The Oklahoma History Center Museum will open an exhibit titled “The Longest Stretch: Route 66 in Oklahoma” on May 23, as Route 66 nears its centennial in 2026. The museum announced that the exhibit will focus on how Oklahoma’s more than 400 miles of drivable highway have influenced communities along the route and continue to attract travelers.
Route 66 was established in 1926 and has played a significant role in American history. For many Oklahomans, it served as an escape during the Dust Bowl, provided economic opportunities for roadside towns, and later saw decline with the rise of interstate highways. The new exhibit aims to cover this full history—from its beginnings through periods of decline and into recent efforts at preservation and tourism.
Artifacts featured include a 1915 Model T Roadster, a restored Taft Stadium sign, a Big Boy statue, and a Corvette from the National Corvette Museum. Interactive elements are also included so visitors can engage with the story of Route 66 over time.
“We wanted to create an exhibit that brings Route 66 to life while encouraging people to go out and experience it firsthand,” said Nicole Harvey, director of the Oklahoma History Center Museum. “Visitors can explore the road’s history through artifacts and interactives, then take that experience with them onto Oklahoma’s stretch of the highway.”
Communities across Oklahoma are preparing for Route 66’s centennial in November 2026 by reimagining their connection to this historic road. The exhibit is scheduled to remain open through 2027 thanks to support from the Inasmuch Foundation and Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation.
The museum is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr., Oklahoma City, and operates Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is part of the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS), which manages museums statewide as well as research archives, educational programs, exhibits, publications chronicling state history.