New Space-Themed Exhibit Lands at LICM

The Long Island Children’s Museum in Garden City is always a fun-filled experience for the whole family. Winter is a great time to visit, especially with the opening of the LICM’s brand-new, space-themed exhibit. The new, hands-on “Moon to Mars” exhibit is an exciting STEAM-based adventure, perfect for space-obsessed kiddos. 

My kids were starry-eyed from the start, dazzled to design rockets, don spacesuits, and learn all about space exploration. Read on for all the details to plan your next visit to the Long Island Children’s Museum. For even more activities, check out our guide to Long Island’s best family-friendly museums and our Winter Fun Guide. 

The “Moon to Mars” Exhibit at LICM

Three, two, one…blast off! The “Moon to Mars” space exploration exhibit has rocketed into the Long Island Children’s Museum. The temporary, traveling exhibit is designed by the Omaha Children’s Museum, with support from NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems at Johnson Space Center. The impressive experience for kids is divided into six immersive areas and sits on the first floor. It is free with general admission to the museum and will be in residence through May 4, 2025. 

The out-of-this-world interactive fun transports kids to outer space as soon as they arrive. Young explorers can get active and hop on a lunar rover while learning about the future Artemis Mission. Little ones can dress up like astronauts, wearing helmets and all, while they bounce and balance in what feels like a reduced-gravity atmosphere. These lunar leaps, as the exhibit calls them, were a big hit with my kids. 

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Design and build rockets, then launch them across the room at “Moon to Mars.”

One of the most popular parts of the exhibit is a build-your-own rocket station. This station fosters creativity but also teaches kids the mechanics of how to create a paper rocket that will fly. After meticulously cutting, designing, and coloring their rockets, my kids excitedly headed to the launch pad to propel them into space. Kids have to put some muscle into pumping their rockets airborne. My four-year-old son loved this activity and could have watched his rocket launch a million times! Younger kids will need some help from the adults. 

There are opportunities for kids to work together in different parts of the exhibit. My son had a great time unloading plastic balls (or moon rocks) into pipes and pulling ball-filled buckets up and down with some new friends. The moon base builder is another imaginative play area with giant blocks. Kids act as engineers to construct a new space station structure. 

The exhibit also offers several STEAM activities. The Space Academy kiosk lets kids listen to and learn facts about life in space, and it’s especially appealing to older kids. They can also take control of the Orion Spacecraft, which has images of space and a shuttle launch displayed on screens inside, making you feel like you’re in orbit. 

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Discover how reduced gravity affects your walk in the Lunar Leaps section of the LICM exhibit.

Photo opportunities for your little ones are abundant, so be ready to snap those smiling faces. Check the calendar for various space-themed programs at the museum throughout the exhibit’s run. My kids left the museum inspired and excited to learn more about space exploration past, present, and future. We hope to visit again soon for another fun deep-space journey. 

What To Know Before You Go to Long Island Children’s Museum

• Parking is FREE and right next to the museum. 
• Hours are Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. Closed on Mondays. 
• Admission is $18 per person. Access to the new exhibit is included with general admission. Babies under one are FREE. 
• There is a cafeteria space with vending machines on the museum’s first floor. Outside food is permitted in the cafeteria. You can pack a snack or quick lunch for the kids. 
• Bathrooms have changing stations, and there is a designated nursing room.
• The museum is handicap-accessible and stroller-friendly.  

Photos by the author.