Plan Your Visit
What To Know Before Your Visit
General Admission
$12.00 for adults
$11.00 for students & seniors
$9.00 for children ages 3-12
FREE for members and children ages 0-2
Hours
10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Days We Are Open
Summer
Open Daily
June 16th - August 31st, 2025
Fall, Winter, & Spring
Open Daily Wednesdays - Sundays
Closed from September 17th through 19th, 2025
NH & MA School Vacation Weeks
Open Daily
December 26th - December 31st, 2025
February 11th - March 1st, 2026
April 15th - May 3rd, 2026
Holidays We’re Open
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Presidents Day
Juneteenth
Indigenous Peoples’ (Columbus) Day
Veterans Day
Closed on all other federally recognized holidays, Easter & Christmas Eve.
Leaving and Returning
Visitors may come and go throughout the day until we close at 4 pm.
If you leave, be prepared to present your entrance sticker to the front desk upon returning.
The Planetarium
Planetarium Seating
Plan to arrive at the Discovery Center at least 15 minutes before the start of your planetarium show.
We stop selling tickets and begin seating 10 minutes prior to each planetarium show.
Planetarium Shows
$7 per person in addition to general admission tickets
FREE for members and children under age 3
Planetarium Showtimes
Daily When Open
11 AM, 12 PM, 1PM, 2PM, & 3PM
Important Information
To enter the Discovery Center, you must buy general admission tickets to access the exhibit galleries and Science Playground.
Tickets for the Planetarium shows are separate and must be bought along with general admission tickets.
You can buy tickets at the front desk during open hours or online. You can return to this page to add tickets to your cart for a single purchase.
Before your visit, please review our FAQs below.
By purchasing a ticket, you are agreeing to follow these protocols.
General admission and planetarium show tickets are available through September 14th, 2025, but not currently beyond that date.
Directions To The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
From North or South:
I-93 to exit 15 E (I-393) in Concord, NH. Take exit 1 and follow the signs to the Discovery Center parking lot.
From East:
Rt 4 W to I-393 W. Take exit 1 and follow the signs to the Discovery Center parking lot. Look for the 92' tall Mercury-Redstone Rocket at the entry!
Address:
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
2 Institute Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-7827
The Discovery Center parking lot is available and free for visitors!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Tickets can be purchased right at the front desk, over the phone, or online. If you are redeeming a Library Pass or using a reciprocal membership, reservation aren’t required however if you’d like to reserve your tickets in advance, please call 603-271-7827 for assistance.
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Planetarium tickets are an add-on purchase to general admission. To see a planetarium show, you need to purchase both general admission and planetarium show tickets.
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Gift Certificates
Do you have a friend, colleague or family member who is interested in space, aviation, weather, or science in general?
A Discovery Center gift certificate makes a great gift for any occasion!
Gift Certificates may be applied toward general admission, planetarium shows, the Science Store or purchase of a Membership. They are non-refundable and cannot be used for online purchases at www.starhop.com.
Cafe & Gift Shop
Hours & Admission
The Cafe is currently closed, but our Science Store is stocked up with everything you need to take space and science home with you! It is open from 10:30 to 4 pm on days the Discovery Center is open to the public.