Reaching for the Stars at Almaden Branch Library

Nestled in the southern part of San Jose, Almaden is a community where city life meets natural beauty. Surrounded by rolling hills, family parks, and hiking trails, it's a place that blends innovation with a deep love for learning.

At the heart of this neighborhood is Almaden Branch Library, a vibrant hub where kids, teens, and adults come together to learn, create, and dream. It's here that Galactic Getaway is proud to launch its latest rocket exhibit.

Why Almaden?

San Jose is known as the Capital of Silicon Valley, a city fueled by creativity and big ideas. Almaden Branch Library reflects that spirit of innovation, but with a warm, community-centered feel. This library is where homework groups meet, young readers discover new worlds, and families gather to learn.

By bringing our rocket models here, we wanted to connect that culture of curiosity with the endless possibilities of space exploration.

What's on Display

Step inside Almaden Library, and you'll be greeted by a fleet of rockets that represent the future of human spaceflight. The display includes:

• NASA's Space Launch System – designed for missions to the Moon and Mars
• SpaceX's Starship – paving the way for interplanetary travel
• Blue Origin's New Glenn – a next-generation launch vehicle
• ULA's Vulcan Centaur – blending innovation with reliability
• Rocket Lab's Neutron – lightweight carbon composite design
• Falcon Heavy – the most powerful operational rocket in the world

Each model is carefully crafted at 1:144 scale, offering museum-quality detail that you won't see in any other public display. Alongside the rockets, colorful placards and QR codes unlock deeper stories — from how rocket engines work, to the challenges of reusability, to the exciting missions planned for the decades ahead.

Sparking Imagination

The Almaden Branch Library installation is more than just an exhibit. It's an invitation to dream. For kids, this display is a chance to see science not as something distant, but as something alive and within reach. A simple glance at Starship or Vulcan could plant the seed for a future aerospace engineer, scientist, or innovator right here in San Jose.

One of the most heartwarming sights at our exhibit is watching families pause together, side by side, to marvel at the rockets. Moments like these remind us that space exploration isn't just about science, it's about sparking conversations, curiosity, and dreams across generations.

Libraries have always been launchpads for imagination, and with this installation, Almaden Library becomes a launchpad for curiosity about our universe.