Skip to Main Content

Lunar Lander.

Lunar Lander

Field review by the editors.

Pearlington, Mississippi

A Lunar Lander -- formerly known as a Lunar Excursion Module, or LEM -- is on display just across the Mississippi-Louisiana state line. It's a nod to NASA's "Stennisphere" Space Center, which is off in the woods nearby -- the place where the Saturn V rockets were test-fired during America's mad race to the moon.

Lunar Lander.

This Lander-trainer was the only one that the crew of Apollo 13 ever used as a LEM, since they never made it onto the moon. Fred Haise, who was the LEM pilot (and who was played by Bill Paxton in the Apollo 13 movie), was from Mississippi, and returned to this Lunar Lander in 2000 to leave his signature and moon boot prints in cement -- a consolation prize, since the Apollo 13 near-disaster meant that Fred never got the opportunity to leave his footprints on the real Moon.

In 2019, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the Lunar Lander was moved from its formerly free spot outside the Mississippi Welcome Center, to a you-have-to-pay-to-see-it spot inside the compound of the neighboring Infinity Science Center.

Lunar Lander

Infinity Science Center

Address:
1 Discovery Circle, Pearlington, MS
Directions:
Visible from I-10 for free. For an up-close look, which costs money, take I-10 exit 2, drive south on Hwy 607, then make first right, then first left for the Infinity Science Center.
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Giant Rocket from Apollo 19Giant Rocket from Apollo 19, Pearlington, MS - < 1 mi.
Moon Rock, Apollo 13 SpacesuitMoon Rock, Apollo 13 Spacesuit, Pearlington, MS - < 1 mi.
Patriotic Miss Pearl, GatorPatriotic Miss Pearl, Gator, Pearl River, LA - 9 mi.
In the region:
Flooded House Museum, New Orleans, LA - 35 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in Mississippi

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Mississippi.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Save Cool Vacation Destinations! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Mississippi Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

Easter Island Moai in America (Mar 25-31, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights