Korean Air has unveiled its donated Boeing 747 aircraft at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, marking a milestone in the airline’s decades-long relationship with the city.
The commemorative event took place on May 12, 2026, with Walter Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air and Hanjin Group, and Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center, in attendance alongside key stakeholders and media.
The aircraft will be the centerpiece of the newly named Korean Air Aviation Gallery, one of three major exhibition spaces within the California Science Center’s upcoming Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
(1) The California Science Center shows off the Korean Air 747 Experience at the future home of the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center in Los Angeles. 05-12-26 pic.twitter.com/qMpR0qvRlc
— Matt Hartman (@ShorealoneFilms) May 12, 2026
A piece of aviation history
The donated aircraft is a Boeing 747-400 with tail number HL7489. The double-decker, widebody jet stands 19.4 meters tall and flew for Korean Air from 1994 to 2014. Over its two decades of service, the aircraft completed 13,842 flights and logged 86,095 flight hours, playing a key role in the airline’s growth into a global carrier.
The 70-foot forward section of the fuselage, including its upper and main decks, belly cargo hold, and landing gear, is being transformed into a hands-on educational exhibit.
What visitors can expect
The exhibit, called The 747 Experience, will offer visitors a chance to explore the aircraft inside and out through a range of interactive displays.
Highlights include a simulated flight from Los Angeles to Seoul in the 747 Experience Theater, a Wind Tunnels Exhibit where guests can experiment in a wind tunnel lab and try a “Wear-A-Wing” activity to understand the forces that make planes fly, and a Design a Plane Exhibit where visitors can test aircraft designs, wing shapes, and parachute launches.
Guests will also be able to view the landing gear and wheel mechanics, exposed hydraulic systems, belly cargo loading operations, and an interactive cockpit display. Virtual flight experiences will explain aerodynamic principles, and exhibits will spotlight aviation careers including flight operations, cabin crew, air traffic control, and maintenance.
More than a donation
The gift reflects Korean Air’s gratitude to the Los Angeles community, which has supported the airline for more than 50 years.
“For more than five decades, Los Angeles has served as a second home for Korean Air, and we are proud to support the California Science Center’s mission of innovation,” Cho said. “Our vision for the Korean Air Aviation Gallery is to spark curiosity and wonder in the next generation. By showcasing the science and imagination behind flight, we want to inspire young visitors to become the pilots, engineers, and innovators of tomorrow.”
Rudolph said the partnership with Korean Air is helping create a world-class learning experience.
“Together, we are creating a one-of-a-kind educational resource that will benefit not only the children and youth of our shared Los Angeles community but will inspire future generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers from across the globe,” Rudolph said.
A gallery taking shape
The Korean Air Aviation Gallery will eventually showcase the 747 alongside approximately 20 other aircraft. Several have already been installed and suspended from the ceiling, including a Grumman F11F-1 Tiger, the US Navy’s first supersonic fighter jet; a Convair F-106A Delta Dart, the fastest single-engine turbojet-powered airplane; a Pitts Special S-1C aerobatic biplane; and a Hawker Siddeley Harrier T.4, the first jet with operational vertical and short takeoff and landing capabilities.
The Korean Air Aviation Gallery sits alongside the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery within the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. An opening date for the center has not been announced.
