Wagon Road to Mother Road Exhibit

2025 6 Dec

Wagon Road to Mother Road invites you to journey through America’s transformative era of road travel.

This engaging exhibition traces the evolution of travel in northern Arizona from the Beale Wagon Road to Route 66 and reveals its deep imprint on landscapes, communities and highway heritage. It coincides with the Route 66 Centennial, marking 100 years since the highway’s designation on Nov. 11, 1926.

Based on the museum’s archaeological surveys in Petrified Forest National Park, the exhibit uncovers Route 66’s wilder side—stories of revelry, hardship, and tragedy revealed through tens of thousands of discarded objects that challenge the highway’s more nostalgic image. “The story of Route 66 is written in trash that speaks to lazy habits, mechanical failures, and the lives lost in car crashes,” observes David Purcell, the exhibit curator and MNA supervisory archaeologist and historian. Wagon Road to Mother Road highlights vintage artifacts, maps, music and memorabilia that bring the legendary road to life. Featured items include a 1931 Ford Model A pickup, a hand-painted Route 66 map, and mid-century Phillips 66 gas pump. Liquor bottles, soda bottles, and oil cans uncovered by MNA archaeologists will also be on display.

Upcoming Dates For This Event:

Sunday, December 7
Monday, December 8
Tuesday, December 9
Wednesday, December 10
Thursday, December 11
Friday, December 12
Saturday, December 13
Sunday, December 14
Monday, December 15
Tuesday, December 16
Wednesday, December 17
Thursday, December 18
Friday, December 19
Saturday, December 20
Sunday, December 21
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Thursday, December 25
Friday, December 26
Saturday, December 27
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Tuesday, December 30
Wednesday, December 31
Thursday, January 1, 2026
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Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Thursday, January 8, 2026
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Thursday, February 26, 2026
Friday, February 27, 2026
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Sunday, March 1, 2026
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Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026

Wagon Road to Mother Road Exhibit

Upcoming Dates For This Event:

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