Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton to mark 25th anniversary next month

The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, the oldest museum dedicated solely to Route 66, will celebrate its 25th year in operation on Sept. 23.

A news release to the Guymon Daily Herald in Oklahoma put out a story with factoids about the museum. We’ve added a few other facts to it:

• The Clinton museum indeed is the oldest dedicated to Route 66, but it doesn’t beat the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville by much. California’s opened Nov. 11, 1995.
• It claims to be is the largest museum dedicated to Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.
• The museum has greeted about 930,000 visitors over its 25 years. That’s about 37,000 a year.
• The museum underwent renovations in 2012 of its exhibit galleries, “bringing the facility into the 21st century.”
• The museum was built on land donated by the late Walter S. Mason Jr., a veterinarian turned Best Western hotelier.
• Oklahoma-based architect Rand Elliott designed the museum. He also designed the popular Pops along Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma.
• The museum hosts the Oklahoma Route 66 Association’s Hall of Fame ceremonies every two years, though this year’s was messed up due to coronavirus. I was told this year’s induction class likely will be announced in October.
• During the pandemic, museum staff members are ensuring all areas are clean and sanitized. All visitors, staff, volunteers, contractors and vendors are required to wear face masks. The museum also scaled back its hours this summer to winter hours because of the virus.

This is an overview of the museum itself:

The museum’s galleries are designed to offer visitors a personal journey through the history of the nation’s most revered highway. Encounter the iconic ideas, images and myths of the Mother Road. Learn about the dreams and labor needed to make the road a reality. Experience the Dust Bowl as thousands streamed along the road, away from drought and despair and toward the “land of promise.” Listen to the sounds of the Big Band era, when the roar of the big trucks and the “Welcome home!” cries to returning soldiers dominated the road. Touch the counter and sit in the booth of the 1950s diner and feel the open road as America’s families vacationed along the length of Route 66. The museum also offers changing special exhibits focusing on the Route 66 experience in the new Now and Future Gallery. And don’t forget to step into the gift shop for some Route 66 memorabilia!

(Image of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton courtesy of Oklahoma Tourism)