NMHM NEWS RELEASE
After a successful run in several New Mexico locations, the popular “Route 66 Centennial Traveling Exhibit” (“Exhibit”) is heading to Santa Fe for a three-day event, Aug. 28-30, in partnership with the New Mexico History Museum (NMHM).
Since its opening in early 2026, the free Exhibit has expanded to now include a one-day only “Route 66 Recording Station” along with the preview of a new documentary, “Atomic Legacy on Route 66,” in addition to several hands-on activities.
“The response to our statewide tour has been very encouraging,” said Exhibit organizer and documentary filmmaker Katrina Parks of Assertion Films. “Visitors, particularly youth, have really engaged with the stories and history of the Mother Road, and we’re excited to bring the expanded exhibit to Santa Fe and allow the public to interact and become part of this special 100th anniversary event.”
The Exhibit features 22 interpretive panels displaying historic information and images along with oral histories, art and artifacts from Route 66 in New Mexico. The Exhibit opens 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 28-30.
The Exhibit opens on Friday, Aug. 28 to local school groups only, for guided tours. Space will fill quickly. School organizers are asked to contact NMHM.Education@dca.nm.gov to register their students for the free tour.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 29 (only), the public is invited to share photos and memorabilia at the new “Route 66 Story Recording Station”. There, they may be interviewed and filmed as part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve the history and experiences of Route 66 communities as part of this public history project.
From 11 a.m.–2 p.m., on both Aug. 29 and 30, artist Marla Allison will lead an all-ages art activity inspired by the iconic vehicles that traveled along the Mother Road over the past century. Guests can draw inspiration from Allison’s illustrations, inclusive of everything from low riders to Model T’s, to create their own designs. Museum staff will also lead an art activity where guests may design Route 66 themed license-plates.
For the first time, Parks will debut a preview of her new documentary, “Atomic Legacy on Route 66” at 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 30 (only). The film traces the atomic legacy of Route 66 through the experiences of a Navajo Nation community seeking environmental justice after decades of uranium mining and the enduring consequences of the 1979 Church Rock uranium spill.
Following the screening, a panel discussion will take place 2:30–3:15 p.m., led by members of the Red Water Pond Community Association of the Navajo Nation – Edith Hood, Bertha Nez and Jennifer Nez – along with Parks, award winning author and photographer Sharon Niederman, and Retired Program Director for NPS Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, Kaisa Barthuli. The panelists will discuss the lasting impacts of the nuclear age on the American Southwest, the role of the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, and ongoing efforts to restore affected communities.
Parks’ PBS documentary, “Route 66: The Untold Story of Women on the Mother Road” will also be running both days in the museum. The event is free.
The New Mexico History Museum is at 113 Lincoln Ave. in Santa Fe.