California Science Center's New Air and Space Wing Redefines Hands‑On Learning

What the New Air and Space Center Offers

The California Science Center in Los Angeles has opened the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a 200,000‑square‑foot expansion that houses the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour. Completed on April 13, 2026, the wing adds nearly double the museum's exhibition space, inviting families, students, and tourists to engage directly with aerospace history through tactile displays, live demonstrations, and an IMAX theater. The shuttle's metallic hull glints under soft museum lighting, its surface cool to the touch, while a quiet hum of air‑conditioning underscores the space.

Endeavour as the Heart of the Wing

Endeavour rests on a raised platform, its orange‑trimmed nose contrasting with the sleek concrete floor. Visitors can walk around the orbiter, feeling the subtle vibration of a nearby interactive simulator. A teenager pauses at the entrance, adjusts his backpack, then steps forward to test a flight‑control module, embodying the museum's invitation to move from observation to participation.

Design, Texture, and Visitor Flow

Designed by ZGF Architects, the addition balances the efficiency of expanded exhibit space with the aesthetic of Exposition Park's historic landscape. The tension between maximizing square footage and preserving open, airy corridors is resolved through glass walls that frame the park's palm‑tree canopy, allowing natural light to mingle with the polished steel of the shuttle. This structural negotiation mirrors a broader cultural shift toward experiential learning environments that are both functional and reverent of place.

It matters because it transforms public science education into an accessible, interactive experience for a diverse city.

Beyond the gleam of Endeavour, the center signals a renewed commitment to hands‑on discovery, reminding us that curiosity thrives when space invites touch and thought alike.