NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to Host Anniversary Open House in October 2026

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of Caltech, is celebrating its 90th anniversary by hosting Explore JPL, a public open-house event on October 10 and 11, 2026. The event will take place at JPL's campus at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California, running from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. PDT each day.

Visitors will explore four thematic areas: Missions That Changed the World, Moon to Mars, In Flight, and Makerspace. Highlights include access to JPL's Space Flight Operations Facility, a National Historic Landmark where engineers control spacecraft billions of miles away; the Spacecraft Assembly Facility and Machine Shop where precision components are crafted; and displays of cutting-edge robotics research. Guests will also see full-scale models of iconic missions including the Perseverance Mars rover, Voyager, and Galileo.

Tickets are free but strictly limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting August 29, 2026, at 9 a.m. PDT through the Explore JPL webpage. Each requestor may reserve a maximum of five tickets, with orders exceeding that limit subject to cancellation. Tickets are non-transferable, cannot be sold, and must be reserved for specific names with designated time slots. Visitors aged 18 and older must present government-issued identification; children under 2 do not require tickets but experiences are not designed for very young guests.

JPL, which traces its origins to rocket-propulsion development in 1936, has played a pivotal role in American space exploration. The laboratory built and helped launch Explorer 1, America's first satellite, in 1958—the same year Congress established NASA and JPL became part of the agency. Since then, JPL has managed historic missions including Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, the Mars Exploration Rover program, Perseverance, and Europa Clipper.

Attendees should note numerous restrictions on items brought to the facility, including weapons, glass containers, alcohol, pets (except service animals), professional camera equipment with detachable telephoto lenses, drones, skateboards, and large bags. Free parking is available, and vehicles entering JPL property are subject to inspection.