L.A.'s California Science Center: Final Home of Shuttle Endeavour (Photos)

By SPACE.com Staff | October 10, 2012 04:01pm ET

California Science Center's Howard F. Ahmanson Building

California Science Center's Howard F. Ahmanson Building is seen here from the Exposition Park Rose Garden. Soon to be the home of retired space shuttle Endeavour, the museum also offers many other space and science exhibits for visitors. See our photos of Endeavour flying to Los Angeles. Plan a visit to the California Science Center with info from their website, www.californiasciencecenter.org.

California Science Center Names Shuttle Endeavour Wing After Samuel Oschin

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (at left) joined others on May 17, 2012 at the California Science Center to name the new and future home of NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour for the late Samuel Oschin, an entrepreneur, explorer and philanthropist.

California Science Center's Main Entrance

The California Science Center stands in Exposition Park, Los Angeles.

Endeavour Landing in Front of LAX Theme Building

Space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) performs a low flyby past the tower at Los Angeles International Airport, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Beginning Oct. 30, the shuttle will be on display in the California Science Center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, embarking on its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and educate and inspire future generations of explorers.

Shuttle Endeavour's Route Through Los Angeles

This map shows the 12-mile route the space shuttle Endeavour will take from Los Angeles International Airport (lower left) to the California Science Center on Oct. 12-13, 2012.

Endeavour Atop Over Land Transporter

Space shuttle Endeavour is seen atop the Over Land Transporter in a hangar at Los Angeles International Airport.

Shuttle Endeavour Hoisted Off Carrier Plane

The overland transporter is moved into position below the space shuttle Endeavour not long after the orbiter was demated from the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) during the early morning hours on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, at Los Angeles International Airport.

Endeavour on Runway at LAX

A crowd of people is on hand to greet shuttle Endeavour at Los Angeles International Airport on September 21, 2012, as seen in this still taken from a NBC4 television broadcast.

Endeavour with Chase Plane Shadow

Space shuttle Endeavour, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) lands at Los Angeles International Airport, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. The shadow of a NASA F-18 chase jet wing is shown in the foreground. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Beginning Oct. 30, the shuttle will be on display in the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, embarking on its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and educate and inspire future generations of explorers.

California Science Center Main Atrium

Interior of the California Science Center showing the main atrium.

Aerial Mobile of the California Science Center

The Aerial Mobile hangs in The Robert H. Lorsch Family Pavilion of the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The pavilion stands 88 feet high and is 100 feet in diameter. Inside a swirl of colored light, from a skylight made of dichroic glass, fills the Lorsch Pavilion and envelops visitors in a color spectrum ranging from soft yellow to deep purple, depending on the position of the sun. A centerpiece of the pavilion is the Aerial Mobile, a hanging sculpture comprised of 1,578 spheres, each hand-covered in gold leaf and palladium leaf, varying in size from 3 inches to 7 inches. The spheres, symbolizing the planets of the universe, are attached to 342 cables suspended from the ceiling of the Lorsch Pavilion.