LOS ANGELES—The California Science Center will open its Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center to the public Nov. 13, adding 200,000 square feet of exhibition space, 100 interactive exhibits, and a collection of rare aerospace artifacts to the Los Angeles attraction.
The expansion nearly doubles the science center’s existing exhibit space and provides a permanent home for Space Shuttle Endeavour. The facility will feature the only complete, authentic space shuttle system on display in the world, with a flown orbiter, solid rocket boosters, and external tank arranged in a 20-story launch configuration.
The new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center marks the third and final phase of the California Science Center’s three-decade master plan to develop a leading science learning destination. Its three galleries—the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, Korean Air Aviation Gallery, and Kent Kresa Space Gallery—will explore the science and engineering behind atmospheric flight and space exploration.
The Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery will be the centerpiece, displaying Endeavour nearly 200 feet above the floor. Exhibits will examine the shuttle’s role in advancing human activity in low Earth orbit and preparing for future deep-space missions. Visitors also can learn about its thermal protection system, airlock, all 135 shuttle missions, and the crews who lost their lives during the 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,” says 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.”
Interactive experiences in the shuttle gallery include a 140-foot elevator ride up the shuttle stack to a glass-floor observation platform, a 45-foot descent slide simulating re-entry, and a replica flight deck where visitors can operate controls. An orbiter landing simulator will let guests test their piloting skills.
The Korean Air Aviation Gallery will feature more than a dozen aircraft, including gliders and fighter jets, as well as the forward 70 feet of a Korean Air-operated Boeing 747. A five-minute onboard theater presentation will simulate a flight from Los Angeles to Seoul. Other activities will let visitors experiment with wing shapes, launch drones over a Los Angeles cityscape, experience lift with wearable foam wings, and pilot aircraft in 360-degree flight simulators.
The Kent Kresa Space Gallery will showcase rockets, robots, capsules, and telescopes, including flown Mercury-Redstone 2, Gemini 11, and Apollo-Soyuz spacecraft. Visitors can also walk through a section of a solid rocket booster, program a Mars rover, explore the International Space Station through an immersive simulator, and try on a digital space suit.
“The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and Space Shuttle Endeavour’s one-of-a-kind vertical display, is even better than I dreamed,” says Lynda Oschin, chairperson of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation. “Endeavour exemplifies so many of the passions of my husband—especially astronomy, math, science, exploration, and helping children to achieve their dreams.”
Opening-day festivities will include a ribbon-cutting with approximately 30 astronauts, including all six crew members from Endeavour’s final mission, STS-134, commanded by now-U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly. Astronaut and space-related talks will take place every half-hour from Nov. 13-15, featuring experts from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Armstrong Flight Research Center.
The opening also will feature “Endeavour’s Long Journey,” a photo exhibit documenting the shuttle’s final flight over California and its 12-mile, 68-hour journey through Los Angeles and Inglewood to the science center. Four IMAX films—The Dream Is Alive, Journey to Space 3D, Hubble 3D, and A Beautiful Planet 3D—will premiere Nov. 13.
General admission to the California Science Center and the new center is free. Due to anticipated demand, timed reservations are required for entry to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and can be booked in advance (with a service fee). Advance reservations are recommended, as entry may be limited or unavailable without them.
Private event rentals are available. More information and reservations are available at CaliforniaScienceCenter.org.
