Tranquillity Park

Located in Downtown Houston between Walker and Rusk Streets, west of Smith Street, Tranquillity Park takes its name, but with a notably different spelling, from the moon’s Sea of Tranquility where man first landed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. First open to visitors in 1979, the park was officially dedicated on the 10th anniversary of the historic lunar landing. Bronze plaques along the main entrance bear the first words transmitted by Neil Armstrong from the moon, “Houston, Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed,” in 15 languages. Also on display in the park is a replica of one of the footprints left on the moon by Neil Armstrong. Throughout the two-block-long oasis of water and walkways, the mounds and depressions in the grass are meant to represent the cratered lunar surface while the park’s 32-level Wortham Fountain features towering stainless-steel cylinders designed to resemble the Apollo’s rocket boosters. Each year, Tranquillity Park hosts many city functions, art shows and events. In the northern section of the park separated by a street, are two memorials, one for each shuttle disaster.

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