Spring break in Houston is going full launch mode as Space Center Houston rolls out its Moon 2 Mars Festival from March 11 through 14, turning the campus into a mashup of STEM fair, space museum and outdoor concert. By day, the schedule is packed with science and tech activations, museum access and tram tours to NASA Johnson Space Center, and by night the party shifts to live shows headlined by The Wallflowers and 311, plus screenings of a Tom Hanks–narrated immersive film. Visitors can sign up for tram rides, try hands-on stations like Mission: Sketch, and check out more than 400 space-flown artifacts, with ticket choices ranging from timed general admission to VIP packages that mix family-friendly programming with big-name music.
Dates, line-up and tickets
The Moon 2 Mars schedule runs Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday, March 14, with concerts set for Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. Concert doors open at 4 p.m., and artists are slated to take the stage around 7 p.m. According to Space Center Houston, visitors can choose from timed general admission tickets, Concert + General Admission bundles, Concert-Only tickets and a VIP lounge option, while members receive separate entry perks.
What to see and do
The festival is built as a day-to-night experience with daily STEM activations, hands-on space-tech demonstrations, festive food and live entertainment. Guests are invited to launch miniature spacecraft in Mission: Sketch and drive robots across a lunar-style course, per CultureMap Houston. CultureMap lists tickets at roughly $34.95 to $150 and notes that more than 400 space-flown artifacts will be open for exploration. Tram tours that visit Mission Control and other NASA Johnson Space Center locations are available, and the Historic Mission Control tram is a paid upgrade that often sells out.
"The Moonwalkers" in the Space Center Theater
Space Center Houston has revamped its theater to showcase "The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks," an immersive 50-minute program that pairs remastered Apollo-era footage with present-day perspectives from the Artemis program. "It gives you that sense as if you are on the lunar surface," Space Center Houston CEO William Harris told the Houston Chronicle. The show is scheduled to run multiple times daily as part of general admission during the festival.
Plan your visit
Timed-entry tickets are required for non-members, and the Space Center advises reserving tram tours early, since the event runs rain or shine and some offerings are popular. The festival includes a flashing-lights advisory for guests with photosensitivity, and ASL interpretation will be available for each concert. NASA Johnson Space Center employees may receive complimentary general admission by presenting a badge. For ticket details, accessibility information and the full schedule, see Space Center Houston events listings, and note that early-bird concert pricing is limited.
Whether you are corralling kids for a science-packed outing or coming primarily for the music, Moon 2 Mars aims to blend serious space education with festival energy. Across the weekend, visitors can meet astronauts, see rare artifacts and catch a stadium-sized band under the stars, all within Space Center Houston's grounds. The most in-demand tram tours and activities are likely to draw lines, so booking ahead is the best strategy to squeeze maximum value out of a spring break visit.
