L.A. is gearing up for one of its biggest museum openings in years, and after years of anticipation, the California Science Center has finally announced when visitors will be able to experience it.
The California Science Center revealed today that the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will officially open to the public on November 13, 2026. It will become the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour.
See the Space Shuttle Endeavour like never before
The new 200,000-square-foot expansion will be the only place in the world where visitors can see a complete, authentic Space Shuttle system displayed in its 20-story vertical launch position.
The exhibit features Space Shuttle Endeavour mounted with its real solid rocket boosters and ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified external tank. It recreates the spacecraft exactly as it appeared on the launch pad before liftoff.
Endeavour has called Los Angeles home since its iconic journey through city streets in 2012, but this marks the first time the spacecraft will be displayed in its complete launch configuration.
The nearly 200-foot-tall Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery gives visitors multiple vantage points to view the orbiter while exploring the history of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program and all 135 shuttle missions.
“Incredibly Special”
Jack Pascarosa, AIA, partner and director of exhibition design and management at Evidence Design, said one of the most special aspects of the new exhibit is how close visitors can get to the orbiter. “I don’t think any of the other space shuttles that are on display, can you actually walk up and touch part of them,” he said. “I think that’s incredibly special.”
He added that Endeavour’s vertical, launch-ready display also makes it unlike any other shuttle exhibit. “This one’s vertical, which is different than the installations in other places,” Pascarosa said. “Because it’s a science center, because it’s about science and technology, this vertical orientation to inspire people to look up and to think bigger, I think is really important and special.”
According to Pascarosa, the shuttle serves as the centerpiece of the new Air and Space Center, with the surrounding exhibits building toward that moment. “All of the other exhibits kind of wrap around this one, but this is kind of the culmination because it represents that kind of pinnacle of achievement that all these other efforts were leading to over a long period of time,” he said.
What visitors can expect
Beyond its centerpiece, the new center will showcase more than 100 aerospace artifacts and 100 interactive exhibits exploring aviation, engineering, and space exploration.
Visitors will also be able to experience a gantry-style elevator alongside the shuttle stack, a shuttle-inspired descent slide that simulates atmospheric re-entry, and a replica flight deck where guests can interact with the shuttle’s controls.
Admission to the California Science Center, including the new Air and Space Center, will remain free. However, timed reservations will be required due to expected demand.
The EndeavourLA Campaign
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was made possible through the EndeavourLA fundraising campaign, which helped bring Space Shuttle Endeavour to Los Angeles and continues to support the completion of its permanent home.
So far, the campaign has raised nearly $410 million toward its $450 million goal with support from more than 1,100 donors, helping fund the installation of the shuttle, new exhibits, and future educational programming.
