Tampa International Airport unveils rare exhibit showcasing its aviation history

Tampa International Airport unveils rare exhibit showcasing its aviation history

Tampa International Airport is unveiling a one-day public exhibit showcasing rare archival materials from its history. FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa International Airport is pulling back the curtain on its rich aviation history with a rare exhibit that opens some of its archive materials to the public for the first time.

What we know:

As part of the City of Tampa’s Archives Awareness Week, which coincides with the city’s birthday, TPA is hosting a one-day exhibit this Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. on Level Three of the main terminal. 

READ: Tampa Bay 24/7: Behind the scenes of Tampa International Airport’s overnight runway maintenance

Visitors can explore never-before-seen photographs, newspaper clippings and even original hand-painted airport design sketches dating back to the 1960s.

"It’s just a matter of finding it," said one airport official, referencing the extensive collection tucked away in a storage room.

Among the highlights are the original, hand-drawn blueprints of TPA’s groundbreaking "hub-and-spoke" layout and its early adoption of automated people-mover shuttles that are now standard at airports nationwide.

MORE: Tampa Bay 24/7: The unsung heroes of Tampa International Airport's overnight shift

The backstory:

Tampa International Airport officially opened in 1971 with a futuristic design that aimed to make air travel more accessible and convenient. But long before the ribbon-cutting, airport planners were already thinking decades ahead.

"They had so much forethought," said TPA spokesperson Beau Zimmer. "They designed the walls to be expandable and the airsides to grow. They were already planning for the future."

Decades later, that vision included features like a rental car center, cellphone waiting lots and modular expansion — all part of a long-term blueprint that continues to guide airport development today.

What they're saying:

A promotional video from the era helped convince the public of the need for a new kind of airport — one designed with supersized jets in mind and minimal walking for travelers. The message: "Easy come, easy go."

READ: What's in a name: George Bean Parkway

Zimmer said that guiding philosophy remains in place. "TIA has stayed with that theme of making sure that they could make travel as easy as possible."

The exhibit also pays tribute to the very first commercial airline flight in history — a 1914 journey from St. Petersburg to Tampa, piloted by Tony Jannus — setting the stage for Tampa’s long aviation legacy.

What's next:

While TPA revisits its past, it’s also charting a bold path forward. Construction is already underway on the new Airside D terminal, the latest in a series of modern upgrades.

"We’ve had a huge expansion," Zimmer said. "We built a brand-new rental car facility, moved airport offices, and created new cellphone waiting lots. But it’s still the same hub-and-spoke system that people have grown to love."