If you’re planning a family trip through Northern Arizona, there’s a brand-new reason to add Meteor Crater to your list: The Blast Zone, a fun, hands-on indoor exhibit for kids. This moonbase-themed adventure blends imagination with science, giving kids the chance to play, explore, and learn all in one exciting space-themed experience.
Located inside the Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum and included with general admission, The Blast Zone is a perfect addition for families looking to keep kids engaged while exploring one of the most fascinating geological sites on Earth. It’s ideal for children ages 4–12, though siblings (and curious parents!) of all ages will enjoy joining in on the fun.
What Is The Blast Zone?
The Blast Zone is a fully indoor, climate-controlled exhibit designed to spark curiosity and get kids moving. With a Moon-inspired setting and a variety of interactive activity zones, it invites young explorers to bounce like astronauts, take on asteroid defense missions, build lunar inventions, and even test their piloting skills in a lunar lander simulator.
Whether your child loves science, space, or just burning off energy in a creative way, The Blast Zone makes learning feel like an adventure. It introduces real STEM concepts through play, so it’s fun and educational.
Why Kids (and Parents) Will Love It
One of the biggest highlights of The Blast Zone is the Gravity Floor, a padded, springy space that lets kids walk, bounce, and leap as if they were on the Moon. It’s fun, safe, and a great way for younger visitors to get active while learning how gravity works on different planets.
The exhibit also features a motion-controlled asteroid defense simulation, where kids work together to protect Earth from incoming space rocks. It’s like a video game with a science twist, teaching them about different types of asteroids and how scientists might one day stop a real one from reaching our planet.
For hands-on learners, the Space Works building lab lets kids design, build, and create with open-ended materials. Whether they’re constructing lunar rovers or inventing entirely new space tools, this is the perfect zone for budding engineers and problem-solvers.
Another favorite is the Lunar Lander Simulator, where kids can try to guide a spacecraft safely to the Moon’s surface using realistic physics. Multiple difficulty levels make it accessible for a range of ages, and it’s a great way for kids to get a feel for how astronauts operate real spacecraft.
And of course, before heading back to Earth, you’ll want to stop by the Lunar Lookout. This fun photo station lets kids pose inside an astronaut helmet against a space-themed backdrop. It’s the perfect spot to snap a fun photo for your vacation album—or your social feed.
A New Reason to Visit (or Revisit) Meteor Crater
Even before The Blast Zone, Meteor Crater was one of Arizona’s top tourist attractions for kids. As the best-preserved meteorite impact site on Earth, it already draws visitors from around the world to its massive viewing platforms, educational exhibits, and interactive galleries.
With the addition of The Blast Zone, it’s now even more family-friendly. Kids will stay entertained, learn something new, and have space to move and explore, while still enjoying the crater’s main attractions like the COLLISION! 4D Theater, real meteorite displays and exhibits in our Discovery Center, and outdoor observation decks.
If you’ve been before, this new exhibit is a great reason to come back!
Plan Your Visit
The Blast Zone is open during regular museum hours and is included with all general admission tickets. It’s best suited for kids ages 4 to 12, but it’s open to all ages. Whether you’re driving through Route 66, staying in Flagstaff, or taking your family to the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater is an easy and worthwhile stop for the whole family.
For current hours, pricing, and directions, visit meteorcrater.com.
Purchase your Meteor Crater Tickets
Buy in advance, tickets never expire!
