Space explorers of all ages can now head to the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park to experience Moon Base San Diego, an activity and education center, museum officials announced Tuesday.
“Moon Base San Diego is a one-of-a-kind experience offering explorers of all ages the opportunity to learn what it takes to live, learn and perform experiments on the moon without ever leaving planet Earth,” museum President and CEO Jim Kidrick said.
“We re-imagined Moon Base San Diego to make it interactive, educational, and most importantly fun for adventurers seeking a truly unique and immersive experience right here in their own backyard.”
Moon Base San Diego “immerses families in life on the moon with living quarters and a lunar surface they can experience and explore,” museum officials said.
Children can visit a NASA lunar lander capsule, taking on the roles of pilot and astronaut. In the center of the room, children of all ages can sit and interact around tables teeming with interactive learning materials. Other areas of interest include a book nook, desk space and a moon habitat.
The exhibit was made possible by donations from the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation and Las Patronas.
Moon Base San Diego is included with general admission to the San Diego Air & Space Museum, which is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and also is home to the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
City News Service contributed to this article.