CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER UNVEILS SAMUEL OSCHIN AIR AND SPACE CENTER WITH 100 INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS AND RARE ARTIFACTS

NEW ADDITION OPENS TO THE PUBLIC ON NOVEMBER 13, 2026 

New Images and Additional Materials are Here

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Science Center's highly anticipated Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour, will open to the public on November 13, 2026. The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is the only place in the world to see a complete, authentic space shuttle system, with a flown orbiter, solid rocket boosters, and external tank, displayed in a 20-story-tall launch configuration. This transformative 200,000-square-foot expansion of the California Science Center nearly doubles its existing exhibit space, showcasing a diverse collection of 100 artifacts, including rare and historic aerospace objects, as well as 100 new hands-on exhibits, featuring interactive and immersive experiences focused on science and engineering.

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

The Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery serves as the star attraction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. Housing Space Shuttle Endeavour in awe-inspiring launch position, the gallery towers nearly 200 feet high and its exhibits detail how the world's first reusable spacecraft advanced our 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. Additional exhibits in the gallery highlight the shuttle's thermal protection system; its airlock; all 135 space shuttle missions; and 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 dream to create one of the world's leading science centers," said Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center. "With its display of Endeavour in launch position, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will give us a greater platform than ever before to accomplish 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, Chairperson of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, said: "The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and Space Shuttle Endeavour's one-of-a-kind vertical display, is even better than I dreamed. Endeavour exemplifies so many of the passions of my husband – especially astronomy, math, science, exploration, and helping children to achieve their dreams. 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. It is thrilling to be just weeks away from welcoming millions of young people to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, named to honor the tremendous legacy and the memory of my husband, a gentleman and a gentle man."

Interactive Experiences, Exhibits, and Artifacts on View

The Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery invites guests to engage with interactive experiences, including:

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

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

Other hands-on experiences for guests will include:

• A Wing Shape and Distance interactive, where guests will launch aircraft models with different wing shapes to see how far they fly at different speeds.
• The Launch a Drone Mission interactive. 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 lift.
• Air Race flight simulators put guests in the pilot's seat of iconic aircraft from the Science Center's collection. Guests will be able to choose between the Pitts Special, JN-4 Jenny, and Velie Monocoupe and race for a spot on the leaderboard. Each I360 flight simulator seats 2 guests, has intuitive single-joystick controls, and features full 360-degree rotation.

Among the many exhibits 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, and Apollo-Soyuz Command Module, among others. Guests also have the opportunity to walk through a section of a real solid rocket booster.

Guests can also:

• Program a Rover and test their skills as a Mars rover driver.
• Lay on their stomachs and pull themselves through the International Space Station in the ISS Fly-Through Simulator, an immersive experience using real footage taken by an astronaut.
• Suit up in a digital space suit.

Opening Weekend

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will open to the public at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 13, 2026, after a celebratory program and ribbon-cutting featuring approximately 30 astronauts, including all six crew members from Endeavour's final mission, STS-134, commanded by now U.S. Senator, Mark Kelly. The grand opening will celebrate the culmination of a landmark project and welcome the public, led by hundreds of school children as the first to experience Endeavour in its historic launch configuration for the first time.

To continue the celebration, from Friday, November 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., through Sunday, November 15, astronaut and space-related talks will be hosted every half hour through 5:00 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 gather to speak to crowds and answer questions, with no timed reservations required.

November 13, 2026, will also see the premiere of "Endeavour's Long Journey," a photo exhibit documenting Space Shuttle Endeavour's final flight over California, 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 vertical configuration.

Accompanying IMAX movies opening November 13, 2026, include The Dream Is Alive, an unprecedented window on board the space shuttle and an inside look on the astronauts rigorous training; Journey to Space 3D, revisiting three decades of shuttle-era achievements, 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 portrait of the Earth from space.

Timed Reservations

General admission to the California Science Center, including the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, is free. Due to anticipated high demand, there will be timed reservations for entry to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which can be made in advance for a small $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 exhibition 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 Ibrahim 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, total more than $415 million raised toward the $450 million project budget.

About the California Science Center

The California Science Center is a dynamic destination where families, adults, and children can explore the wonders of science through hands-on exhibits, live demonstrations, innovative programs, and awe-inspiring large-format movies. The California Science 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 https://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 to complete this ambitious campaign, with more than $415 million raised toward the $450 million goal. Everyone can help realize the exciting vision of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and donations at any level are welcome. 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