CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF SAMUEL OSCHIN AIR AND SPACE CENTER

Approximately 30 astronauts, including crew members of Endeavour's final mission, and hundreds of schoolchildren joined Federal, State, County and Science Center officials for the launch of the new Air and Space Center

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LOS ANGELES, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Science Center's highly anticipated Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour, today opened to the public with a ribbon cutting and celebratory grand opening remarks. The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is the only location in the world to exhibit a complete, authentic space shuttle system, with a flown orbiter, solid rocket boosters, and external tank, displayed in 20-story launch position. This transformative 200,000-square-foot expansion of the California Science Center nearly doubles its exhibit space, showcasing a diverse collection of 100 artifacts, including rare and historic aerospace objects, as well as 100 hands-on exhibits, featuring interactive and immersive experiences focused on science and engineering.

Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center; John N. Sinnema, Chair of the California Science Center Foundation Board of Trustees; Mrs. Lynda Oschin, Chairman of the Board and Secretary of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation and the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center's lead donor; United States Senator Alex Padilla; United States Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove; California State Assemblymember Sade Elhawary; and Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell  were joined by approximately 30 astronauts at the ceremony, including United States Senator Mark Kelly, who served as commander of Endeavour's final mission in 2011, along with four of his crewmates: pilot Gregory Johnson and mission specialists Michael Fincke, Andrew Feustel, and Roberto Vittori.

Following the ribbon cutting, hundreds of elementary, middle, and high school students were among the first members of the public to experience the new addition to the California Science Center. Once open, schoolchildren explored the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center with the astronauts, and were welcomed by Chuck Lorre, co-creator and producer and Iain Armitage, star of television sitcom Young Sheldon, to the Shuttle Descent Slide, which is recognized "with Support from Young Sheldon" in appreciation for a generous gift from The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation.

"Endeavour will live here for generations and kids from around the country will visit this place, look up at that spaceship, and be inspired to build hard things and do hard things. I'm forever grateful to have played a small part and I'm thankful for the team here at the California Science Center who made it possible for me to bring my two grandkids here to see the greatest spaceship that ever was," said U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and former Commander of Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-134.

"From Los Angeles to Silicon Valley, California has long been at the forefront of innovation and scientific discovery," said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). "The opening of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, home to the only complete Space Shuttle System on display anywhere in the world, is an exciting investment in California's future – not only strengthening our tourism economy but expanding educational opportunities and giving visitors of all ages the chance to experience the wonders of space exploration up close. Most importantly, this center will inspire imaginations, spark curiosity, and encourage the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers to dream bigger than ever before."

"California has always been a place of discovery – from the early pioneers of flight to the engineers, astronauts, scientists, and innovators who helped shape the space age and who are powering the next era of exploration today. The new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center reflects our state's enduring commitment to science, education, and innovation, and it will inspire curiosity and learning for generations to come. On behalf of the people of California, I thank everyone who worked so hard to make this world-class Air and Space Center a reality, including the philanthropic partners whose support helped bring this extraordinary vision to completion," remarked Governor Gavin Newsom. 

The new Air and Space Center invites guests of all ages to investigate the scientific and engineering principles of atmospheric flight and the exploration of the universe in three multi-level galleries – the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery. The opening of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center culminates the third and final major phase of the California Science Center's 30-year master plan to develop one of the world's leading science learning centers.

Housing Space Shuttle Endeavour in awe-inspiring launch position, the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery is the star attraction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The gallery towers nearly 200 feet high and its exhibits detail how the world's first reusable spacecraft advanced the ability to live and work in low Earth orbit, while laying the groundwork for increasingly ambitious missions into deep space. In addition to preserving a critical chapter in space exploration, the gallery also offers an unparalleled educational experience, allowing guests to view this national treasure and engineering marvel from multiple perspectives and elevations. Other exhibits highlight the orbiter's thermal protection system, its airlock, all 135 space shuttle missions, along with tributes to the crews who lost their lives during the Space Shuttle Program.

"The opening of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is the fulfillment of a decades-long vision, and it is better than we ever dreamed," said Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center. "With Space Shuttle Endeavour in launch position, and three new galleries that nearly double our space for hands-on exhibits, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center gives us a greater platform than ever before to carry out our mission, to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone. This unparalleled educational experience will stand as an enduring source of inspiration for generations of scientists, engineers and explorers."

Lynda Oschin, Chairman of the Board and Secretary of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, remarked: "The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and Space Shuttle Endeavour's one-of-a-kind vertical display, exemplify many of the passions of my husband – especially astronomy, math, science, exploration, and helping children to achieve their dreams and never, ever give up. Fifteen years ago, I recognized the extraordinary potential of this project to inspire curiosity, encourage lifelong learning, and open new worlds of possibility for young people. I'm thrilled to welcome millions of children to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, named to honor the memory and the tremendous legacy of my husband Samuel Oschin, a gentleman and a gentle man."

Interactive Experiences, Exhibits, and Artifacts on View

Interactive experiences in the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery include:

• Launch Tower, a 140-foot ascent aboard an elevator alongside the shuttle stack leading to a dramatic, glass floor observation platform hovering over the nose of Space Shuttle Endeavour, with incredible views.
• Shuttle Descent Slide, a tubular slide with a 45-foot drop in elevation representing the shuttle's descent from orbit. Guests will see bright orange light representing the plasma that glows as a shuttle re-enters the atmosphere and hear a double boom that evokes the sound of the nose and tail as each breaks the sound barrier on a shuttle's return to Earth.
• The opportunity to sit inside a replica flight deck and interact with joysticks, switches, lights, buttons and pedals like those the shuttle commander and pilot would operate.
• Orbiter Landing Simulator, a test of guests' piloting ability as they try to land Endeavour on a runway.

