The TAP museum unit was created in 1978 at the initiative of the Board of Directors, but it was only to open officially on 14 March 1985 as part of the company's 40th anniversary celebrations.

In November 1997, as Expo’98 approached and following around ten years of uncertainty, a permanent work team was assigned to the project. Their main backline task has been to classify, inventory and store items of interest, with a view to preserving and displaying the company’s history.

However, the space limitations of the exhibition area, at the company’s head office next to Lisbon airport, meant it was unable to respond to all the requests it received. It was due to the interest always shown by the public, as well as by numerous organisations including the Portuguese Air Force, that the museum participated in a range of important events.

The Portuguese Air Force and TAP are recognised to have operated in close cooperation and shared resources throughout their histories. 

In continuation of this tradition, they signed an agreement on 14 October 2009 as part of the Portuguese aviation centenary celebrations, with a view to working together to preserve the memory of national military and civil aviation, and to displaying the history of aviation in Portugal.
 
The renovated Air Museum was opened to the public few months later, on 29 January 2010. It comprises an area of 7,000m2 and has 28 aircraft on display, of which two are replicas and two the noses of real aircraft. In addition to the hangar exhibits, the TAP and ANA display rooms include a number of very rare items.

Visitors can also enjoy a reception area with an aeronautical shop selling a wide range of products, and an auditorium furnished with Boeing 737 seats donated by TAP Portugal, where themed films will be screened.

The TAP Museum’s Documentation and Archive Section can be found in the company’s complex at Lisbon airport. Here you can consult a wide range of documentation including flight logs, photographs, manuals and advertising material. Visits can be arranged by prior appointment.