New Exhibit Memorializes Lost Coney Island Amusement Park Astroland
Visitors will be able to learn about the park's history in the shadow of its iconic rocket.
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the opening of Astroland Park, a new exhibit about Coney Island's now-defunct amusement park is coming to Deno's Wonder Wheel Park. The Coney Island History Project is installing informational panels about the history of the park in the shadow of its iconic rocket, giving visitors young and old the chance to experience a slice of Coney Island history.
Astroland Park, which initially debuted in 1962, was Coney Island's space-themed attraction, and it permanently closed its doors in 2008 for financial reasons. Throughout the years, the famous rocket was moved around before finally coming back home. In the '70s, it even served as an advertisement for the park, and it stood lifted on the roof of Gregory and Paul's Restaurant on the Boardwalk. When the park closed, the owners of Astroland Park decided to donate it to the city.
Unfortunately, according to the Coney Island History Project, the moon rocket stood for years on an empty Staten Island lot, and it was even damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Eventually, the History Project and Deno's Wonder Wheel Park were able to rescue it, and the rocket was moved back to Coney Island in 2014 beside the famous Wonder Wheel.
Now, the exhibit allows visitors to learn about the history of the park while marveling at the famous rocket. The exhibit is free, and visitors looking to see it will be able to do so from July 31 through October 30 during park hours. The park is open daily from 12–10 pm on weekdays and until 11:30 pm on Fridays to Sundays through Labor Day (weather permitting).