Mission Moonbase

Mission Moonbase is the space history exhibit within MOSI's larger complex — a dedicated gallery focused on human space exploration featuring actual artifacts from the Apollo era and subsequent missions. For the price of a MOSI general admission (which includes this exhibit), families get access to genuine space mission hardware that connects the abstract concept of space travel to real, touchable history.

The spacesuits are typically the most impressive element for children. Standing in front of an actual spacesuit — understanding that a human being wore this and operated in the vacuum of space inside it — makes the achievement of spaceflight concrete in a way that doesn't happen through a textbook image. The engineering details visible up close (the seams, the gloves, the helmet mounting) raise questions about how these suits were designed and built that lead naturally into science learning.

Mission hardware, mission models, and historical photographs round out the exhibit, providing context about specific missions, the astronauts who flew them, and the technological developments that made them possible.

For kids who are space-obsessed (and many are, particularly in the 6-12 range), Mission Moonbase combined with the Saunders Planetarium show in the same building creates a complete space-themed experience that could anchor an entire MOSI visit. The combination of seeing real mission artifacts and then having the night sky projected overhead in the dome theater connects the tangible and the cosmic effectively.

No additional admission is needed — it's included with your MOSI general ticket.