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Space Center Bremen

I visited the Space Centers at Wednesday, 18.02.2004.

The Grand Openening was on 12.02.2004. You can expect some minor problems. The fee is 22 Euro (if you are over 12 years) and is not higher than other theme parks. But the most important difference is that its indoor and this means you will stay dry all the day. The Space Center is easy to find. There are signposts enough in Bremen, no matter if you are coming by bus, train or car. (I'm coming from Hamburg and found it really easy). A little irritating is the parking system (if you're coming by car)

The parking system: Parking is for free. And you will find enough places. But it irritates me a lot to drive to a free parking lot. Only the main road is signed in which direction to drive. It is very funny when you pass the parking lots, not finding the entry, and pass other seeker (who have the same problem) three times. When you find the entry to a parking lot take the next free lot. Do not seek for another one or you will be on the main road again and the fun repeats. Try to remember teh way you took to park in the lot, 'cause after a day of fun you have to left the lot and find the exit.

The Space Center: The outer facade is great. Simple but futuristic. There are two entries. The main entrance and a entrance near the Space Shot (the only funstuff that is outside). If you go through the main entrance you will walk along the Star Walk. In the middle of the Star Walk is a bistro and at the end is a merchandising shop. After the merchandising shop turn right to the ticket center. Now the fun begins. The indoor park has 8 attractions (the ninth is the Space Shot, which is outdoor). Most of the attractions are based on 3D. The attractions are quite good.

My favorite attractions are 'Star Trek - Borg Encounter' (here you will meet the Holodoc, the Borg Queen and Captain Janeway again) and 'Stargate SG-3000' (here you will meet General Hamilton and Satras). As a fan of both TV Shows it is really great to be in the middle of the story. You got a pair of glasses and when the fun begins you have the feeling you could touch Captain Janeway and are a real member of her crew. Very fascinating is the 'IMAX'. It was my very first IMAX I visited. The 3D film about the ISS and the living of the crew in it was exiting. And I really got the feeling to float with them in space. Another attraction is the 'Galaxy Express'. The Galaxy Express is something like a roller coaster. But the difference to a real roller coaster is that you have to put a monitor over your head. When you ride the roller coaster a film is displayed on the monitor. You think that you are flying a real Space Fighter and riding through the space. But there is something that spoils the fun and that is that you have to hold the monitor over your head the whole time. And your head crushes left and right against the monitor. Of course there are cushions inside the monitor but if you have to wear glasses you will feel pain above both of your ears. So it was to me and my friend. A real fun is the Space Shot. Here you can feel what is it like to be in a rocket and be shot in space. The other attractions are not less interesting.

In der In the middle of the park is the Moonbase. It's a little place for children with a Mini-Maze and a slide. You have to pay attention for some attractions, 'cause some of them have a height and age limit. Bevor you buy your ticket you should ask the information which of the attraction have them. I will not hold back with some difficiency in the Space Center. First there is the lack of seats. The only seats you will find are in the second bistro in the Space Center itself. When the park and the bistro are full and the childs are tired there is no place to sit down. The other negativ part is that there are no small attractions like video games, shooting games or little caroussels. I think that, when the park is full and you have to wait a long time to ride the big attractions that you could have fun on some minor attractions instead. Other parks have a lot of them. I think video games or other multimedia stuff could be an enrichment because of the electrical nature and themes of this park.

Sum: If you visit the Space Center out-side of the holidays and in the week you don't have to wait long to try all the attractions. And you could be finished in two or three hours. If you had fun, start again. There ar minor problems with the technic and the personnel. I think it will last some time until it will run smoothly. Until that it is some work to do. If I have the chance and time I will visit it again. The fee is surely justified because of the Hight Tec (22 Euro from 12 years on, 18 Euro under twelve, other ticket combination are possible). The merchandising shop is okay and the prices for the stuff you can get there is not higher than in other shops of this kind. For fans of both TV Shows Star Trek and Stargate the Space Center is a MUST.
Written by Xenatrek, 28.02.2004. Pics are from Space Center.

Attention: The Space Center closed in September 2004. Because of the financial loss. Until now I hoped it would open sometime again, but the news I received are not good. According to an article on Wikipedia the Space Park has a new name: Waterfront and will become a Sport and Wellness Areal. The Space Park Entertainment will be dismantled.