Creating Route 66: Road, Legend, Community

This exhibition explores how the iconic highway took shape in the built landscape, the cultural imagination, and local communities—and how it continues to evolve.

Creating Route 66: Road, Legend, Community examines the diverse experiences of people who traveled Route 66 through historic photographs and artifacts. Visitors explore the early trails that shaped its path, its role in migration and tourism, and its enduring presence in film, literature, and music.

Highlights of the exhibition include historic photographs of Route 66, a first edition of The Grapes of Wrath, loans from the California Historic Route 66 Association, and images of iconic roadside signage. An interactive feature that invites visitors to mark their own journeys along the route, adding their experiences to its continuing story.