500 Apollo Drive
Wapakoneta, OH 45895
Museum Hours:
WED-SUN 10 am to 5 pm
The museum shares the story of Neil Armstrong and all Ohioans who have attempted to defy gravity and Ohio manufacturers who contributed to the space program. Explore aerospace history from the early space programs and the Space Race to current space exploration.
Available Dawn to Dusk. The museum itself is designed to resemble a futuristic moon base. It is most beautiful when viewed at dusk.
The F5D Skylancer takes off from its runway and welcomes visitors to the museum grounds. Neil Armstrong used this Skylancer to develop the abort-launch procedure that would safely return the spaceplane X-20 DynaSoar back to the runway in case of an emergency during NASA’s Dynamic Soarer Program. After 2018, the Skylancer returned restored to the early 1960s when Neil flew the aircraft.
During the early space programs, Astronauts would live and work in the small spaces of the capsules during their missions. Be sure to take a look at our life-size Gemini and Apollo mockups. Guests are welcome to sit in the Gemini capsule mockup.
The museum features many one-of-a-kind artifacts including the Gemini VIII spacecraft, Neil Armstrong’s Gemini and Apollo spacesuits, and an Apollo 11 moon rock. Fifteen-year-old Neil Armstrong learned to fly at Port Koneta, a long-gone Wapakoneta airfield, in the Aeronca Champion on display in our Early Space Gallery.
This is no static museum; it is filled with motion and sound. There are seven interactive exhibits, ten audio/visual elements, and two simulators. Adults and kids can practice landing the lunar module or bringing the space shuttle in for a touchdown!
The 56-foot dome in the center of the museum houses the Astro Theater.
There is no additional charge for the simulators.
On March 16, 1966, Command Pilot Neil A. Armstrong and Pilot David R. Scott successfully docked their Gemini spacecraft with the Agena Target Vehicle, the first-ever linking of two spacecraft in Earth orbit. The mission was one of NASA's first true inflight emergencies, when a thruster malfunctioned, sending the spacecraft into a perilous spin. Through Armstrong's quick thinking and calm rationale, the crew regained control using their reentry thrusters. Today, the museum is honored to have the actual Gemini VIII spacecraft on display in the Early Space Gallery.
While on their historic Apollo 11 mission in July of 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin collected lunar samples to bring back to Earth to be tested, including the one our museum has on display. This particular specimen, known as 10017.37, is off of the largest sample collected during the mission. This sizable chunk of vesicular basalt serves as a tangible reminder of humanity's most daring and heroic journey beyond Earth and our unyielding hunger for exploration and knowledge.
The Apollo A7L spacesuit is one of the most recognizable garments from history. It served as a crucial component for NASA's lunar landing missions. Crafted with precision and ingenuity, the tailored garments were designed to endure the toughest possible conditions. Our A7L suit on display is just one of several suits designed specifically for Neil Armstrong during the Apollo Program.
The Infinity Room has been an exhibit at the museum since opening in 1972. This stellar room has been described as one of the neatest spots in the museum. The room feels like you can touch the stars as you walk through the twinkling passageway. The spot has even been a wedding proposal location for some couples!
The museum is also home to Neil Armstrong's Gemini G4C spacesuit, worn during the historic Gemini VIII mission. This 34 pound garment was a vital piece of equipment during Armstrong's first space mission. It is equipped with an array of life suport systems and is still an iconic piece for America's early space programs.
Situated outside on the museum's north lawn are full-scale mock-ups of the Gemini and Apollo space capsules. Guests even have the opportunity to sit in the Gemini mockup and feel what it was like to be an early astronaut. Truly an out of this world experience for any space lover.
Neil Armstrong flew this Learjet 28-001 in February of 1979 to set five aviation world records. This particular aircraft is also a trend-setter, it is the first commercial jet to utilize winglets in its design, an industry standard. Only a handful of these amazing jets are left today and because of FAA noise regulations, many can no longer fly above the continental United States.
One of only two left in existence, this F5D Skylancer was flown by Neil Armstrong to help create the abort launch maneveur for NASA's experimental spaceplane program, Dyna-Soar. The craft is one of four on site flown by Armstrong.