Cité de l'espace

About this place

The Cité de l'espace is a science park about spaceflight on the eastern edge of Toulouse, in south-west France, about 4.4 km in a straight line east of the Place du Capitole. Toulouse is a centre of the European space and aircraft industry, and the park opened in June 1997. Its landmark is a full-scale model of the Ariane 5 rocket, 55 m tall, standing in the gardens. Visitors can also walk through full-size models of the Mir space station and a Soyuz spacecraft, see a lunar module, and step into a mock-up of a launch control room, where they help prepare and fly a rocket and place a satellite in orbit. The park has two planetariums, the larger with 280 seats under a huge dome screen, and a large-screen cinema that shows films shot in space. Hands-on exhibitions cover the Earth seen from space, astronauts' daily life, the planets and the history of space exploration, and many are designed for children. Allow most of a day for a full visit, as the park mixes outdoor exhibits in the gardens with indoor halls. It is reached by bus or car from the city centre, and opening days vary through the year.