The California Science Center announced Monday the completion of construction on its new $450-million Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center, a monumental project more than 30 years in the making. The new 20-story, 200,000-square-foot building dramatically expands the Exposition Park landmark, nearly doubling its exhibit space and creating a permanent home for the retired space shuttle Endeavour.
At the heart of the expansion is the space shuttle itself, positioned in a breathtaking vertical "ready-to-launch" configuration. This unique display, complete with genuine rocket boosters from Northrop Grumman and a massive external fuel tank from NASA, marks the first time a real shuttle has been exhibited this way outside of an active NASA or Air Force launch facility. It promises visitors an unparalleled and immersive experience.
The shuttle Endeavour is a veteran of 25 space missions between 1992 and its retirement in 2011. Its journey to Los Angeles in 2012 was a celebrated public event, as it flew over the city atop a modified Boeing 747 before being carefully paraded through city streets to the awe of thousands. For more than a decade, it was housed in a temporary horizontal display pavilion. In January 2024, Angelenos once again watched with bated breath as crews undertook the complex overnight operation to lift and secure the 122-foot-long orbiter into its final, soaring upright position.
A decades-long vision realised
The completion of the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center is the culmination of a master plan first adopted in 1993. The a project represents a long-held ambition to create a world-class centre for aerospace education and inspiration. The transformation of the California Museum of Science and Industry into the California Science Center in 1998 set the stage for this grand, multi-phase expansion.
For Jeffrey Rudolph, the Science Center’s president and chief executive, the moment is a testament to decades of dedication from his team and the community. The new wing not only provides a home for Endeavour but also solidifies the Science Center's position as a leading educational institution in Southern California.
Innovative design creates immersive experience
Designed by the architectural firm ZGF Architects, the new building is an engineering marvel intended to enhance the spectacle of the shuttle. The exterior features a massive, curved structural framework of diagonally intersecting steel beams, known as a diagrid. This innovative design choice eliminates the need for interior support columns, providing completely unobstructed views of the nearly 200-foot-tall shuttle stack from multiple observation levels.
Ted Hyman, a partner at ZGF Architects, explained that the goal was to make visitors feel as though they are on an actual launch pad, not inside a building. “The idea is that you don’t have a sense there’s a building at all,” he said. This immersive effect is further enhanced by the dim lighting in the shuttle gallery, an artistic choice that also serves the practical purpose of protecting the light-sensitive orbiter. While the interior is designed to fade into the background, the metallic exterior has already become a colossal, can't-miss landmark, visible from nearby freeways and particularly striking at sunset.
More than just a shuttle
While Endeavour is the undeniable star, the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center will feature three distinct galleries filled with significant aerospace artifacts and interactive exhibits. The Korean Air Aviation Gallery will explore the principles of flight, showcasing around 25 aircraft ranging from historic planes like a WWII-era "Vampire" jet to modern supersonic fighters. Another major attraction will be the Kent Kresa Space Gallery, which will house a variety of spacecraft, telescopes, and planetary probes. Signalling its commitment to covering contemporary aerospace, the museum has acquired a SpaceX Cargo Dragon, a direct link to California’s ongoing leadership in the private space industry. Building on this theme, the venue also highlights infrastructure developments such as the Airport rail link, which is moving forward as builders are shortlisted. “There’s a lot of amazing things going on in aviation and space, and a lot of it happening in California,” Rudolph says, noting the goal is to “show people that this isn’t all history.” To engage younger visitors, the centre will include hands-on installations like a 747 flight simulator and a 45-foot-long slide that will take guests down to the base of the shuttle stack.
A philanthropic legacy
The centre is named for the late Samuel Oschin, a businessman and philanthropist. His foundation’s generous donation was instrumental to the project, as well as to other local institutions like the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. Lynda Oschin, his wife, called the completed structure a “dream come true.”
This space shuttle is everything rolled into one that my husband loved: astronomy, innovation, exploration, science, math and especially children. What this is going to do for the children is just incredible.
She added that her husband, whose photo is in Endeavour’s cockpit, would have been proud but also “a little embarrassed” to have his name on the building housing such an iconic piece of history. With construction complete, the Science Center team is now focused on the final installation of all artifacts and exhibits across the three galleries. Museum officials plan to announce a formal opening date this summer, with the goal of debuting before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympic Games.
