Route 66 Visitor Center Reopens With Photography Exhibition Celebrating Mother Road Centennial

The City of Albuquerque’s Route 66 Visitor Center reopens to the public on April 4, featuring a new photography exhibition, live music, and other activities. The reopening marks an important step in reestablishing the center as a hub for community gatherings and special events, and a place for Route 66 Centennial activity. Beginning April 9, the center will operate on regular, though initially limited, public hours.

On Saturday, April 4, from 3 to 6 p.m. the community is invited to the opening of Centennial Roots, a photographic tribute to the landscapes, cultures, and traditions that have evolved alongside Route 66 in New Mexico. Created in celebration of the Route 66 Centennial, the exhibition highlights the cultural exchange fostered over the past century. Through the contemporary perspectives of New Mexico photographers Gabriella Campos, Jessica Roybal, and Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli, the work explores the dynamic relationship between movement and place, tradition and change, revealing how travel, migration, and shared experience have shaped a distinctly New Mexican story.

There will also be live music by Dos Gatos and a chance to explore the center’s new murals and installations. Route 66 Visitor Center is home to two Route 66 Remixed art activations as part of the City’s signature project for the centennial. The building’s interior has also been updated with artistic interpretations of Albuquerque’s Route 66, and work is progressing on the outdoor sign park. Wine and snacks will be available for purchase.

Ongoing programming and special events will continue throughout the year, inviting the community to engage with Route 66 during its anniversary in new and meaningful ways. Beyond 2026, the City is committed to preserving and celebrating the historic corridor as a living, evolving part of Albuquerque’s cultural landscape.