The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton will receive more than $1 million for improvements and new exhibits, it was reported at the recent Oklahoma Route 66 Hall of Fame induction.
The Clinton Daily News (subscription required) had the details:
The money being invested comes from a bond issue passed by the state earlier this year. It will be used at the museum here in Clinton to install electric car chargers, replace the building’s roof and HVAC system, and install a new modern theater.
“This is a historic investment,” said Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who was also in attendance Saturday. “And it’s one that won’t stop in four years after the Route 66 Centennial.
“America is rediscovering America and to do that they’ve got to see Oklahoma,” said Pinnell. “The magic of Route 66 is the freedom it represents, and if we can’t sell freedom we can’t sell anything.”
The museum was built on land donated by the late Walter S. Mason Jr., a veterinarian who became a Best Western hotelier.
Oklahoma-based architect Rand Elliott designed the museum. He also designed the popular Pops along Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum opened in 1995 and is the oldest such museum dedicated to the Mother Road. The last time it underwent renovations was in 2012.
(Image of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton courtesy of Oklahoma Tourism)