Construction of massive Space Shuttle Endeavour exhibit completed at California Science Center

The massively ambitious project to construct a facility around the Space Shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center in Los Angeles is now completed.

The four-year construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was officially marked as complete on Monday, according to officials for the museum, which is located in Exposition Park on the campus of the University of Southern California.

The Air and Space Center surrounds NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour, which was moved into an upright position in 2024, and was connected to real solid rocket boosters and the last-surviving “flight-qualified” external tank. The project to move Endeavour upright and into its “full stack” configuration took six months, and the breathtaking exhibit will serve as the centerpiece of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

From there, crews built the facility from the ground up, surrounding Endeavour with 360-degree walkways that rise up and above the nearly 200-feet tall exhibit.

USC students and visitors, or those attending a match or concert at BMO Stadium, have watched the progress of the construction since its groundbreaking in late 2022. The design of the exhibit’s exterior is described as “unique” with a 200-ton “curvilinear stainless-steel exterior” inspired by the aerodynamic design of the Space Shuttle Endeavour itself.

Designers sought to create a landmark that was unlike any other, with the knowledge that it could be visible from various neighborhoods across Los Angeles.

“The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was truly a project of passion for everyone involved,” said Steven F. Matt, chairman of the construction firm hired to realize the vision of the project designers. “[It] stands as a tribute to the generations who built our aerospace legacy and will continue to inspire children for decades to come.”

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With the project’s completion, the California Science Center has nearly doubled in size with more than 200,000 square feet of expanded space for educational exhibits.

Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, says the new facility will “stand as an enduring source of inspiration” for the next generation of scientists and explorers.

“Through the development of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the California Science Center is fulfilling a decades-long dream,” Rudolph said in a news release. “This amazing project significantly expands our ability to accomplish our mission, to stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone, on a scale and with an impact unlike anything in our history.”

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With interest in space exploration and discovery at an all-time high thanks to NASA’s successful Artemis II mission earlier this month, the completion of the Endeavour exhibit couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time.

When will the Endeavour exhibit open to the public?

As for what’s next for the Air and Space Center, design crews are already working to fill out the rest of the facility with historic artifacts and interactive exhibits among its three major multi-level galleries.

“Through an impressive collection of 100 aerospace artifacts integrated with 100 new hands-on exhibits, the Air and Space Center will showcase authentic aircraft and spacecraft to encourage active learning through discovery,” museum officials said.

Among them, a Harrier T.4 fighter jet will reside in the Korean Air Aviation Gallery. Late last year, museum officials announced the installation of a Rocket Lab launch vehicle and a Solid Rocket Booster segment would be placed in the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.

The process of installing artifacts and exhibits has been described as “intensive work” by museum officials, and will take several months to complete. With that process, as well as the finishing touches needed before the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is officially ready, a date for the public debut has not yet been set.

An official opening day is expected to be announced in several months.

On the eve of the major construction milestone, Rudolph thanked the individuals and corporate donors who helped make the Endeavour exhibit a reality.

“The support we’ve received has propelled us closer to opening the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and serves as an investment in the future of science learning,” Rudolph said.

The project, officials said, is estimated to cost around $450 million—the majority funding of which has already been secured. Donations for the outstanding balance are still welcomed and appreciated.

The rest of the California Science Center remains open to the public while the final work continues on the Air and Space Center. Admission to the museum, which is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums, is free.

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