In 2010, the center announced a $100 million plan to house a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in a 10-story 64,000 square feet (5,900 m²) facility.
On April 12, 2011, the 30th anniversary of the launch of STS-1, NASA announced that Space Shuttle Atlantis would be provided to the visitors center for display after its last flight on STS-135 and subsequent decommissioning.
The exhibit officially opened on June 29, 2013, offering a nearly 360-degree view of the shuttle.
Atlantis is positioned at a 43.21 degrees angle with the payload bay doors open; a view only previously seen in space.

The exhibit also includes a life sized replica of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Shuttle program's astrovan, Dr. Maxime Faget’s Shuttle prototype from 1969, a large-scale slide mimicking the 22 degree slope of a Space Shuttle when landing, numerous astronaut training and Shuttle simulators, and other displays about life in space.
On the ground level is the "Forever Remembered" exhibit, commemorating the 14 astronauts lost in both Space Shuttle Challenger and Space Shuttle Columbia disasters.
Forever Remembered includes personal artifacts from the astronauts, two recovered pieces of the Shuttles, footage of the physical and emotional recovery, and the return to flight.

This exhibit replaced the Space Shuttle Explorer which was a full-scale, high-fidelity replica of the Space Shuttle which visitors were able to board.
Explorer was removed from the KSC Visitor Center on December 11, 2011, and relocated to the Vehicle Assembly Building's turn basin dock adjacent to the Launch Complex 39 Press Site.
The vehicle remained at the turn basin until 2012, when it was moved to the Space Center Houston.
In 2010, the center announced a $100 million plan to house a retired Space Shuttle orbiter in a 10-story 64,000 square feet (5,900 m²) facility. On April 12, 2011, the 30th anniversary of the launch of STS-1, NASA announced that Space Shuttle Atlantis would be provided to the visitors center for display after its last flight on STS-135 and subsequent decommissioning. The exhibit officially opened on June 29, 2013, offering a nearly 360-degree view of the shuttle. Atlantis is positioned at a 43.21 degrees angle with the payload bay doors open; a view only previously seen in space.
The exhibit also includes a life sized replica of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Shuttle program's astrovan, Dr. Maxime Faget’s Shuttle prototype from 1969, a large-scale slide mimicking the 22 degree slope of a Space Shuttle when landing, numerous astronaut training and Shuttle simulators, and other displays about life in space. On the ground level is the "Forever Remembered" exhibit, commemorating the 14 astronauts lost in both Space Shuttle Challenger and Space Shuttle Columbia disasters. Forever Remembered includes personal artifacts from the astronauts, two recovered pieces of the Shuttles, footage of the physical and emotional recovery, and the return to flight.
This exhibit replaced the Space Shuttle Explorer which was a full-scale, high-fidelity replica of the Space Shuttle which visitors were able to board. Explorer was removed from the KSC Visitor Center on December 11, 2011, and relocated to the Vehicle Assembly Building's turn basin dock adjacent to the Launch Complex 39 Press Site. The vehicle remained at the turn basin until 2012, when it was moved to the Space Center Houston.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex