Explore Astronomy, Aviation, and Earth and Space Science

Dedicated to NH space pioneers Christa McAuliffe and Alan Shepard, the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a 45,000-square-foot air and space museum in the heart of Northern New England, with indoor and outdoor exhibits, an observatory, a vibrant program series, a vintage 1956 Crusader jet, one of only three planetariums in all of North America with a 10K projection system and an outdoor Science Playground!

A plain white blank background with no objects or features.
A white, blank sheet of paper
Empty white space with no visible objects or features.
Line drawing of a group of people with a Wi-Fi signal and a radar symbol above them, representing network or communication technology.
A young woman with long curly hair wearing an orange puffer jacket, standing on a city street with tall buildings.
An indoor museum with a military aircraft on display in the foreground, a staircase with visitors ascending, and a live music performance on a stage at the back, with audience seating and informational displays.

Plan Your Visit

Learn what you need to know before you visit The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and get answers to frequently asked questions, including the days and hours we are open, parking accommodations, the cost of admission, planetarium shows, and more.

Nighttime view of an observatory with a large telescopic dome and a triangular glass structure, surrounded by trees and a clear dark sky.

Programs

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Offers Various Programs Related to Astronomy, Aviation, Earth, and Space Science. These include STEM Summer Camps, school visits, outreach programs where we come to you, and more. 

Picture of Middle Schoolers Hamming It Up for the Camera

Support

Your support helps us provide exciting STEM experiences, inspire young minds, and maintain our programs, such as interactive exhibits, planetarium shows, and summer camps. Learn how you can support our mission.

Current and Upcoming Programming

Planetarium Events

Featured
The Sun, Our Living Star
Planetarium
The Sun, Our Living Star
Planetarium

Discover the secrets of our star in this planetarium show and experience never-before-seen images of the Sun’s violent surface in immersive full-dome format.

Read More →
Planetarium
Tonight’s Sky
Planetarium
Tonight’s Sky
Planetarium

This ever-changing educator-led Planetarium shows you how to observe the sky from your backyard and allows you to travel thousands of light-years from Earth.

Read More →
Planetarium
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Under The Dome
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Under The Dome

This page excerpt should be a 156-character (158 Maximum) description of the show and write it to motivate readers to click on the link and go to your page.

Read More →
Under The Dome
The Beyoncé Experience
Under The Dome
The Beyoncé Experience
Under The Dome

The Beyoncé musical experience takes audiences on an imaginative sensory journey with a pulsating soundtrack of a music icon at NH's unique entertainment dome.

Read More →
Under The Dome