Spaceport

Like many science museums, Spaceport is really geared towards children and not only are the exhibits dumbed down it can also feel a lot like visiting a children’s play centre.

What to see at Spaceport

The Spaceport attraction is split into three sections: the planetarium, the space-themed science exhibits and the Sci-Fi Icons exhibition upstairs.

The ground-floor planetarium shows a 25-minute astronaut show. Also on the ground floor are exhibits about the solar system, the Milky Way and space travel. There is also the interactive Explorer 1 Space Ride that many visitors say is a lot of fun.

While there are some serious science exhibits, the attraction seems geared more towards entertaining children rather than educating them. For instance, the Sci-Fi Icons exhibit up on the first floor shows characters from the Star Wars films so the exhibits are hardly based on solid scientific evidence.

If you’re a Star Wars fan visiting with your kids, then you’ll probably love a visit to Spaceport but most other people would be best advised to give it a miss. There are so many better things to see in Liverpool and there are better science museums elsewhere in England.

Visiting Spaceport

Spaceport is next to the Seacombe ferry terminal in Wallasey across the Mersey from central Liverpool.

Entry to the attraction costs £10, although there is a better value combo ticket that also includes entry to the U-boat Story in Birkenhead and also a 50-minute cruise on the River Mersey. The combo ticket costs £16.

It is a very child-friendly attraction that is best suited for children aged between seven and 13. Older children may find the whole thing a little childish and the exhibits are a little too dumbed down for adults visiting the attraction.

If you want a space-themed attraction that is more geared towards adults and older children, the National Space Centre in Leicester is a much better option.

A visit to the centre takes around two hours including half an hour inside the planetarium.