Route 66 Visitor Center Home to National Placemaking Landmark

The Route 66 Visitor Center is home to a new national Route 66 placemaking landmark as part of a collaborative project that celebrates the road’s enduring legacy. The Route 66 Centennial Monument Project highlights the extraordinary role Route 66 has played in shaping American culture by moving people, connecting communities, and encouraging exploration for a century. 

The new landmark will elevate the center’s future Sign Park as a signature destination where history, culture, creativity, and community pride come together along America’s most iconic highway, while expanding the site with additional Route 66-related signage and visitor amenities. The installation serves as a gathering place, encouraging residents, visitors, and travelers to tell stories, make memories, and celebrate the diverse people and pathways that define Route 66.

“Housing this national landmark aligns with the center’s goal to honor Albuquerque’s legacy of the route,” said Arts & Culture Director Dr. Shelle Sanchez. “As part of the new Sign Park, it will help create a welcoming space that reflects our community’s creativity, roots, and spirit.”

The monument will complement future plans for the Route 66 Visitor Center Sign Park, which are to preserve and showcase historic Albuquerque neon and roadway signage. Together, the Sign Park and new landmark will deepen the site’s impact as a tribute to American history, design, innovation, and community pride.

"Route 66 is more than just a road; it is a tapestry of stories and a lifeline that has connected Albuquerque to the rest of the world for a century. As we prepare for the Mother Road’s centennial, this new landmark at our Visitor Center serves as a proud tribute to the diverse people and pathways that define our city," said Albuquerque City Council President Klarissa J. Peña. I am honored to see District 3 host a monument that not only celebrates our history but also invites a new generation of travelers to make their own memories right here in Albuquerque."

The Route 66 Centennial Monument Project is an official recommended project of the U.S. Route 66 Centennial Commission. The collaborative, place-based initiative is designed to engage communities along the historic Mother Road in celebrating its 100-year legacy as the iconic route from Chicago to Santa Monica. 

 The project invites cities, towns, and districts to install distinctive, 16-foot placemaking landmarks featuring a stylized Route 66 shield with state identification and a QR code linking to local history and visitor information. Each installation is meant to serve as a welcoming landmark for travelers and a cultural asset for its host community, reflecting the shared heritage of Route 66 as part of the broader centennial celebration.

More information about the City’s Route 66 Centennial efforts here: Route66ABQ.com

More information about the national Route 66 Centennial Monument Project here: https://route66monuments.com/