Kansas and Missouri are home to exciting space-themed attractions perfect for kids who love the cosmos. From hands-on exhibits to captivating planetarium shows, these destinations will spark your child’s imagination and curiosity about the universe. Get ready for a fun, educational adventure through space at these kid friendly attractions.
Imaginative Space Play Attractions
Wilbur Young Park, Blue Springs, Mo.
For an out-of-this-world play experience visit Wilbur Young Park in Blue Springs, Missouri. This space-themed playground includes an interconnected matrix of futuristic pods, slides, gliders, climbers and overhead tunnels.
Club Run and Jump, Olathe, Kan.
Club Run and Jump’s space-themed indoor playground will be a hit with any young space lover. The playground features a large rocket ship, tunnels, slides, fun obstacles, interactive ball play areas and a gear wall. There is also a large area dedicated to smaller children. Look for sensory-friendly times and special events like blacklight parties.
Admission for ages 1–3 is $12. Children ages 4 to 13 are $14 each. Children under age 1 are free. One adult admission is included with each child’s admission. Additional adult admissions are $5 each. Everyone must have grippy socks, which can be purchased for $3 a pair. Club Run and Jump is closed on Mondays.
Space Museums
The Cosmosphere, Hutchinson, Kan.
The Cosmosphere’s collection of U.S. space artifacts is second only to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. The museum part of the Cosmosphere, The Hall of Space, begins with the earliest experiments in rocketry during the World War II era, continues through the space race and Cold War and then explores modern times with the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and commercial flight. Highlights include the actual Apollo 13 command module, astronaut gear and flight suits, rocket engines and rare V-1 and V-2 rockets. There’s also a STEM play area with hands on experiments. The Cosmosphere also houses a planetarium with live shows, a dome theatre showing newly released science documentaries, Dr. Goddard’s Lab (a live science presentation on the history of rockets) and a flight stimulator.
Tickets prices vary depending on which attractions you would like to visit. A café with limited concessions is located inside of the Cosmosphere. All public areas are wheelchair and stroller friendly.The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. See KCMC’s Guide to the Cosmosphere for more details.
Please note, the galleries in the Hall of Space are currently under renovation. While many artifacts are on display during this time, the exhibits and graphics won’t be fully completed until Spring 2025. Occasionally, parts of the renovated galleries could be closed for these additions.
The Space Museum and Grissom Center, Bonne Terre, Mo.
The Space Museum and Grissom Center houses a world-class collection of aerospace artifacts, spanning from the dawn of space travel and the invention of the V-2 rocket through the Artemis and Commercial Crew spaceflight programs of today. Occupying 5,000 square foot, the facility is named in honor of Mercury 7 Astronaut Gus Grissom. You’ll also find hands-on activities (including programming an interactive robot), a simulated space shuttle launch experience and a virtual reality spacewalk aboard the International Space Station. There’s also a gift shop that sells all types of space merchandise.
Admission includes all activities and experiences and is purchased at the door. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students (kindergarten–college) and $14 for seniors and active military. Children ages 5 and under are free. The museum is open Friday-Sunday. Pro Tip: Located in Bonne Terre, Missouri, the museum is about 4.5 hours away from Kansas City and may be best visited as part of a trip to the St. Louis area (pair with a visit to the McDonnell Planetarium, listed below).
Planetariums and Observatories in Kansas and Missouri
The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium at Union Station, Kansas City, Mo.
Shows run daily at The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium inside Kansas City’s Union Station. Stargaze (all ages, 30-40 mins.) is the planetarium’s live-guided star viewing experience. Each star tour is narrated by expert Science City educators and explores constellations, our solar system, distant planets and deep space. The show is updated seasonally to match our current night sky.
In addition to the traditional star viewing experience, the planetarium also offers three other space-themed shows. “Hazelnuts: In Search of the Perfect Planet” (ages 3-10, 25 mins.) is an animated show featuring digital puppetry and early astronomical concepts adapted to young learners. “Destination Solar System” (ages 6+, 31 mins.) takes viewers on a futuristic space tourism trip through the solar system. The show was created by Chicago’s Alder Planetarium and combines real images of planets and other celestial objects with the latest in digital animation. “Spark: The Universe in US” (ages 10+, 26 mins.), narrated by “Star Wars” actor Diego Luna (Cassian Andor), is a dynamic exploration of the stellar phenomena that created and dispersed the raw materials of galaxies, planets and humans
General admission tickets are $8 per show. Children ages 1 and under are free. The planetarium is fully accessible with ramps and companion seating. Booster seats are also available. Just remember to arrive in plenty of time to get your seats. Due to safety precautions, no late entry is permitted to the planetarium.
McDonnell Planetarium at St. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, Mo.
The McDonnell Planetarium at St. Louis’s Science Center is more than just a planetarium. Besides offering a slate of shows similar to KC’s planetarium (3 live, all ages star shows and an animated kid’s show), there are three floors of attractions included with your planetarium admission. After each show, these exhibit galleries are available only to guests who attend a show. In the Mission to Mars exhibit, guests take on the role of an astronaut living and working on Mars. You’ll perform science operations at key locations on the planet, using two specially designed rovers, Intrepid and Adventure, which closely resemble the rovers currently exploring the red planet. The Boeing Space Station and Starbridge exhibit immerses visitors in what it would be like to live and work in space. Additional exhibits feature the Mercury 19 and Gemini 3A crafts, a meteorite collection and imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope.
Tickets are $5 for kids/seniors and $6 for adults. Children ages 2 and under are free. The McDonnell Planetarium is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Powell Observatory, Lewis-Young Park, Louisburg, Kan.
For a first-hand look at the night’s sky, a visit to Powell Observatory is a must. Built and run by The Astronomical Society of Kansas City, the observatory houses the Ruisinger Telescope, the largest telescope open to the public in a five-state area. The Ruisinger has a Newtonian reflector with a 30″ diameter mirror and is installed in a 20-foot dome. Between May and October, the ASKC hosts public night sky events which include night sky viewing with the Ruisinger and a variety of other telescopes and themed presentations. Check Powell Observatory’s event calendar and Facebook page for event information.
All ages and even pets are welcome. Events are free but donations are requested. Dress for the outdoors and bring your own chairs and/or blanket. Events are subject to weather and staffing. Events can run late into the evening based on sunset times. If you have young children, you may want to time your visit early or late in the season when skies get darker earlier.
