The new New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., that is slated to open May 24 should be of interest to roadies.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune:
The museum explores how the West’s various cultures clashed and blended over 400 years of written and spoken memory. It starts with new Mexico’s native inhabitants including the tribal Pueblos, Navajos and Apaches and then examines a history that includes the Spanish conquistadors, Santa Fe Trail riders, outlaws, railroad builders, Route 66 sightseers, artists, nuclear scientists and counter-culture revolutionaries.
The museum’s site includes several nice touches, including a search engine of its extensive photo archives and other collections. For instance, here are several photos of Route 66 in the cities of Albuquerque, Tucumcari and Grants. And, as a bonus, here’s a vintage photo of the infamous La Bajada Hill, which was a primitive early alignment of Route 66 south of Santa Fe.
The museum is right behind the Palace of the Governors in downtown Santa Fe.