OK, off the top, this is a really fantastic, inter...

OK, off the top, this is a really fantastic, interesting, emotional, important, informational facility. The presentations are top-notch with engaged, friendly people. You definitely should visit, especially if you have kids, it's really fun. I particularly like the presentation for the Atlantis space shuttle.

I'm docking it a star because I don't know that it functions super well as a whole. Instead of one building, or even a main entrance from where you'd branch out, it's a collection of buildings, sort of a hodge-podge. I think my complaint really is what Disney would call "wayfinding" - I never really knew where I was going or what I was about to see. I stayed confused the majority of the day, I'd walk into things not realizing what they were at all.

I managed my way through the day mainly by following the times guide and just going to what was next. And that way, I'm pretty sure I saw everything from the back to the front. I was there from 8:30 am (for a launch) to 3 pm. Had the bus tours been running, and maybe a few other things that were shut down, I'm not sure I could have done it all in a day, especially at their current hours of 10-4. (I'm not sure if that's seasonal, covid-related, or normal.)

And speaking of the launch - I got there a little before 8:30, they let the short line in at 8:30, then the launch was scheduled for 9:13. Unfortunately, they aborted the launch at 18 seconds to go...so even if one is scheduled, it may not happen. Folks weren't super great about wearing their masks or keeping their distance, either. But on the whole, during the day, there were so few people that keeping distance was usually easy.

So here are a few things that felt weird to me: First of all, I had been security screened for the launch but went back to my car to put stuff away and had to get re-screened to get back in. This time, they objected to a hard plastic "my kitty" keychain I have and made me leave it in my car. It is a self-defense item (I guess I can poke someone's eyes with it) but I wouldn't call it a weapon and I was annoyed at having to go back to the car a second time to put it away and be screened three times that morning. Once inside, my first stop was a guided tour of the rocket garden, but the presenter was so hard to hear that I didn't get much from it. Later, I looked on the time guide and saw a "walking tour" of the Atlantis shuttle at a certain time. I went there at that time, saw the fantastic presentation, then when inside with the shuttle, there was an employee there talking about the shuttle and I assumed that was the tour, but eventually I (and several others) realized it was a VIP guided tour and we got kicked off. Walking into the Mars presentation, and the launch simulation, I literally had no idea what was going on until it happened. I guess this isn't too unusual but usually you get a map or there's a sign out front that sort of indicates what to expect. And maybe there used to be maps handed out - I found the app to be less than helpful. And the wifi in the park seemed to either keep disconnecting or it was on a time limit. I kept being asked to sign back in.