Hands-On Exhibits at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, November 1, 2026

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center features interactive exhibits including a full-scale replica of the Endeavour’s flight deck, a virtual ISS experience, drone flying over a miniature Los Angeles, and Mars rover simulators with realistic communication delays. These hands-on attractions, along with flight simulators and an elevator ride offering close views of Endeavour, provide immersive educational opportunities that bring aerospace history and space exploration to life for visitors.

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center offers visitors a variety of hands-on exhibits designed to bring space exploration and aviation history to life. Among the interactive features is a detailed replica of the flight deck of the space shuttle Endeavour, complete with numerous switches and buttons, including an abort switch that allowed pilots to call off missions in emergencies. The exhibit includes both commander and pilot seats, one of which is wheelchair accessible, and a large windshield offering views of Endeavour’s shuttle stack.

Another immersive experience simulates floating inside the International Space Station (ISS). Visitors lie prone to operate controls on a joystick, propelling themselves through a virtual gravity-free environment displayed on a screen showing actual footage of the ISS interior captured by astronaut Scott Kelly.

Guests can also fly drones over a miniature model of Los Angeles, which features landmarks such as the Griffith Observatory, Capitol Records building, Randy’s Donuts, and the Hollywood sign. Netting surrounds the exhibit to prevent drones from striking other visitors.

Near actual Mars rover displays, a programming station allows participants to control small remote-operated Mars rovers across a fabricated Martian surface in search of signs of extraterrestrial life. The exhibit includes a simulated communication delay, reflecting the real time lag encountered when rover operators send commands from Earth to Mars.

One notable attraction is an elevator ride 140 feet up a launch tower adjacent to Endeavour, offering close-up views of the shuttle’s stack. Visitors can observe the heat-scarred tiles on the shuttle’s exterior and the crew hatch through which astronauts entered. The ride, available by reservation for a $10 fee, culminates in a glass-floored platform above Endeavour’s nose, providing a unique vantage point into the flight deck below.

The center also features cutting-edge air race flight simulators, allowing visitors to pilot historic aircraft such as the Pitts Special, JN-4 Jenny, and Velie Monocoupe. These simulators offer 360-degree rotation and accommodate up to two people per session. Participants can compete for leaderboard rankings, with reservations required and tickets priced at $12 for shared flights and $20 for solo flights.

For those interested in the physics of flight, a life-size wind tunnel lets visitors wear foam wings and experience the forces of lift and drag by moving their arms through high-speed airflow.

The center’s multimedia presentations include a short introductory film produced by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, featuring footage of Endeavour’s final launch and highlighting NASA’s space shuttle program. The film concludes dramatically as smoke fills the theater and the actual space shuttle Endeavour is revealed in its launch position, offering an emotional and immersive conclusion to the visitor experience.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.