History

1940 Houston Municipal Airport Terminal Building

The principal artifact of the museum is the building in which it is housed: a spectacular Art Deco structure designed by noted local architect Joseph Finger. The terminal, which also housed airport administrative functions and the airport control tower, opened on September 28, 1940 and served the airlines and their passengers until spring of 1955.

During that short period, the terminal oversaw a period of massive growth in air travel, from fewer than 100,000 passengers in its first year of operation, to nearly a million in 1954. After most airport operations were moved to an entirely new terminal on the north side of the airport (still in use today), the 1940 structure went through a long period of decline, and in 1978, abandonment.

WR-4 Hangar

Located up the street from the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, the Municipal Hangar WR-4 was constructed soon after the airport first opened in 1928 and is believed to be the oldest aviation-related structure still existing in Houston.

After serving successively as a maintenance facility for air mail planes, Eastern Air Lines' Houston maintenance base and eventually the 'Sky Travel' Fixed Base Operator, the hangar now provides shelter for the museum's collection of aircraft.

Virtual Galleries

Travel back in time with us as we explore Houston's rich aviation heritage.  In these virtual galleries, you will find historical photos and information dating back to when the museum was built.