Endeavour Goes Vertical: Los Angeles Unveils Shuttle's Towering New Home

Endeavour Goes Vertical: Los Angeles Unveils Shuttle's Towering New Home

A Nov. 13 opening date, with the shuttle standing tall

The California Science Center has unveiled the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a 200,000-square-foot expansion that will open to the public at 10 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2026. Its centerpiece is Space Shuttle Endeavour, displayed upright in launch configuration alongside two authentic solid rocket boosters and ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified external tank. Members of the media were given an advance preview of the nearly 200-foot-high gallery.

Officials bill it as the only authentic launch stack on Earth

The Science Center and the Governor of California describe the installation as the world's first and only authentic display of a flown space shuttle in launch position. Instead of resting horizontally as it did for years, Endeavour now points skyward as if on the pad, with visitors able to view it from multiple levels wrapped around the gallery.

Why vertical: a $450-million, 20-story bet

The new center roughly doubles the museum's footprint in Exposition Park. Designed by ZGF Architects and completed in April, the complex reportedly cost $450 million, with the foundation's EndeavourLA campaign raising more than $415 million toward that goal. Beyond the shuttle gallery, the building houses aviation and universe galleries with 100 interactive exhibits, plus flown capsules, rockets and telescopes.

25 flights, 122 million miles of history

Endeavour, the youngest orbiter, flew 25 missions between its May 1992 debut and its final flight in May-June 2011. It logged 122,883,151 miles over 299 days in space and 4,671 orbits of Earth. Its resume includes the first servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope in December 1993, delivery of the first U.S. component of the International Space Station, the Canadarm2 robotic arm, and elements of Japan's Kibo module. Built in Palmdale, about an hour's drive away, it returned to California in 2012 with a carrier flight over Southern California followed by a 12-mile street journey from LAX to Exposition Park.

What it means for visitors: free entry, $4 to reserve

General admission remains free, but advance reservations for the new building are strongly encouraged. Public booking opened Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m., with members getting early access from Oct. 19. A $4-per-person reservation service fee applies, waived for members; parties of up to 19 can book in one entry slot, while groups of 20 or more use a separate group line or call 213-744-2019. Walk-up entry may be limited.

What comes next: a pilgrimage site for space fans

The Los Angeles Times calls the shuttle gallery a wonder that turns Southern California's aerospace legacy into an immersive experience. Expect opening-day slots to go fast, with the vertical Endeavour set to anchor school trips and space tourism in Los Angeles for decades.