Missouri History Museum to Celebrate Route 66 Centennial with Four-day Festival
Missouri History Museum in Forest Park will host St. Louis’ largest celebration to mark the 100th anniversary of Route 66 with a four-day festival April 30 through May 3 featuring live music, classic car displays, family activities, film screenings and talks exploring the complex history of the Mother Road, which has multiple historic routes across the region. The festival reflects the Museum’s broader civic storytelling initiative, I Am St. Louis, which invites residents to explore the history that connects the region’s past with its present.
“Route 66 didn’t just pass through St. Louis—it helped shape the city,” said Dr. Jody Sowell, president and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society. “From neon-lit diners and motor courts to the personal stories of travelers who passed through our neighborhoods, this anniversary reminds us that St. Louis has always been part of a larger American journey.”
The long weekend celebration kicks off on Thursday, April 30, with an outdoor picnic concert in partnership with Civic Pride Foundation and Explore St. Louis with music by Sweetie and the Toothaches, performing tunes from the 1940s through the 1960s. From Friday through Sunday, visitors can go back in time with free activities and talks happening throughout the Museum and on its grounds. Highlights include classic cars on display and a pop-up exhibit of neon signs that once lined the highway.
“Explore St. Louis and the Civic Pride Foundation are excited to partner with the Missouri History Museum to kick off the Route 66 celebration,” adds Barry Draper, director of partnerships and the executive director of Civic Pride Foundation, “As communities across the country mark this milestone, we’re excited to help showcase St. Louis as a world class destination along Route 66 where history, culture, music and more come together.”
Inside the museum, a new hallway installation, “Route 66: Main Street through St. Louis”, will be on display highlighting the region’s role in the highway’s history. This display is a small reprise of the original 2016 exhibit.
Many kid-friendly activities will take place throughout the festival weekend, offering hands-on experiences for families and the youngest Museum visitors. Together, families can plan a Route 66 road trip using maps and travel guides, make and take home Mother Road-inspired crafts, including making their own neon signs, decorating paper diner hats and creating car air fresheners. Storytelling in the Museum: Road Trips will feature songs and storybooks about road travel, with local author Beth Bacon reading her book Route 66: Faces and Places. Additional family fun includes a Movie Night featuring “Cars,” where kids can build cardboard cars and make neon signs in the family zone before the film begins.
Several historical talks, presentations and screening will explore the road’s history and the people connected to it. Author Cheryl Eichar Jett will discuss women’s work along the route. Acclaimed Route 66 ambassadors Jim Ross and Shellee Graham will present a generational deep die on the highways life, demise and renaissance. Missouri Historical Society public historian Cicely Hunter will discuss the Green Book and its importance for Black travelers during segregation.
The weekend concludes Sunday with a screening and discussion of the Emmy Award–winning documentary “Show Me 66: Main Street Through Missouri”, featuring filmmakers Andrew Wanko and Eric Wilkinson.
“Route 66 is one of the most recognizable highways in the world,” Sowell continues. “But its story is ultimately about people—families taking road trips and communities like St. Louis that welcomed travelers along the way.”
The Route 66 Centennial Festival at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park is free and open to the public. Food trucks will be available throughout the weekend and many of the activities will take place outdoors on the Imo Family Plaza. For more information and the full festival schedule, visit mohistory.org/festival.
Some of the Sights you will See At the Exhibit
About the Missouri Historical Society
The Missouri Historical Society (MHS) has been part of the St. Louis community since 1866, helping people connect to the city’s past to better understand its present and future. We believe St. Louis is one of the most fascinating places in America—and that the more people know about its stories, the more connected and invested they’ll be. MHS shares the story of St. Louis in bold, new ways through its three sites: the Missouri History Museum, the Library & Research Center, and Soldiers Memorial Military Museum. We serve as a confluence of historical perspectives and contemporary conversations, working to reach more people than ever before. MHS is supported by St. Louis City and County taxpayers through the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (ZMD) and by generous private donations.