From July 2 to September 14, the History Museum on the Square in Springfield, Missouri is presenting a new exhibit titled Roadside Gems: Rediscovering Route 66’s Cultural Attractions.
This new exhibit will help to lead visitors through the most iconic cultural attractions in Springfield along Route 66. The exhibit will include historic photographs, Route 66 memorabilia and accounts of the Route 66 experience in Missouri. Some attractions and popular destinations represented in the exhibit include the Jewell Theater, the Ozark Jubilee, caves around Missouri, and the original Cardinals baseball team. The exhibit aims to answer a popular question: What made Springfield a must-stop destination around Route 66?
“We’re thrilled to showcase the cultural heartbeat of Springfield along Route 66,” said Sean FitzGibbons, executive director of the History Museum on the Square. “Our previous exhibits explored the essentials of a road trip; places to eat, sleep, and fuel up. But Roadside Gems is about the why. It celebrates the quirky, the majestic, and everything in between. These are the stops that turned a road trip into an adventure. When people say the journey is just as important as the destination, these cultural gems are what they mean.”
To experience this exhibit, simply purchase regular museum admission at the History Museum on the Square. All exhibitions are included in general admission.
If visitors cannot make it to this installment, the museum notes that there is one more Route 66-themed exhibit to come! The museum’s series will have one more original installment before celebrating the the national Centennial of Route 66 in 2026.
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