LarryDallas Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 This was before Disney came in and built the Space Center Houston. You used to drive up to the security booth at NASA, tell them you were going to the visitor center, and just go. You would also drive your car to the Rocket Park that the tram takes you to these days. Sure they did not have the tram tours that took you to the training and R&D areas of NASA but I liked the old museum so much more. The Space Center Houston really seems like a playground for kids. The old museum had things like actual presidential pens that signed key doccuments in the space program, trophies, more actual equipment that was once used by NASA, etc.... I always felt like the old building and display was the I Dream of Genie NASA in her glory days of the 1960s. Best of all it was 100% free. Anyone have old photos of that place? The mural near the theater was such a pure NASA/Houston thing....it is burned in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 The mural near the theater was such a pure NASA/Houston thing....it is burned in my mind.the mural is/was still there. i add was because the building is undergoing some refurbishing and not sure whether that will remain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 (edited) Anyone have old photos of that place? Photo of Bldg 2: The mural is by Bob McCall. It was dedicated in 1979, and is called "Opening the Space Frontier - The Next Giant Step". It's 71 feet long, and 16 feet high. You can see more of it here: Another Bldg 2 photo: The auditorium: Edited April 16, 2007 by tmariar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texianjoe Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 (edited) I miss the old museum. It had the capsules and a Lunar Landing Module on the sidewalk up front. I have not been to the new one or care to go. The pictures and films I have seen seem like it is a kids museum. I saw a documentary about the restoration of the Saturn V at rocket park. It was in really bad shape. Thats a shame it holds a lot of history.joe Edited April 16, 2007 by texianjoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 (edited) I vaguely recall a field trip we took there around 1977. Just remember plenty of walking and me tripping on these very steep stairs as we walked down to another display. I saw several Major Healy & Dr Bellows look-alikes and even Barbara Eden's evil twin was it Serena? Now I can't get the Dream of Jeannie theme song out of my head! Edited April 16, 2007 by Vertigo58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I went on school field trips as well.I still have not visited the new Space Center Houston. But I am sure it is much more entertaining than the original. Did a lot of the old displays transfer over well to the new center? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I saw several Major Healy & Dr Bellows look-alikes and even Barbara Eden's evil twin was it Serena? Now I can't get the Dream of Jeannie theme song out of my head! serena was samantha's evil twin on bewitched. i think on this show it was also jeannie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 serena was samantha's evil twin on bewitched. i think on this show it was also jeannie. GOOD and bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumapayam Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 Did they really have an "I Dream of Jeanie" display at the old visitor center, or is this a joke? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 they really have an "I Dream of Jeanie" display at the old visitor center, or is this a joke? Puma. You make me laugh! If there were a display of "Jeannie" the visitor attendance would soar! I'd be the 1st in line! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunchbox Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 I went on school field trips as well.I still have not visited the new Space Center Houston. But I am sure it is much more entertaining than the original. Did a lot of the old displays transfer over well to the new center?I remember that it was like that well into the early 1990's. Those were the "good ole days".I went back in 1995 when Space Center Houston had just opened & wasn't impressed. To me it was geared way too much towards kids. A coworker of mine took his son last week and said that an adult ticket is almost $30! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBez Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 OMG . . . the original one was AWESOME ! I liked to try on the helmets that they had. I remember begging my parents for junk (they did not love me so I got NOTHING; but it is okay I am completely over it ) My most clear memory of the place is walking over to see the rockets outside and my mom complaining that is was too dang hot and getting a really bad sunburn. Plus it was FREE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 A coworker of mine took his son last week and said that an adult ticket is almost $30!if anyone needs them i can get some discount ones as long as there's not a huge rush. maybe 14.95? i would have to check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryDallas Posted April 19, 2007 Author Share Posted April 19, 2007 HAHAHA...funny stuff with the Dr. Bellows reference and the Jennie pic.Do you guys remember that room they had toward the end of the museum with all of the planets in the solar system done to a scale? The walls in the room were painted black and each planet was lined up right by the sun which was like 10,000 times the size of earth.When I was under 12 or so it used to freak me out and I always thought the sun was just going burn the earth to vapor with me on it. Well, actually that is kind of true. The earth does turn slower as each day passes and one day millions of years from now it will cease turning completely. The sunny side will be a wasteland inferno while the shaded side will be a frozen wasterland. Then I think the sun is supposed to die and as it does this it will expand and eventually incinerate the earth in its path before it explodes.Something like that is what I recall from a geology class I took years ago.Anyway, great thread and yeah that is the mural I was talking about!Man I LOVED that old place.....it was classic NASA as represnted in shows like Jennie as well as news media in the 60s. The modern Space Center Houston is garbage compared to it. The entire main hall is nothing but a playground for kids while the back is just an overpriced resturant. The theme of the place has gone from one of technology, science, and discovery to just marketing to make a buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Timmy Chan's Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Man I LOVED that old place.....it was classic NASA as represnted in shows like Jennie as well as news media in the 60s. The modern Space Center Houston is garbage compared to it. The entire main hall is nothing but a playground for kids while the back is just an overpriced resturant. The theme of the place has gone from one of technology, science, and discovery to just marketing to make a buck.I haven't been to "Space Center Houston" as they call it now (or Johnson Space Center, or just plain "NASA", as we knew it) for at least 20 years. But from what I've heard and the pictures I've seen, you hit it on the head.It's not about technology, science, and discovery...it's just a cartoon world. There's a place for playgrounds in childrens' lives, but there should also be a place for education.I'm sure all the trips we took to NASA as a child helped push me into the technical field that I'm in today. I don't think I would have been similarly inspired if it was just another McDonald's playground when I was a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 I haven't been to "Space Center Houston" as they call it now (or Johnson Space Center, or just plain "NASA", as we knew it) for at least 20 years. But from what I've heard and the pictures I've seen, you hit it on the head.It's not about technology, science, and discovery...it's just a cartoon world. There's a place for playgrounds in childrens' lives, but there should also be a place for education.I'm sure all the trips we took to NASA as a child helped push me into the technical field that I'm in today. I don't think I would have been similarly inspired if it was just another McDonald's playground when I was a kid.they still do have tours on trams that take you onsite. I believe they also have buses that take you to the weightless training facility on space center blvd. but i would have to agree the main bldg of space center houston is too carnival like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 The entire main hall is nothing but a playground for kids while the back is just an overpriced resturant. The theme of the place has gone from one of technology, science, and discovery to just marketing to make a buck. Correct you are $ is where its at nowadays! Maybe you will see this whole gang when you go next time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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