1940’s Air Terminal Museum

It was a dark and dense fog morning. Mystery permeated the air. The sun struggled to stretch its rays beyond the thick and frothy clouds. The weather warned to say inside, but I remained undeterred. For that morning, I was going to the 1940’s Air Terminal Museum.

I love vintage sheet and planes are cool. So, it only makes sense that I am so drawn to the Air Terminal Museum. This unique establishment houses so much history as it was the first passenger airport to operate in Houston. In the late 1920’s, way before the air terminal came into existence, it was a private 600-acre landing field. The City of Houston purchased it to meet the increasing demand for air travel. The air terminal went in to service on September 28, 1940 and was then known as the Houston Municipal Airport Terminal. The small airport expanded quickly and was renamed he Houston International Air Terminal around 1950. Obviously, the growth continued to what is now Hobby Airport, one of three major airports in Houston.

Turning in to the parking lot you can’t help to notice one remarkable structure. I’ve watched enough episodes of Poirot to have an appreciation for art deco design. The Air Terminal Museum definitely stands as an example of a time period when art deco was extremely prominent. In the late 70’s the manager of Hobby Airport wanted to tear down the old building to make more ramp space. However, aeronautical and history enthusiast jumped to action to stop the demolition.

The museum is filled with fascinating artifacts and there are volunteers that serve as docents who are eager to share with you their knowledge of aviation history. There is one story they shared with me that stood out among the rest. Now look, I do not know how true this story is but, I will tell you the story as it was told to me. Wanna hear it? Here it go…

Back in the day, Elizbeth Taylor would frequently fly in to Houston to film the movie Giant. A portion of the movie was filmed in Marfa, TX. Legend has it that Elizabeth hated coming to Houston because in her opinion, it was a” hot and humid hick town”. Well… (shrug emoji). The air terminal manager at the time caught wind of her complaints. To try to make things more comfortable for Ms. Taylor, he elevated the powder room with a couch and stylish vanity dresser. The couch and vanity were preserved and is prominently displayed in the women’s restroom.

Overall, I enjoyed my visit to the Air Terminal Museum, but there was one major area of disappointment. The website mentions a hangar that houses various planes. I was truly looking forward to seeing these planes up close and in person. When I asked about the hangar, I was told that it was not a part of regular admission. I was very disappointed. Apparently, the hangar is located down the street. I don’t recall seeing a separate admission for the hangar on the website. So, if you are interested in seeing the planes in the hangar, please call ahead for clarity. I would not want you to endure such grave and egregious disappointment. But we live on.