The importance of the Kansas Aviation Museum building to the glory days of Kansas aviation cannot be overstated. Its grand art-deco style appeals both to the aviation community and to anyone interested in historic preservation. In its heyday, Wichita Municipal – ICT in aviation parlance – was a major mid-continent stopover for airlines from 1935-1954. During the 1940’s, it was one of the busiest airports in the nation, with tower operators managing the constant stream of incoming and outgoing commercial flights. In 1944, a take-off or landing occurred every 90 seconds.
The Kansas Aviation Museum opened on April 19, 1991, and is home to the rich aviation history that is Wichita. This beautiful Art Deco style building has been preserved for nearly a century. The museum houses a world-class collection of historic, significant and one-of-a-kind aircraft and aircraft engines; a huge archive with thousands of records, schematics, books, photos and more; and a wide range of additional aviation memorabilia. It also is home to the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame – an impressive line-up of aviation heavyweights by any measure: state, national or worldwide.