The NASA Journey to Mars interactive installation was designed to introduce participants to NASA missions and discoveries that have expanded our understanding of the solar system, from current robotic exploration to research for human travel to the red planet.

Participants began by viewing a short film of a behind-the-scenes tour of the Marshall Space Flight Center hosted by NASA staff. Stations featured game shows, obstacle courses, augmented reality simulations, and images sent from the Mars Curiosity Rover. NASA staff were on-site to facilitate these activities and answer questions and special guest Buzz Aldrin of the 1969 Apollo 11 flight greeted visitors.

The exhibit concluded with a design challenge where students created their vision for the future on Mars, and a venue-wide trivia scavenger hunt highlighting key NASA facts and figures.

The Journey to Mars interactive installation demonstrated how NASA is seeking to answer some of humanity’s fundamental questions about the solar system – and encouraged participants to imagine what we might find in these new frontiers of space exploration.