Sands Space History Center — Attraction in Cape Canaveral

Small free museum of early spaceflight artifacts. Staffed by knowledgeable volunteers, this small museum is well worth a visit if you're interested in the early (before Apollo) days of spaceflight and rocketry. It's not nearly as large as the better known NASA Visitor Center, but if you're in the area, a couple of hours spent here will add to the experience. When my wife and I went, there were only a few visitors and the volunteer manning the door walked us around the room and gave background on some of the exhibits.

Covering Air Force rocketry development from the end of WWII to the current day, they have models, artifacts and images, organised by launch facility on the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. For each launch facility, there's a brief description of how it was (or is) being used, and the missions that flew from it.

Since the Center is supported entirely by donations, remember to make a purchase at the well stocked gift shop or drop something in the box at the door. Located behind the Space-X Launch and Landing Control building, just outside...

Five stars if you're interested in space exploration, otherwise it would be lower. This is part of the Space Force Missile Museum location at Cape Canaveral that consists of this location, Sands Space History Center, Hanger C and LC 25-5/6. Sands is the only location that is open to the public and is free to visit. Sands contains a gift shop, and exhibits around the perimeter of the room for each of the Launch Complexes that are located at the Cape. There are also some mission control artifacts and other located here along with very helpful docents. Note that Maps does not always resolve with a path to this location since it is technically located on the Space Force base. If you are looking to get here, follow directions to Terminal 5 at Port Canaveral, then continue heading east instead of turning into the terminal. At the last light before the actual gates to the Space Force base, make a right and the drive towards the SpaceX building. The Sands Space History Center is located behind the...

If you really are into space you cannot miss this place. Very informative, very engaged volunteers running this center will accompany you through most of the US space history which took place at the Air Force base and not at the Kennedy Space center. Don't forget that most rockets are still launched from the base. Last but not least the little shop is a real gem with a selection of very interesting books, DVDs, memorabilia and more.

And if you wait some time you can even meet a SpaceX engineer with his Tesla at the car park ;-)

At the center we were also informed that there is a museum within the Air Force base and that twice a week they offer a tour of the launch facilities, but you need to apply at least two days in advance to get your clearance in order to get access to the military area. We regret we visited this place on the very last day...