Hall of Space Museum

Your Journey Through Space History Begins Here

Buckle in for an unforgettable trip through the history of space exploration in the Cosmosphere’s Hall of Space Museum. Home to genuine historic artifacts from around the world, this gallery tells the story of the space race between the U.S.S.R. and the United States. Along the way, interactive exhibits draw visitors of all ages into the action, launching rockets or in the pilot’s seat in a docking simulation. Young visitors will delight in our CosmoKids interactive STEAM learning experience.

There’s so much to see at the Cosmosphere! Don’t miss a thing with your All-Access Mission Pass.

Remember, the Hall of Space is always free for residents of Reno County, visit the box office for your ticket.

Interactive Exhibits

Get interactive with our fun and hands-on exhibits in the Hall of Space. Dock a Gemini spacecraft, step inside of an Apollo Capsule mockup, combine chemistry and flight mechanics in our Rocket Launch Simulator and more!

Young explorers get their chance to play in our CosmoKids interactive STEAM-focused exhibit and parents walk away with the resources to explain the science behind the fun.

Grand Lobby

Don’t forget to look up and take in the views of our massive Grand Lobby. Stand on the wing of the shuttle for a great selfie spot, or venture up to the Observation Deck to take it all in one shot!

Significant artifacts

FLOWN
• SR-71 Blackbird Spy Plane
• Northrop T-38 Talon

REPLICA
• Full-scale replica of the space shuttle, Endeavour

V-2 Gallery

In creating the ultimate weapons of war, Hitler’s Germany laid the groundwork for future space travel. Rare V-1 and V-2 rockets highlight this World War II exhibit, demonstrating how V-2 technology made space exploration possible.

Significant artifacts

FLIGHT-READY BACKUP
• V-1 “Buzz Bomb”
• ME-163 Comet Rocket Engine
• V-2 Rocket

X-Plane Gallery

Learn how testing supersonic speeds in aircraft prepared us for human spaceflight. The X-Plane test pilots are the first true heroes of early spaceflight.

Significant artifacts

FLOWN
• Joe Engle’s XMC-2 Flight Suit

REPLICA
• Bell X-1 Rocket Plane movie prop from the movie The Right Stuff

GENUINE
• XLR-11 Engine
• Sonic Wind II Rocket Sled

Redstone, Sputnik, Kennedy

Chronicling the first steps of both the U.S. and Soviet space programs, this gallery brings to life the Cold War standoff between the superpowers and the early drama of the Space Race. Against those odds, President Kennedy issued a challenge that changed everything.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• Wernher von Braun’s Slide Rule
• Sergei Korolev’s Slide Rule
• Luna Sphere
• Mercury-Atlas 1 (MA-1)

FLIGHT-READY BACKUP
• Redstone Atomic Warhead
• Sputnik 1

ENGINEERING MODEL
• Sputnik II
• Pioneer 4 Cutaway

REPLICA
• Vanguard 1
• Explorer 1

Kennedy & Khrushchev

After World War II, Germany was divided into East and West Germany. To prevent citizens from migrating west, a wall was built along the border.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• German Wall

Missile Row

The RD-107 engines were considered the powerhouse behind the Soviets leading the Space Race. In the late 1950s, they were the most powerful engines on Earth. They are so reliable that a version is still used in the Russian space program today.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• RD-107 Engine

Rocket Gallery

The Space Race hinged on the development of rocket engines, crucial for launching spacecraft into orbit. Advances in rocket engine technology enabled successful satellite launches, crewed space missions, and landing on the Moon.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• Redstone Engine
• Atlas Booster Engine
• 109-foot Titan rocket

FLOWN
• SpaceX Falcon 9 Merlin Engine

ENGINEERING MODEL
• Pioneer 4 Cutaway

Human Spaceflight

This renovated gallery is open. While many artifacts are on display during this time, the exhibits and graphics won’t be fully completed until Spring 2025. Come face-to-face with American heroes and Soviet secrets. Actual spacecraft, hardware, spacesuits, and training gear from the American and Russian programs capture the ingenuity, accomplishment, and tension of the times as two Cold War enemies competed in the race to land humans on the Moon.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• Volga Airlock
• Agena Target Adapter

ENGINEERING MODEL
• Voskhod

FLOWN
• Gemini X spacecraft
• Liberty Bell 7 spacecraft
• Soviet Vostok capsule

Moonshot Gallery

This renovated gallery is open. While many artifacts are on display during this time, the exhibits and graphics won’t be fully completed until Spring 2025. From Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon, to Gene Cernan’s last steps on the lunar surface, this gallery embodies one the nation’s most amazing technological achievements: America’s presence on the Moon.

Significant artifacts

GENUINE
• One of the three Apollo White Rooms used for the launch of Apollo Missions
• Mission Control Console

REPLICA
• Lunar Module
• Lunar Rover

FLOWN
• Apollo Spacesuits
• Apollo F-1 Engines
• Apollo 13 Command Module, Odyssey
• Apollo 11 Moon Rock and more

ENGINEERING MODEL
• Lunar Module Ascent Stage

Planetarium & Dr. Goddard's Rocket Lab Experience

Patty Carey, founder of the Cosmosphere, deeply loved astronomy and believed in making the wonders of the sky accessible to all. She brought her dream to life with determination and passio by establishing the first planetarium in Kansas. This monumental achievement culminated in the opening of “Hutchinson’s Theatre of the Skies” on December 2, 1962, marking a significant milestone in the state’s pursuit of astronomical exploration. This gallery is home to Dr. Goddard’s Lab and the Justice Planetarium.