If you are a space enthusiast, or have always been curious about how NASA operates, then plan a day trip to Hancock County’s newest attraction, the INFINITY Science Center. The state-of-the-art, 72,000-square-foot facility is a technological marvel located right outside NASA Stennis Space Center, and its numerous interaction educational exhibits and 3-D theatre draws crowds from around the country.

It’s a place where adults and children can explore the depths of the oceans, the tracks of hurricanes, the function of wetlands as seen in the Gulf of Mexico region, the surface of the Sun and Mars, the interactions between the land and the sea, and the farthest reaches of space. Visitors also can experience a real rocket engine test, see what life is like aboard the International Space Station, and discover how space travel has evolved over the past 50 years.

While at INFINITY, take advantage of a 30-minute behind-the-scenes bus tour through America’s largest rocket engine test facility — Stennis Space Center. This 20-mile ride takes visitors through the restricted zone of the 14,000-acre facility to showcase some of the history and groundbreaking scientific work happening at Stennis on a daily basis.

End the day by grabbing a late lunch to go from the INFINITY cafe, hop in the car, and travel a short distance outside the facility for a picnic in Possum Walk, which is a former settlement site now part of the “Byways to Space” program. After lunch, explore tree-lined trails secluded in NASA’s green space buffer zone. Rack cards are available to assist in your discovery of Possum Walk, a popular place for birders and an area full of history.

For more information:

INFINITY Science Center: www.visitinfinity.com
Hancock Chamber of Commerce: www.hancockchamber.org