Texas Historical Commission assessment
In late 2025, the board of directors met with the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and they evaluated the museum for inclusion to their Historic Sites Program.
Phase I was exploration / discovery of what the museum has and can contribute to their mission, Phase II was approval to meet all of their 8 requirements for proceeding to Phase III.
Today, we are happy to announce that THC has recommended advancing to a Phase III assessment - this is the final step toward formally adding the 1940 Air Terminal Museum to the THC Historic Sites Program as its first-ever aviation heritage site.
Phase III will finalize lease and partnership frameworks, rehabilitation scope and costs, and other key matters to make this a reality.
While this is good news, this is not done yet, and still requires cooperation & coordination from both state and city governments.
You can help make this happen! Contact these Houston leaders and let them know you support preserving the 1940 Air Terminal as part of Texas history:
Mario Castillo
City Council Member, District I
Mayor John Whitmire
Office of the Mayor, City of Houston
Texas Senator Carol Alvarado
Texas State Senate
Tell them: "I support adding the 1940 Air Terminal Museum to the Texas Historical Commission Historic Sites Program."
Click here for the full report from THC.
See a summary of the report below.
Phase II Assessment — 1940 Air Terminal Museum
(September 2025)
Purpose: This is a formal Phase II assessment conducted by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to evaluate whether the 1940 Air Terminal Museum in Houston should be brought into the THC's Historic Sites Program under a lease and partnership agreement with the City of Houston and the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society (HAHS).
The Property
The 1940 Air Terminal is Houston's first purpose-built passenger terminal, designed in the Art Deco style and located adjacent to William P. Hobby Airport. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is described as the only historic Art Deco commercial air terminal operating as a museum in the United States. While the building retains strong architectural integrity, it has significant ADA compliance gaps, exposed walls, and infrastructure needs requiring modernization.
Collections
The museum holds an extensive collection including aircraft (a Lockheed Lodestar, Sikorsky helicopter, etc.), airline uniforms, memorabilia from carriers like Braniff, Continental, Pan Am, and Southwest, over 750 aviation books, simulators, vintage ground equipment, and special collections related to NASA and the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots).
Community & Educational Value
The report highlights strong support from Houston civic groups, universities (UH, Rice), and the aviation industry. It envisions expanded STEM programming, aviation career days, and partnerships with the Houston Airport System and corporate entities like Million Air.
Business Plan & Finances
The museum historically generated approximately $336,000 in annual revenue. The report outlines a path to grow revenue through admissions, venue rentals (weddings, corporate events), a themed "$100 Hamburger" diner, retail, and corporate sponsorships. Capital rehabilitation costs are projected over 2–3 budget cycles, with annual operating costs projected at approximately $500,000 including 5–7 staff.
Assessment Conclusions
The museum meets all eight THC criteria for inclusion in the Historic Sites Program, though the property transfer requires negotiating lease terms with the City of Houston.
Recommendation
THC staff recommend advancing to a Phase III assessment to finalize lease/partnership frameworks, conduct structural evaluations, scope rehabilitation costs, and identify corporate partnership opportunities — with the goal of formally adding the 1940 Air Terminal as the THC's first aviation heritage site.