A trip back into aviation history can be achieved near the outskirts of Houston’s Hobby Airport. On the East end of the property, just off Telephone Rd, the original Houston Municipal Airport terminal building stands. A historic building that once served as Houston’s first purpose-built airport. Bringing passenger flight to the city, opening to the public on September 28th, 1940.
The terminal operated as the Houston Municipal Airport from 1940 – 1955. Designed by architect Joseph Finger, known for his Art Deco builds. It is among only a few surviving buildings that showcase this classic style of modernistic design. The museum is filled with history linked to Houston’s civil aviation past.
“The building is now a City of Houston Protected Landmark, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated as a Historic Aerospace Site by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.” – 1940 Air Terminal Museum
“The city of Houston stabilized the exterior of the building, and members of the Houston Aviation Alliance worked to save the terminal. In 1998, the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society (HAHS), a nonprofit organization, was formed primarily to save the threatened terminal building. HAHS recognized that funding and renovation must be completed in phases, and created a plan to restore the building over time. In late 2003, HAHS’s contractors completed the asbestos and lead abatement of the north wing of the terminal. The abatement process stripped the original plaster from the interior walls, leaving the non-loadbearing tile curtain walls of the terminal intact.[8]
The North Wing of the Air Terminal was opened to the public in February 2004 as the first phase of the museum. The restored North Wing of the terminal housed the museum’s collection and gift shop and served as the museum’s base of operations while completing fund raising and restoration of the remainder of the building.
The rest of the building completed asbestos abatement in May 2008 and completed atrium and mezzanine reconstruction in February 2009. The full lower floor will be restored to its original condition when funds permit. The museum will spread out and occupy the entire first floor of the terminal building and then begin renovation of the upper floors.
The American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) designated the 1940 Air Terminal Museum a Historic Aerospace Site. The 1940 Air Terminal is the AIAA’s 35th aerospace site recognized as a rare example of classic Art Deco airport architecture.[9] In February 2010, the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society was presented with a Good Brick Award for excellence in preservation for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum. Good Brick Awards are given annually from the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance.[10] In 2008 the Houston Press declared the terminal the “Best Piece of Aviation History”.[11]
In 2008, HAHS was granted a license to the oldest hangar on Hobby Airport’s grounds, a 1929 Great Silver Fleet Maintenance Hangar. The organization used this hangar to display larger exhibits from the collection, such as three simulators, and HAHS’s aircraft collection, which includes a 1942 Lockheed Lodestar executive businessliner, and an S-58 Sikorsky Helicopter that was outfitted for civilian heavy lifting.” – Sourced from Wikipedia
Landry’s Restaurant and The Houston Rockets have neighboring hangars to the museum. If you go on the right day, you can get a great view of the team plane and the fleet of private jets owned by Tilman J. Fertitta.
8325 Travelair street
Houston, Texas 77061
(713) 454-1940
Operating hours & admission
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is open to the public between the hours of:
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday
The Museum is closed on Mondays.
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