Mars Day! 2017
July 21, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Mars Day! is an annual National Air and Space Museum event that celebrates the Red Planet with a variety of educational and fun family activities. Visitors can also talk to scientists active in Mars research and learn about current and future missions.
2017 Schedule
In Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall
- A Piece of Mars, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
See a real meteorite that came from Mars, with scientists from the National Museum of Natural History. - Water on Mars, 10:00 to 11:00 am
Learn about the history of water on Mars with planetary scientist Ross Irwin. - Viking,10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Learn about the Viking mission to Mars with planetary scientists Ross Irwin and Bob Craddock. - Mars Science Laboratory, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Learn about Curiosity, the latest rover to operate on Mars, with MSL science team member John Grant. - NASA Mars Missions, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Talk to Jim Green, the director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, about NASA's missions of exploration. - Robot Explorers, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Test your skills in this hands-on activity with small robots as you maneuver a robotic rover or collect samples with a robotic arm. - Mars Radar, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Learn how to see beneath the surface of Mars with planetary scientist Jennifer Whitten. - MARSIS, 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Talk to planetary scientist Tom Watters about radar mapping of Mars on the European Mars Express mission. - Gale Crater, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Talk to geologist Jon Cawley about the rocks and minerals found at Curiosity’s landing site. - HiRISE, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
See high resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter with planetary scientist Sharon Wilson Purdy. - Currently Active Mars, 1:00 to 3:00 pm
See images of recent Martian avalanches, dust devils, sand dunes, and impacts, and learn how the surface of Mars is still changing today, with planetary scientist Maria Banks.
In Exploring the Planets
- Rover Driver, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Meet Mike Seibert, Lead Flight Director and Rover Driver for the Opportunity mission. - Mars Story Time, 11:00 am
Join educator Ann Caspari for story time. - TechQuest Game, 12:00 to 3:00 pm
Join educator Doug Baldwin as you become a Mars planetary geologist selecting rock samples to return to Earth.
In Space Race
- Images of Mars in 3D, 12:00 to 3:00 pm
View the surface of Mars in 3D with red/blue glasses.
In Looking at Earth
- Regional Planetary Image Facility, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Learn about the Museum’s Regional Planetary Image Facility, a NASA-funded archive of planetary imagery. - Red Planet Quiz Show, 1:30 pm
Test your Mars knowledge, with Martian of Ceremonies Billie Cullison.
At the West End
- Mars Rover, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
See the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Mars rover concept vehicle and explore possibilities for future human exploration of Mars. -
Bringing the Future of Space Exploration to Life: Mars Rover Concept, 11:30 am to 12:00 pm
NASA astronaut Jon McBride will talk about Kennedy Space Center's Mars Rover Concept.
Using NASA-engineered science and specs, this rover was created as a traveling exhibit to inspire and educate the next generation of space explorers. Catch it at the Museum from Friday, July 21 to Sunday, July 23 afternoon.
In the Albert Einstein Planetarium
- Fly to Mars Planetarium Show, 10:30 am
Learn about Mars exploration in this planetarium presentation with astronomy educator Becca Ljungren.
In the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater
- Journey to Space 3D, 10:25 am and 11:50 am
See an exciting IMAX film with thoughts on human exploration of Mars. Ticket prices apply.
