If you have a kid who has ever looked up at the night sky and started asking questions you absolutely cannot answer without Google, Whitaker Center has a pretty excellent Saturday planned.
On Saturday, October 10, Whitaker Center is hosting Space Day, a free day of hands-on STEM activities, space exploration and a visit from NASA astronaut Bob Hines.
And while Space Day itself is a one-day event, there is another reason to put Whitaker on your fall family list: Mission Aerospace is now open in the Science Center and sticks around through January 3.
Save the Date
Space Day at Whitaker Center
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 10 AM–2 PM
Whitaker Center | Harrisburg
FREE | Registration required for nonmembers
A Free Day of Space Exploration
Meet a NASA astronaut in Harrisburg
Space Day includes hands-on STEM activities, Mission Aerospace, StarLab experiences, special film screenings and a keynote and Q&A with astronaut Bob Hines.
Register for Space DayYes, an actual NASA astronaut will be there
NASA astronaut Bob Hines will take the stage from 12:30–1:15 PM for a keynote presentation and audience Q&A.
That alone makes this one worth circling on the calendar. There is something very different about kids learning about space from a screen and sitting in the same room with someone who has actually left Earth.
NASA astronaut Bob Hines at Whitaker Center. Photo provided by Whitaker Center.
Hines is not the only reason this feels bigger than a typical museum Saturday, though. Space Day essentially turns Whitaker Center into one big space-themed playground for the day.
Space Day is built for kids to actually DO things
The day includes hands-on STEM activities throughout the center, along with opportunities to explore Mission Aerospace, experience StarLab and catch screenings of Space: The New Frontier.
In other words, this is not a "please admire this interesting display from three feet away" kind of science day.
Kids get to experiment, build, test and launch.
Students build paper rockets inside Mission Aerospace. Photo by Michael Yatsko Photography.
Mission Aerospace gives you a reason to come back
If October 10 does not work for your family, this part is important: Mission Aerospace is not just a Space Day activity.
The interactive exhibit opened September 26 and is scheduled to remain at Whitaker Center through January 3, 2027.
Mission Aerospace lets kids explore the science behind flight and space travel through interactive challenges. They can experiment with the forces that make flight possible, design and test paper airplanes and rockets, and work their way through hands-on stations built around aerospace problem-solving.
Hands-on aerospace challenges inside Mission Aerospace. Photo by Michael Yatsko Photography.
The parent-friendly part
Mission Aerospace has some shelf life. You do not have to cram the entire experience into Space Day just because everyone else in Harrisburg also had the excellent idea to attend the free astronaut event. The exhibit remains open into January, so it can become a second visit instead of a frantic race through the Science Center.
What families need to know before Space Day
Space Day Cheat Sheet
When: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 10 AM–2 PM
Cost: FREE
Registration: Nonmembers should register in advance. Whitaker Center members do not need to RSVP and can show their membership card.
Bob Hines keynote & Q&A: 12:30–1:15 PM
Also happening: Mission Aerospace, hands-on STEM activities, StarLab experiences and screenings of Space: The New Frontier.
Macaroni KID Parent Note: Free + astronaut + Saturday is a combination I would not personally file under "we'll figure it out when we get there." If Space Day is going on your calendar, I would register rather than counting on Future You to remember.
The Macaroni KID Takeaway
Space Day gets them in the door. Mission Aerospace gives you a reason to return.
A free Saturday event with a NASA astronaut is already a pretty compelling family outing.
Pair it with an exhibit where kids can build, launch, experiment and discover some of the science that gets people like Bob Hines off the ground in the first place, and Whitaker has managed to make "learning about aerospace" feel considerably less like homework.
Saturday, October 10
Plan Your Space Day Visit
Space Day runs from 10 AM–2 PM at Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. Admission to the event is free, with advance registration required for nonmembers.
Register for Space Day Explore Mission AerospaceEditorial note: This is independent Macaroni KID editorial coverage and is not sponsored or hosted. Macaroni KID received no payment, complimentary admission, products or other compensation for this article. Event information and press images were provided by Whitaker Center.
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