1940 Air Terminal Museum

Located on Telephone Road (Highway 35) on the far side of William P. Hobby Airport near the modern day control tower you will find a very unique museum that cannot be found in many other places in the US. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum is the restored original air terminal for the city of Houston from 1940. It is a beautiful Art Deco terminal that was used during the beginning of US air travel. It was a time before TSA security, and a time where airlines served full meals and people got dressed up to fly. Inside the museum the first floor has been fully restored and contains exhibits about aviation and air travel in Houston and exhibits about many of the airlines current and past that have serviced Houston over the years. There are exhibits on Pan Am, Braniff, TWA, Delta, Southwest, Continental and many others. You can visit on the ramp the mueums Lockheed Loadstar plane that was used as a private plane for business travel. The museum is a great place to also watch airport operations at Hobby airport being right on a taxiway. We have spent time watching Southwest, Delta, American and private planes takeoff and land at Hobby. In the parking lot they have a painted private jet and a twin engine prop plane to see. The museum also has great special events called Wings And Wheels every third Saturday each month. Wings and Wheels has a theme of planes and/or cars for you to visit plus food and other activities. The proceeds go to the museum to help continue the renovations. We have been quite a few times and they are a nice way to get out and see something different on a Saturday for an affordable price ($10 or less a person). The past two years they have had a great temporary exhibit for Christmas called Space Age Christmas Trees. It displays aluminum Christmas Trees from the 1950s-1960s. Its a great collection and a look into past Christmas celebrations. Its truly a great and unique museum you should go visit right here in Houston. The current price for adults in $10 and the museum will take you an hour or two to visit. Check it out!