When the 1940 Air Terminal Museum closed unexpectedly in March 5, 2026, officials hoped that would serve as a wake-up call to the local community, as well as the aviation community.
Officials cited a “perfect storm” of financial pressures, including the fact that the museum is housed in the original Houston Municipal Airport Terminal at William P. Hobby Airport (KHOU), which was built with Public Works Administration funds in 1940, and one of the few surviving examples of classic Art Deco airport architecture from that era. It was designed by architect Joseph Finger, who also designed Houston’s City Hall.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means that “its preservation is not simply a local concern — it is a matter of national cultural heritage,” officials said.
“While that designation provides legal protections against demolition, it does not guarantee funding for upkeep,” officials said. “The ongoing maintenance of a structure of this age and architectural complexity requires a steady, reliable, and substantial financial commitment that the current model has proven unable to sustain.”
In late 2025, the museum’s board of directors met with the Texas Historical Commission (THC), which began the process of evaluating the museum for inclusion into its Historic Sites Program.
The evaluation has proved successful, with the museum passing through Phase i and Phase II of the commission’s assessment.
Phase III 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, museum officials said.
“Phase III will finalize lease and partnership frameworks, rehabilitation scope and costs, and other key matters to make this a reality,” officials said. “While this is good news, this is not done yet, and still requires cooperation and coordination from both state and city governments.”
Museum officials are calling on everyone to reach out to local leaders to tell them to support preserving the terminal as part of the state’s history.
There are links on the museum’s website to local leaders, as well as a summary of the historical commission’s findings.
For more information: 1940AirTerminal.org
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