McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Alan Shepard grew up in East Derry, New Hampshire, became a Navy test pilot, and on May 5, 1961, rode the Freedom 7 capsule to become the first American to travel into space. A decade later he walked on the Moon as commander of Apollo 14, famously hitting golf balls across the lunar surface. He remains one of the state's most celebrated figures.

Christa McAuliffe was a social studies teacher in Concord when she was selected from thousands of applicants for NASA's Teacher in Space program, chosen to teach lessons from orbit. She died with her six crewmates when the space shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch on January 28, 1986. Her hometown planetarium was named in her memory, and the center today keeps her belief in teaching and curiosity at its heart.

The centerpiece is the planetarium, a domed theater where full-dome shows carry audiences through the night sky, the solar system, and the wider universe. Around it, hands-on exhibits let visitors explore astronomy, rocketry, aviation, weather, and Earth science, with plenty designed to be touched, tried, and puzzled over.

The exhibits balance the cosmic and the earthly, from how stars and planets form to how weather works in our own atmosphere, giving families a full afternoon of discovery whatever the weather outside.

Beyond the dome, the center runs an observatory and hosts public sky-watching events, wheeling telescopes out to view the Moon, planets, and stars on clear nights. These live sessions connect the indoor shows to the real thing overhead, a chance to see Saturn's rings or lunar craters with your own eyes.

Special programs mark eclipses, meteor showers, and other sky events, making the center a gathering point for the region's amateur astronomers and curious newcomers alike.

Concord is New Hampshire's capital, a walkable Merrimack Valley city whose downtown is anchored by the gold-domed State House, the oldest state capitol in which a legislature still meets in its original chambers. Main Street's shops and restaurants make an easy pairing with a Discovery Center visit.

The city sits at the crossroads of the state, an easy base for reaching the Lakes Region, the Seacoast, or the White Mountains, and a fitting home for a museum about looking outward and upward.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, in Concord, New Hampshire, is the state's science center and planetarium, celebrating space, astronomy, Earth science, and aviation, named for two New Hampshire heroes of spaceflight. The center honors Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher chosen to fly aboard the Space Shuttle, and Alan Shepard, the New Hampshire native who became the first American in space, through engaging hands-on exhibits, a planetarium with immersive shows, and displays on astronomy, space exploration, aviation, and Earth science. A wonderful destination for curious minds, it inspires visitors of all ages. With its exhibits and planetarium, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center offers a fascinating destination in New Hampshire.

Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard were two New Hampshire figures central to the story of American spaceflight, for whom the discovery center is named. Christa McAuliffe was a beloved Concord teacher selected to become the first teacher in space aboard the Space Shuttle, who tragically lost her life in the Challenger disaster and is honored as an inspiration to educators and students. Alan Shepard, a New Hampshire native, was the first American to travel into space and later walked on the Moon. Honoring these two hometown heroes gives the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center its inspiring identity in Concord, New Hampshire.

You can explore hands-on exhibits on space, astronomy, aviation, and Earth science, watch immersive shows in the planetarium, learn about New Hampshire's spaceflight heroes Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard, and, at times, join special programs and observing events. The interactive exhibits, the planetarium shows, and the inspiring space and astronomy themes are the highlights, engaging children and adults alike. It is both fun and educational, sparking curiosity about the cosmos. With its exhibits and planetarium, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center offers an engaging experience in Concord, New Hampshire.

As an indoor science center and planetarium, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is enjoyable year-round in any weather, making it a great stop on a rainy or cold day. It can be busier on weekends, holidays, and school breaks. Because planetarium shows run on a schedule and hours can vary, checking the current schedule and showtimes before you go is wise. Because it is indoors, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center makes a rewarding family stop any time of year in Concord, New Hampshire.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is in Concord, New Hampshire, within reach of downtown Concord and the State House, Canterbury Shaker Village, Bear Brook State Park, and Manchester with the Currier Museum of Art, the Amoskeag Millyard, and the SEE Science Center. That makes the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center a fun stop to combine with Canterbury Shaker Village, the Manchester attractions, and the other sights of central New Hampshire on a visit to the state.