In the Korean Air Aviation Gallery guests view more than a dozen authentic aircraft across three levels from floor to ceiling, from gliders to fighter jets, including the Hawker Siddeley Harrier T.4., Grumman F11F Tiger, and a Pitts Special S-1C, among others. Visitors also experience a "flight" from LA to Seoul compressed into a five-minute video journey in an immersive onboard theater presentation inside the forward 70 feet of a retired Korean Air-operated Boeing 747-400 commercial airliner.

Other hands-on experiences include:

• Wing Shape and Distance interactive, where guests launch aircraft models with different wing shapes to see how far they fly at various speeds.
• Launch a Drone Mission interactive, where visitors can launch simultaneous drone missions over a Los Angeles cityscape to learn about everyday applications of autonomous flight.
• Wear-a-Wing invites guests to put on a pair of foam "wings" and viscerally experience the force of lift.
• Air Race flight simulators put guests in the pilot's seat of iconic aircraft from the Science Center's collection. Guests will choose between the Pitts Special, JN-4 Jenny, and Velie Monocoupe and race for a spot on the leaderboard. Each flight simulator seats two guests, has intuitive single-joystick controls, and features full 360-degree rotation.

Among the artifacts featured in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery are machines built to explore space, from rockets and robots to space capsules and telescopes, including flown spacecraft like the Mercury-Redstone 2 capsule, Gemini 11 capsule, Apollo-Soyuz Command Module, and SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft.

Other experiences include:

• Program a Mars rover.
• International Space Station Fly-Through Simulator, where guests can physically pull themselves through the ISS in an immersive experience using real footage taken by an astronaut.
• The opportunity to suit up in a digital space suit.

Opening Weekend Public Programming

To continue the opening celebration, from 11:30 a.m. on Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 15, 2026, astronaut, aviation- and space-themed talks will be hosted every half hour through 5:00 p.m. (last talk at 4:00 p.m.). With topics ranging from "women in space" to specific mission overviews, astronauts and experts from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center will speak to audiences and answer questions, with no timed reservations required.

Also premiering November 13 is "Endeavour's Long Journey," a photo exhibit documenting Space Shuttle Endeavour's final flight over California, the 12-mile, 68-hour journey through the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood to the Science Center, and the complex, six-month, multi-phase process of stacking each of the space shuttle components in launch configuration.

Accompanying space-themed large-format movies opening at the California Science Center IMAX Theater on November 13 include The Dream Is Alive, an unprecedented window on board the space shuttle and an inside look at the astronauts' rigorous training; Journey to Space 3D, revisiting three decades of shuttle-era achievements and culminating in Endeavour's journey to the California Science Center; Hubble 3D, the story of the Hubble Space Telescope; and A Beautiful Planet 3D, a breathtaking portrait of Earth from space.

Timed Reservations

General admission to the California Science Center, including the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center featuring Space Shuttle Endeavour, is free. Due to anticipated high demand, timed reservations are required for entry to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which can be made in advance for a $4 service fee. For more information and to make reservations, visit CaliforniaScienceCenter.org. Entry may be limited or unavailable without advance reservations.

Project Team

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was designed by ZGF, with engineering by Arup, construction by MATT Construction, and exhibit design by Evidence Design. Additional project partners include Plas-Tal Manufacturing, responsible for structural steel, and BrandSafway, which provided scaffolding and shuttle protection. The project was developed under the leadership of the California Science Center, with Dennis R. Jenkins serving as Project Director.

Donors

This incredible educational and civic accomplishment has been enabled by the tremendous support of lead donors the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation and the State of California; principal donors Korean Air and the Kresa Family Foundation; as well as The Ahmanson Foundation, Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation, W. M. Keck Foundation, The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation, Melanie and Richard Lundquist, The Otis Booth Foundation, Weingart Foundation, and Dr. Ibrahim and Mrs. Wensley El-Hefni Technical Training Foundation. The California Science Center Foundation is grateful for their substantial investments, which together with the support of over 1,100 donors to the EndeavourLA Campaign, total more than $415 million raised to date in support of the $450 million project.

About the California Science Center

The California Science Center is a dynamic destination where families, children and adults explore the wonders of science through hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, innovative programs, and awe-inspiring large-format movies. The California Science Center, Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and IMAX Theater are located in historic Exposition Park just west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. General admission to the Science Center is FREE. The California Science Center is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Visit californiasciencecenter.org for more information.

About the EndeavourLA Campaign

A project of this scope and scale requires the visionary leadership of the philanthropic community and the support of the broader public. EndeavourLA is the California Science Center Foundation's fundraising campaign that enabled the acquisition and previous temporary display of Space Shuttle Endeavour and supports our work to create the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and sustain ongoing exhibits, programs, and operations. The project's lead donors are the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation and the State of California, joined by principal donors Korean Air and the Kresa Family Foundation, along with numerous individuals, foundations, and corporate supporters. 

The California Science Center Foundation is actively fundraising for this ambitious project with more than $415 million raised toward the $450 million goal. Donations at any level are welcome to help complete the funding. To contribute or learn more, go to EndeavourLA.org.

Media Contacts

Kristina Kurasz Cutting | Director of Communications | California Science Center
[email protected] | 213-744-7446

Sophie Jefferies | Communications Manager | California Science Center
[email protected] | 213-744-7491

Maura Klosterman-Vu | Polskin Arts
[email protected] | 310-552-4117

SOURCE California Science Center Foundation