What Is Meteor Crater and What Does meteorcrater.com Cover?

Updated

Meteor Crater is a well-preserved meteorite impact site in northern Arizona, and meteorcrater.com is the official website for the attraction and its Barringer Space Museum. The site covers what you can see and do there—guided rim tours, lookout points, a 4D theater, museum exhibits, the Apollo 11 space capsule, and a gift and mineral shop—along with upcoming events and ticket purchase links. It is aimed at general visitors, adventurers, and space enthusiasts planning a trip or checking what the site offers before visiting.

What the site is about

The crater itself is the centerpiece. According to the site, a meteorite about 150 feet wide and weighing 300,000 tons struck northern Arizona roughly 50,000 years ago at speeds over 26,000 mph, creating a crater 550 feet deep and about a mile wide. The site describes the explosion as 150 times more powerful than the atomic bomb. The website frames the destination as “the best-preserved meteorite impact site on Earth” and as a top thing to do in Arizona.

The website also positions the location as more than a viewpoint: it is a visitor center and space museum with a 60-year history with NASA, including Apollo 11 astronaut training ahead of the 1969 moon mission.

What you can do there, per the site

The site lists these featured attractions:

  • The Meteor Crater Guided Tour — a guided experience with expert guides covering the impact history, how the earth changed, and the site’s founding by Daniel M. Barringer.
  • Lookout Points — several outdoor observation points for viewing the crater.
  • COLLISION! 4D Theater — a theater attraction.
  • Impact! The Mystery of Meteor Crater — an exhibit on the crater’s story.
  • Discovery Center & Space Museum — dozens of exhibits, including the difference between meteors, meteorites, and asteroids, impact sites around the world, and how we can protect Earth from future impacts.
  • The Holsinger Meteorite — a 1,406 lb. meteorite, the largest ever found at the crater, which visitors can see and touch.
  • Apollo 11 Space Capsule — tied to the site’s NASA history.
  • Gift & Mineral Shop and RV Park.

Events and seasonal programs

The site highlights upcoming events, which are worth checking before you plan a visit because they may affect availability or add something special:

Event Date listed on site
Full Rim Hikes October 24, 2026
Asteroid Day June 26, 2027
Sci-Fi Fest July 24, 2027
VIP Floor Tours Listed as an ongoing event category

Full Rim Hikes are guided rim tours led by expert guides. VIP Floor Tours appear as a separate event page. Dates on the site are specific, so confirm current scheduling on the event pages rather than assuming a recurring schedule.

Tickets and planning

The site provides “Buy Tickets” and “View Attractions” entry points, and event pages such as the VIP Floor Tours page link into the shop checkout. The website does not state prices in the material reviewed here, so check the ticket and checkout pages for current pricing and any login or booking requirements before you go.

Who the site is for

The homepage addresses “Adventurers & Space Enthusiasts.” In practice, that means:

  • Travelers looking for a major natural landmark and a stop in northern Arizona.
  • Families and general visitors who want exhibits, a theater, and short walks rather than a long hike.
  • Space and science fans interested in the NASA connection and the Apollo 11 capsule.
  • Visitors who want a guided experience—either the standard guided tour or the scheduled rim hikes and VIP tours.

If you want a quick viewpoint stop, the lookout points and museum cover that. If you want a deeper, guided experience, the guided tour and scheduled rim hikes are the relevant options.

What to check before visiting

  • Event dates and availability — the listed event dates are specific; confirm on the event pages.
  • Ticket details — use the Buy Tickets and checkout pages for current pricing and any booking conditions.
  • Which experience fits your time — the guided tour, rim hikes, and VIP floor tours are distinct offerings with different schedules.
  • Accessibility and terrain — the site describes outdoor observation points and guided rim tours; plan footwear and timing accordingly.

In short, meteorcrater.com is the official information and booking hub for Meteor Crater and the Barringer Space Museum: it explains the impact story, lists the attractions and museum exhibits, announces events, and routes visitors to tickets. Use it to decide which tour or event fits your trip, then confirm dates and pricing on the linked pages.