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Goddard Events & Programs

A young girl with a long blond ponytail and black T-shirt faces away from the camera, watching a small model rocket lift off from its launch pad. The rocket is behind yellow caution tape, and a thin stream of white smoke billows out from its end into a small white cloud underneath as it shoots diagonally up toward the upper right corner of the image. The grass between the child and the rocket is green, and the background is dense, dark green trees.

Upcoming Special Events:

Stay tuned for more special events.

Reoccurring Events

Mission: Experiment
Saturdays, 1 – 3 p.m. (Check schedule below for days)
Activities best suited for children ages 5 to 10

Grow with Goddard
Third Thursday of the Month, 9 – 10 a.m.
Activities and demonstrations for ages 3-5

Space for Me
Sensory friendly hour

Model Rocket Launches
First Saturday of the month, 1 p.m.
All ages welcome!

Other Goddard Events

alt="A young student uses an interactive kiosk at the NASA Goddard Visitor Center to build an Exoplanet. A large video screen also shows star streaks as space flight is simulated."

Mission: Experiment

Mission: Experiment with Heliophysics
Saturday, April 19, 1 – 3 p.m. 

NASA’s Heliophysics celebrates solar science and the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system!
 
Join us on Saturday, April 19, 1 – 3 p.m. for ALL THINGS HELIOPHYSICS at the Goddard Visitor Center.  Activities will include solar viewing using Sunspotters and solar car and robot races. Make your own UV Bead bracelet and Sun art. 

The program, formally known as Sunday Experiment, is changing days! Introducing Mission: Experiment on Saturday dates throughout the school year from 1 – 3 p.m.! While the day is changing, the program is not and will still be a free, family-friendly afternoon with activities best suited for children ages 5 to 10. Similarly, registration is not required. Each program will focus on a different mission or topic relevant to Goddard. Make sure to check our schedule for upcoming Saturday dates and topics throughout the school year.

Questions? Email the Goddard Visitor Center team about Mission: Experiment

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A woman wearing a blue polo demonstrates an activity on a table in front of four participants at the Goddard Visitor Center
On the third Saturday of the Month from 1-3 p.m. from Sept. to May, the Goddard Visitor Center hosts Mission: Experiment! The program is free with activities best suited for children ages 5 to 10.
NASA

You can also check out the past virtual Sunday Experiment series here.

A young child interacts with a sunspot exhibit.
An excitedly smiling child appears silhouetted in profile against the backdrop of an image of the Sun, its surface curving across the screen from left to right and a bright yellow loop erupting from its red and yellow swirling surface. Space is black behind the Sun, and the Sun's corona appears as a diffuse red glow along its edge.

Grow with Goddard

Third Thursday of the Month, 9 – 10 a.m.

Grow with Goddard! Join us for activities and demonstrations for ages 3-5 here at our visitor center during a special morning hour before we open to the public. Please see the list of dates and topics below. Registration is required for each child participant. Parents and guardians do not need to register, but at least one parent or guardian must be on-site for the program.

Dec. 19 – I’m a Scientist!

Registration is required for this event about Grow with Goddard

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Space for Me

Saturday, April 26, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. ET
More dates to be announced for 2025.

Explore the Goddard Visitor Center during a sensory-friendly hour before we open for the day. Sounds and lighting in our exhibit spaces will be limited during this time. We will also have touch items for visitors to experience.

Registration is required for this event about Space for Me

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A group of volunteers assist in launching model rockets at the NASA Goddard Visitor Center. Several multicolored rockets are seen on a launching rack on the right of the image, while four high school students assist with the wiring as preparation to launch.
A young girl with a long blond ponytail and black T-shirt faces away from the camera, watching a small model rocket lift off from its launch pad. The rocket is behind yellow caution tape, and a thin stream of white smoke billows out from its end into a small white cloud underneath as it shoots diagonally up toward the upper right corner of the image. The grass between the child and the rocket is green, and the background is dense, dark green trees.

Model Rocket Launches

First Saturday of each month at 1 p.m. (formerly Sundays)
(Some holidays excluded; weather, security conditions permitting; call ahead to confirm: 301-286-8981)
Like to build model rockets, but don’t have a launch pad? Now you do! Anyone can bring a model to fly at the Goddard Visitor Center rocket launches; there are no costs or fees to participate. Rockets, motors and supplies are available for purchase at the nearby Goddard Gift Shop (and many hobby shops or toy stores) and you can even get rocket construction and launch tips from our on-site experts on launch day!
Don’t want to launch your own rocket? That’s fine, too — come out to watch, and cheer on our rocketeers!
Model rocket launches are held at the Goddard Visitor Center the first Saturday of the month (some holidays excluded, and weather and security conditions permitting). Launches start at 1 p.m. and are brought to you by the NARHAMS Model Rocket club. These launches have been part of Visitor Center programs since 1976.
Visitors bring and prepare their own models; a group safety briefing is given at 1 p.m., and models are given a preflight safety assessment. We allow single-engine models that must not exceed C-class models. 1/2A or A models work best for our field. We do not permit rocket gliders, models whose altitude may exceed 2,000 feet, clustered motors, or two stage rockets.
Weather decisions will be made the day of the launch — to check the status of a launch, please contact the Visitor Center front desk at 301-286-8981.

Learn more about the NARHAMS Model Rocket club about Model Rocket Launches

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Other Goddard Events and Programs

Please note: The events and activities listed below are not affiliated with Goddard’s Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is listing them here as a courtesy. For more information, please contact the respective sponsoring organizations.

Visit the following websites for information on seminars and colloquia at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

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