourself.
Amazing Spacecraft and Capsules
- Apollo 8 Spacecraft: This is a real spacecraft that orbited the Moon! It was part of the Apollo program.
- Aurora 7 Capsule: See the actual capsule that astronaut Scott Carpenter flew into space. This was part of the Mercury program.
- Lunar Module for Apollo 11 Training: This is a training model of the Lunar Module. Astronauts used it to practice landing on the Moon for the Apollo 11 mission.
Hands-On Space Adventures
- International Space Station Docking: Try an interactive game where you can practice docking a spacecraft. You'll connect it to a model of the International Space Station.
- Remote Control Mars Rover: Take control of a model Mars rover. You can drive it around just like scientists do on Mars!
- Astronaut Jet-packs: See the special jet-packs that astronauts wear. These help them move around in space during spacewalks.
History of the Space Center
The Henry Crown Space Center was made possible by a generous gift. A kind person named Henry Crown donated money to build it. He was a very successful businessman.
Opening Day and Special Features
The space center officially opened in 1986. A famous astronaut, James Lovell, was there for the opening. The cost to build this amazing center was 12 million dollars. In the same year, a special movie theater called an OmniMax theater also opened. It was built right inside the space center.
Recent Updates
The Henry Crown Space Center was updated and reopened in May 2024. This means it has new and exciting things for visitors to enjoy.
