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LOS ANGELES — The California Science Center officially opened its brand-new Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center to the public today (Nov. 13).
After more than three decades in development, folks can finally visit the Los Angeles science museum’s massive new wing. For most of us, the biggest draw is its centerpiece: the retired space shuttle Endeavour, sitting upright in launch position, towering at nearly 200 feet (61 meters) tall.
“It just takes your breath away when you see that reveal and the doors open and you get to look at it for the first time. It’s just — it’s overwhelming,” former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman told Space.com during a visit to the museum. Reisman flew on two space shuttle missions during his astronaut career, the first of which was on Endeavour.
“There are people that come from all over the world, and when they come to Los Angeles, they’re going to have the opportunity to see it, too,” Reisman added. “The exposure it’s going to have is just a force multiplier. There are so many people that can have that opportunity to bring their kids here and show them [the shuttle] and have that experience.”
Entering into this exhibit is an experience in and of itself, as I can personally attest; I was among of group of reporters who got a sneak peek at the new wing on Oct. 28. A video presentation ends in a dramatic reveal: Visitors walk into a space where the enormous shuttle, which flew 25 missions to Earth orbit from 1992 to 2011, feels truly larger than life.
There are a number of interactive exhibits around the base of Endeavour, which you can slide down to (though, of course, you can also take the elevator or stairs). From a shuttle landing simulator to a replica of a shuttle cockpit that you can sit in, to shuttle tires and space tech from across decades of spaceflight history, there’s an incredible variety of space artifacts to both observe and interact with.
As for Endeavour itself: It is open, so you can peer inside to see the robotic arm tucked away among a myriad of handles, straps and electronic gear inside. And you can see the shuttle from underneath all the way to the top.
You can lie on the floor underneath the shuttle’s engines, for example, and then take an elevator up the launch tower to come face-to-face with Endeavour’s nose. There’s even a transparent floor at the top that allows you to stand above the shuttle (though if you have a fear of heights, this might not be for you).
This is the abbreviated description, but know that if you are visiting the California Science Center, you will want to budget a serious amount of time to explore all that this new center has to offer.
The new air and space center is designed for all ages, and for civilians and astronauts alike. For instance, looking at Endeavour spurred some memories for Reisman: He reflected on his time aboard the shuttle and his time as an astronaut and pinpointed specific places on the shuttle that played important roles in his mission.
“I’m looking at handrails that I held onto during a spacewalk,” he said. “They’re the same handrails. My hand was in the glove, but it was wrapped around those handrails. And I practiced for a long time exactly how I was going to do that, how I was going to root my tether, and all that kind of stuff. And I get to stand [here] now. When you go up the elevator there, you can actually have a direct view of those handrails, and every time I see that, I’m thinking about that spacewalk.”
But you don’t need to have completed a spacewalk to get that view. And, as of today, the general public is welcome to visit the museum, which is free to the public — as is the new aerospace center with its Endeavour exhibit.
However, due to the excitement over this new center opening, you will need to make a reservation online to attend. And, while the museum is free to the public, there is a cost associated with reserving slots during these busy first few days.