Kansas Aviation Museum
The former Wichita Municipal Airport terminal is one of America’s finest WPA-era Art Deco buildings, where Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and Howard Hughes once walked the same polished terrazzo floors that still gleam today.
At a glance
Built in 1935 with Works Progress Administration funding, the Kansas Aviation Museum occupies the original Wichita Municipal Airport terminal designed by architect Glen H. Thomas. Its streamlined Art Deco form—horizontal banding, curved corners, and a central tower—embodied America’s optimism toward commercial aviation just as the industry was taking shape. The building served as the city’s primary air gateway for nearly two decades before McConnell Air Force Base absorbed the airfield in 1954. Restored and reopened as a museum in 1990, it stands on the National Register of Historic Places as a rare surviving example of 1930s airport architecture.
Key facts
- Completed: March 31, 1935 (groundbreaking June 1930)
- Architect: Glen H. Thomas
- Style: Art Deco / WPA Moderne
- Funding: Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- NRHP listed: June 11, 1990 (ref. 90000908) — listed as “Administration Building”
- Address: 3350 George Washington Blvd., Wichita, KS 67210
- GPS: 37.63222°N, 97.27361°W
History
Wichita’s ambitions as “the Air Capital of the World” were already well-founded by 1930: the city manufactured more aircraft than any other in the United States. Mayor Clapp broke ground on the new municipal terminal in June 1930, and the WPA-funded structure was formally dedicated on March 31, 1935, after Mayor Brinkman led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The opening coincided with a golden age of celebrity aviation—among those who passed through were Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Wiley Post, and Fred Astaire, each leaving the terminal’s guest register signed.
When the United States entered World War II, the U.S. Army Air Corps leased the airfield in 1941. By 1954 the site had been fully incorporated into McConnell Air Force Base, and scheduled commercial service shifted to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. The terminal sat largely dormant for decades. Aviation enthusiasts and preservationists rallied to save it, and in 1990—the same year the building earned its National Register listing—the Kansas Aviation Museum opened its doors. Today the museum houses over 35 historic aircraft and rotating exhibitions on Kansas aviation history.
What you see
Glen H. Thomas’s design captures the machine-age optimism of 1930s aeronautical culture. The facade is organized around a projecting central tower that anchors symmetrical wings, each clad in smooth concrete with horizontal speed-stripe reliefs that echo the streamlined aircraft the terminal was built to receive. Large window bays flood the waiting hall with light, their steel framing a functional echo of the aircraft hangars beyond. The building’s horizontal emphasis, rounded corners, and geometric ornament are characteristic of WPA Moderne—a restrained cousin of high Art Deco that favored civic dignity over theatrical extravagance.
Inside, original terrazzo floors and decorative metalwork survive in the public areas. The main hall retains the proportions of its aviation heyday: high ceilings, ticket counter niches, and departure gates that once opened directly onto the tarmac. The overall effect is of frozen motion—a building shaped by speed that has stood still for ninety years.
Practical information
- Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 10 AM–4 PM; closed Sunday–Monday and major holidays
- Admission: Charged; check the museum website for current rates and group discounts
- Best time to visit: Spring and fall; summer can be warm inside the hangar areas
- Allow: 2–3 hours to see the terminal building and aircraft collection
- Accessibility: Ground floor fully accessible; ramp access to exhibit hangars
Getting there
The museum sits at 3350 George Washington Blvd., adjacent to McConnell Air Force Base on Wichita’s southeast side. From downtown Wichita (about 8 miles northwest) take US-54 East / Kellogg Ave. and follow signs toward McConnell AFB; George Washington Blvd. runs along the base’s western perimeter. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) is the nearest commercial hub, approximately 12 miles to the northwest. Public transit is limited in this area; a car or rideshare is recommended.
Nearby
- Wichita Art Museum — 30-minute drive northwest; significant collection of American art including Regionalist works contemporary with the terminal’s construction
- Old Town Wichita — historic warehouse district downtown with galleries, restaurants, and the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
- Exploration Place — science and discovery museum on the Arkansas River, 25 minutes away
Sources
- National Register of Historic Places nomination: Kansas Aviation Museum Administration Building, ref. 90000908 (June 11, 1990)
- Wikipedia: “Kansas Aviation Museum” — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas_Aviation_Museum
- Kansas Aviation Museum official site: kansasaviationmuseum.org
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