The future of Houston’s 1940 Air Terminal Museum, Houston, Texas, has taken a positive turn after the Texas Historical Commission (THC) signed a six-month lease for the historic terminal building, giving officials additional time to evaluate whether the site could become part of the state’s historic sites system. The agreement also halts plans to remove the museum’s artifacts while the assessment is underway. The lease, which took effect July 1, allows the commission to continue what museum officials describe as the final phase of its review. During the six-month period, the THC will assess the building’s maintenance needs, determine what improvements are required to meet safety and accessibility standards, and evaluate whether operating the museum as a state historic site would be financially sustainable.
(Image credit: 1940 Air Terminal Museum/Facebook)
“While there is no guarantee for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum to be reopened as a state historic site, we enter this final phase of assessment with optimism,” said Joseph Bell, Executive Director of the Texas Historical Commission. “We will make every consideration possible to move forward in that direction.” The museum welcomed the announcement in a statement posted on social media, noting that it had already satisfied all requirements for inclusion in the Texas Historical Commission’s historic sites program. Museum officials described the lease as the best possible outcome for preserving both the Art Deco terminal and its collection while the state completes its evaluation. They added that the commission’s review will help determine how the facility can be preserved and protected for the future.
(Image credit: 1940 Air Terminal Museum/Facebook)
The development follows several difficult months for the museum. In March, the Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society, the nonprofit that operates the museum, announced that it was forced to cease operations after mounting financial pressures made continued operation unsustainable. As previously reported by us (click HERE to read about it), museum officials later began liquidating non-core assets as they prepared to vacate the building while continuing to seek a long-term preservation solution (you can find all the items available for sale HERE). According to the museum, the nonprofit still carries outstanding debts and will continue selling selected non-core assets acquired over the years to help meet its financial obligations. Officials emphasized that the items being offered are not central to the museum’s mission of preserving and interpreting Houston’s civil aviation history, while the museum’s core collection remains protected during the state’s review.
(Image credit: © 2013 1940 Air Terminal Museum - Blair McFarlain)
Located at Houston’s former municipal airport, the 1940 Air Terminal Museum occupies the city’s original passenger terminal, which opened in 1940 and served commercial aviation until the mid-1950s. The restored Art Deco landmark preserves the story of Houston’s early airline era and has long been regarded as one of the nation’s best-preserved examples of a pre-jet-age airline terminal. Although the museum remains closed to the public, officials said they are optimistic that the six-month evaluation represents the strongest opportunity yet to secure a permanent future for the historic terminal and its collections. For more information and to support the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, click on this link: www.1940airterminal.org.
(Image credit: 1940 Air Terminal Museum/Facebook)
