Route 66 Visitor Center

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

Operating Hours & Information

Thursday – Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm
12300 Central SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121
[email protected]

Upcoming Events

Centennial Roots Exhibit Opening | April 4, 2026

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.

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. Enjoy wine from Sheehan Winery and delicious desserts from Tania's Tasty Kitchen, both available for purchase.

Centennial Concert Series | Presented by NM Music Hall of Fame

Experience live music from the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame Alumni every Saturday from April 11 – May 30, 2026. Each of the eight Saturdays will feature uniquely themed local artists.

Enjoy a drink from Tractor Brewing and grab some lunch from the local food trucks.

Saturday, April 11 – Salsa

• 12 p.m. – Ivón Ulibarrí & Café Mocha
• 2 p.m. – Son Como Son

Food Trucks – Latin Flavor, CCR Roasting

Saturday, April 18 – Jazz

• 12 p.m. – Chris Cordova Latin Jazz Trio
• 1 p.m. – Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra
• 2:15 p.m. – Doug Lawrence & Friends

Food Trucks – Cavitas Green Taco Machine, Aces Fry Guy

Saturday, April 25 – Mariachi

• 12 p.m. – Mariachi Promesa
• 12:30 p.m. – Mariachi Tenampa - Angel Espinoza
• 2 p.m. – Darren Cordova Y Calor

Food Trucks – Busy Bee Frozen Custard, Randos 505

Saturday, May 2 – Throwback to 60s & 70s - Variety

• 12 p.m. – Picoso
• 1:15 p.m. – Franc Chiwiwie
• 1:45 p.m. – Alumni Guest Artists

Food Trucks – The Munchie Truck, Gourmet Doner Kebab

Saturday, May 9 – New Mexico Traditional Spanish

• 12 p.m. – Little Ralph Paiz
• 1 p.m. – Tripple X with Luis Smoothie Soto
• 2:30 p.m. – Red Wine Band with David Nunez

Food Trucks – Umami Food truck, Red Taco Shop

Saturday, May 16 – New Mex/Tejano

• 12 p.m. – Little Ralph Paiz
• 1 p.m. – Sorela
• 1:45 p.m. – Stefani Montiel
• 2:30 p.m. – Los Texmaniacs Max Baca & Josh Baca

Food Trucks – Word of Mouth, Latin Flavor

Saturday, May 23 – Blues y Mas

• 12 p.m. – Chris Dracup & Funk of The West
• 2 p.m. – Hillary Smith & Chill House

Food Trucks – The Brain Freezer, Gourmet Doner Kebab

Saturday, May 30 – Funk & Soul

• 12 p.m. – DCN Project
• 1 p.m. – Animated Jukebox
• 1:45 p.m. – Jerry Lopez & Lenny Lopez
• 2:30 p.m. – David & Company

Food Trucks – Zia Strong Snac Shac, The Original Chicano Dog

Exhibits

Centennial Roots | Now – October 2026  

Visit the gallery to experience the Centennial Roots Exhibit. A photographic homage to the landscape, culture, community, and traditions that have grown alongside Route 66 in New Mexico. In celebration of the Route 66 Centennial, this exhibition offers a firsthand experience of the cultural crossover the route has fostered over the past one hundred years. Through the contemporary lenses of New Mexico photographers Gabriella Campos, Jessica Roybal, and Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli, the photographs trace the enduring relationship between movement and place, tradition and transformation. Their work encapsulates a century of lived experience, revealing how travel, migration, and exchange have shaped a distinctly New Mexican identity. Centennial Roots honors this growth, celebrating Route 66 not only as a road, but as a living archive of New Mexico’s cultural landscape.

Artists  

Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli – I am a fine art documentary photographer rooted in Albuquerque since I was nine months old. While my work has taken me around the world, New Mexico remains the foundation of my creative life. My photography is shaped by long-term observation, deep relationships, and a commitment to documenting the people and places that define our communities. Much of my work focuses on everyday life in Albuquerque and throughout the state. I am especially interested in how history, culture, and identity are expressed through neighborhoods, public spaces, family businesses, and local traditions.

Jessica “Jessree” Roybal – My work explores cultural memory and identity in the American Southwest through photography rooted in architecture, infrastructure, and everyday life. With roots in northern New Mexico and a professional background in architecture, I approach photography as both documentation and interpretation—examining how the built environment, cultural landscapes, and ordinary objects carry layered histories. Now based in Albuquerque, my practice centers on Route 66 corridors, vintage neon signage, and classic cars as enduring markers of movement, commerce, and identity. These elements once shaped our streetscapes and co lective imagination, and they continue to exist—often overlooked—as quiet witnesses to change.

Gabriela Campos – I am a Santa Fe–born photojournalist whose work centers on visual storytelling rooted in culture, community, and tradition throughout the Southwest. As a staff photojournalist for The Santa Fe New Mexican, I document daily life across the region while also pursuing long-form narrative projects. My work has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, and other national publications, and is held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the New Mexico History Museum, and the Spencer Museum of Art. My photographs are currently on view at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in the exhibition Corazón y vida: Lowriding Culture.

Route 66 Visitor Center Commission Meeting Information 

Meeting Schedule 

Meetings are held on the following Tuesdays at 3 pm in the confrence room at the Route 66 Visitor Center:

• January 27, 2026 
• March 24, 2026  
• May 26, 2026 
• July 28, 2026 
• September 22, 2026 
• November 24, 2026 

Agenda & Minutes 

All board and commission documents, including agendas, minutes, resolutions, and other related materials, are available through the OnBase database.

Follow the steps below to access the documents:

1. Click the Link Below:
   Use the link provided below to access the OnBase database.
2. Search for Documents:
• Use the drop-down menu to specify the Board or Commission, record type, or meeting date.
3. View or Download:
• Click on the document title to view it directly in your browser.
• Use the download option to save a copy for your records.

 HISTORICAL MEETING DOCUMENTS

Event Rentals

The venue is available for meetings, trainings, and presentations on limited days between the hours of 8 am – 5 pm.

For inquires, contact [email protected]

For more information on Route 66 visit: Learn about Route 66 in Albuquerque | Visit Albuquerque