Overview
- The California Science Center announced Wednesday that the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will open to the public on Nov. 13, 2026.
- Construction of the 200,000-square-foot building finished in April 2026 and the flown orbiter Endeavour was assembled into its vertical 'Go for Stack' full-launch configuration in 2024.
- The permanent display pairs Endeavour with real solid rocket boosters and ET-94, the last flight-qualified external tank that project leaders say NASA donated after negotiations and that they value at about $65 million.
- The Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery gives visitors multiple perspectives on the nearly 20-story stack, allowing them to walk beneath the main engines, peer into the open payload bay, and ride a glass elevator to an upper-level glass floor; the opening sequence includes a history film produced by Bad Robot and a theatrical reveal.
- The $450 million expansion nearly doubles the museum's exhibit space, reflects decades of planning and hardware sourcing, and museum officials are finalizing interactive exhibits, timed-entry ticketing and remaining fundraising as they prepare for high public demand.