In a galaxy not that far away you can be an astronaut for a day. The Euro Space Center in the Belgian Ardennes is the only theme park in Europe that focuses on space. Ready to launch? Here comes a day of otherworldly fun!
Located in Transinne, at the heart of the province of Luxembourg and the Ardennes, the Euro Space Center makes for a perfect day trip when the weather does not cooperate. There’s plenty to explore for both young and old. Most visitors are families with kids, but we had an amazing day as an adult couple too. The well-balanced mix of education and entertainment of the Center is interesting and fun for people of all ages. An adult ticket costs 29 euros, while children taller than 1.10 metres pay 25 euros. Smaller children can enter for free.
The Euro Space Center consists of several attractions around different space themes: there’s a focus on gravity, the exploration of Mars … At first sight, I thought there weren’t that much things to do in the center, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Many of the attractions will keep you busy for quite some time and you can easily fill a day by exploring them all. Here comes an overview of everything you can do at the Euro Space Center.
Space Hub
When entering the Euro Space Center, you’ll immediately catch a glimpse of the Space Hub. Here you can find out whether you have what it takes to become an astronaut. Each of the tests you find here check one skill you need to conquer space: memory, perception, logic, personality, vision, agility, rapidity, precision, stability. At the end of each test you’ll see if you passed or not.
The attractions in the Space Hub aren’t the most spectacular ones at the Euro Space Center, yet they entertained us for over an hour and we really liked the various tests. As this is the first hall you come across when entering the Center, a lot of people start their space journey here. I would recommend to go somewhere else first, so you can avoid the crowds for a while.
Space Tour
This tour is one of the more informative parts of the Euro Space Center. Every 25 minutes an audio guide will take you through the discovery of space in an interactive way. At the start of the tour you can test your knowledge of space by taking short quizzes and playing small games. Further on, you’ll learn more about our solar system and the history of space explorations and in several rooms. The audio guide offers a different explanation for adults and children.
Space show 5D
This six-minute film will trigger all your senses. You’ll follow three flies who accompany some astronauts on their journey through space. Be prepared for a bumpy ride as the chair you’re in moves along with the space ship … But I won’t include any further spoilers!
Space Rotor
This rotating attraction will make you feel the G-forces you’ll inevitably experience when travelling to space. The rotor can go up to 3G, but during our ride a kid was scared, so the operator only took it up to 2G. The child was all giggles and took another spin, with the machine now at full force. We unfortunately had to abort the mission, as we were already nauseous from this one ride on the rotor. I guess we won’t be astronauts anytime soon. If you have a weak stomach, you might want to pass the space rotor.
Planetarium
Take place in the round-shaped Planetarium, that will take you on 25-minute tour through our solar system. The seats aren’t the most comfortable, but the imagery displayed in the dome above you makes up for that easily. Together with the Space Tour it is one of the more informative parts of the Euro Space Center, but it is beautifully done!
Free Fall Slide
The Free Fall Slide wants visitors to experience the concept weightlessness. When you go on this attraction you’ll have to wear a helmet and a special suit for protection. Then, you’ll hang on iron handles that pull you up eight metres in the air (or you could stop at a lower height if you want to). At the highest point, you let go to have a free fall down the slide. It was a bit scary, because the slide seems way higher when you’re dangling in the air instead of watching from the ground … but it was mostly lots of fun!
Moonwalk XP & Marswalk XP
These two attractions go hand in hand and are one of the highlights of the Euro Space Center. Sitting in a special chair, accompanied by a staff member, you’ll be able to experience what it feels like to walk on the moon and Mars. To immerse yourself even more, you’ll get to wear VR-goggles that display the scenery of your galactic location.
When walking on the moon you’ll be able to jump quite high and feel very lightweight. Stepping on Mars is a different experience. It has way less gravity than earth … but definitely more than the moon. As such, it feels more as if you’re walking around while having no complete control of your legs, because there’s still less gravity than we’re used to. These walks are funny to look at too!
Space Flight Unit
Drive your own space ship along the rocky surfaces of Mars. In order to do so, you need to climb on a motorlike vehicle (don’t worry, it stays where it is). You lay down on it and put your hands in handles to steer. Once again you’ll wear a VR-headset to feel as if you really are flying over another planet.
Mars Village
In the Mars Village you’ll discover more about the red planet through interactive games, a movie … The highlight of this part of the Euro Space Center is driving your own Mars rover. You need to reach the right QR-code in order to complete your mission. Not as easy as you think!
Ready to venture into space? Plan your visit!
Looking for more day trips in the Belgian Ardennes? History buffs should check out the Bastogne War Museum, while animal fans will enjoy the wildlife park at the Domain of the Caves of Han.
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