New exhibit housing Endeavour Space Shuttle set to open at California Science Center in November
The Endeavour Space Shuttle will have a new permanent home inside the California Science Center in Exposition Park, opening in November.
The science center announced on Wednesday that the space shuttle will be housed inside the newly built Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery. This will be the only place in the world where visitors will be able to see a shuttle displayed in a 20-story launch position.
The new exhibit is scheduled to open on Nov. 13 and has been more than a decade in the making. The gallery is the centerpiece of the new $450 million Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center expansion. It is the third and final phase of the center's three-phase, three-decade master plan to create one of the world's leading science learning centers.
"In addition to preserving a critical chapter in space exploration, the gallery will also offer an unparalleled educational experience, allowing guests to view this national treasure and engineering marvel from multiple perspectives and elevations," the California Science Center said.
The expansion nearly doubles the California Science Center's exhibit space, showcases a collection of 100 artifacts, as well as interactive experiences focused on science and engineering.
"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," Gov. Gavin Newsom said. "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."
The Space Shuttle Endeavour was retired in 2012 after its 25th and final mission, STS-134, which concluded in May 2011.
The shuttle was flown to LA on top of a NASA-modified Boeing 747 aircraft and was then towed through the streets of LA before making it to the California Science Center.
The shuttle was on display for years along with the ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified external tank. In 2022, construction began on a new 200-foot-high building at the space center that would house the orbiter and tank upright.
