The California Science Center in Los Angeles opened the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center to the public on Nov. 13, with NASA's retired space shuttle Endeavour displayed upright in launch position^1,2,3.

Space.com said the stacked orbiter towers at nearly 200 feet (61 meters) and that the new wing had been more than three decades in development¹. LAist described a 200,000-square-foot expansion and said Endeavour stands about 20 stories tall². NASA said the exhibit would reopen the weekend of Nov. 13 at the museum in downtown Los Angeles³.

Endeavour flew 25 missions to Earth orbit from 1992 to 2011 and helped begin assembly of the International Space Station, NASA and Space.com reported^1,3. Visitors can look inside the orbiter, lie beneath its engines and take an elevator up a replica launch tower to a transparent floor above the nose, Space.com said¹.

Space.com said former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, who flew on Endeavour, toured the exhibit¹. LAist said dozens of astronauts attended a Friday morning ceremony under the shuttle, including the crew of Endeavour's final mission and Sen. Mark Kelly².

Space.com said the museum and the new aerospace wing are free, but reservations are required during the first busy days and some reservation slots carry a fee¹. LAist said general admission is free and that the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is also free except for a $4 online reservation service fee for non-members².

LAist said the Kent Kresa Space Gallery includes activities to program a miniature Mars rover path and build a robotic spacecraft, plus Smithsonian-loaned flown Mercury and Gemini capsules².

NASA's accompanying post looked back at the Sept. 21, 2012, ferry flight, when Endeavour rode a 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft over California landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, Disneyland, Dodger Stadium and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum before it was trailered to the science center³.