Space Shuttle Endeavour's new LA home unveiled ahead of public opening

EXPOSITION PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The California Science Center is preparing to open the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a 200,000-square-foot expansion that will showcase Space Shuttle Endeavour in a vertical launch configuration and serve as the centerpiece of the museum's newest galleries.

With the opening scheduled for Nov. 13, 2026, museum officials gave members of the media a preview of the new facility, where Endeavour is displayed alongside authentic solid rocket boosters and the last remaining flight-qualified external tank, ET-94.

Gov. Gavin Newsom praised the ambitious project during the preview.

"It's the old Orson Welles: 'Don't give people what you think they want. Give them what you never thought was possible.' I didn't think this was possible... This is gonna blow people's minds," Newsom said.

The new air and space center nearly doubles the California Science Center's exhibit space and includes 100 artifacts, among them rare and historic aerospace objects, as well as 100 hands-on exhibits focused on science, technology and engineering.

Endeavour arrived in Los Angeles 14 years ago. Now, museum leaders say the shuttle is taking on a new role as an educational centerpiece designed to inspire future generations.

"This is the intended inspire the next generation, scientist, engineers, that explorers," said Jeff Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center.

Unlike most museums, the facility was designed around its signature exhibit.

Amie Nulman, a structural engineer on the project, described the unique construction process required to accommodate the shuttle.

"We built the concrete building up to a certain point, allowed the finishing of the mating of Endeavour to the stack, and then we built the steel diagrid roof above her," Nulman said.

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center includes three multi-level galleries: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery. In addition to the shuttle exhibit, the facility features rockets, aircraft and interactive experiences, including a two-story slide.

Rudolph said the display offers visitors a rare opportunity.

"You can't see this anywhere else and what you're seeing is a space shuttle ready to launch," he said.

According to the California Science Center, the display is the only place in the world where visitors can see a complete space shuttle system with all authentic flight hardware.

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will open to the public on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, at 10 a.m. While general admission to the California Science Center remains free, reservations for the new air and space center are strongly encouraged because of anticipated demand. A $4 reservation service fee applies per person, though the fee is waived for California Science Center members. Entry may be limited for visitors without advance reservations