Route 66's 100th Anniversary Highlights Native American Art and Heritage in New Mexico
As Route 66 approaches its centennial in 2026, a notable 150-mile segment stretching from Albuquerque to the Arizona border showcases Native American heritage. This route includes the Pueblo of Isleta, Sandia, Laguna, Zuni, Acoma, and the Navajo Nation. In Albuquerque, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center highlights 19 Pueblos from New Mexico, featuring art, cuisine, and regular Native American dance performances. The Petroglyph National Monument displays carvings dating from 1300 to 1650. The Yonan Cultural Center houses a photography collection, including films from 1898. The Albuquerque Museum will host an exhibition celebrating Route 66's 100 years until January 3, 2027. Gallup's trading posts sell souvenirs, and Acoma Pueblo's Sky City, continuously inhabited since 1100 AD, offers hourly tours. The Pueblo of Zuni boasts a robust tourism framework.
Key facts
- Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026.
- The 150-mile stretch between Albuquerque and the New Mexico-Arizona state line passes through multiple Pueblos and the Navajo Nation.
- The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque features weekly Native American dances every Saturday and Sunday.
- Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, with most carvings from 1300 to 1650.
- The Yonan Cultural Center at Isleta Pueblo holds the first moving images taken in New Mexico, from 1898.
- The Albuquerque Museum's Route 66 centennial exhibition runs through January 3, 2027.
- Gallup's trading posts originated from the Navajo livestock reduction program.
- Acoma Pueblo's Sky City has been continuously inhabited since approximately 1100 AD.
- The Acoma Massacre occurred in 1595, with Spanish conquistadors killing hundreds and enslaving survivors.
- The Navajo Nation's capital is Window Rock, Arizona.
Entities
Artists
- Nani Chacon
- Raylan Edaakie
- Patty Edaakie
Institutions
- Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
- Petroglyph National Monument
- Yonan Cultural Center
- Albuquerque Museum
- Gallup Cultural Center
- Navajo Nation Museum
- Acoma Pueblo Visitor Center
- Pueblo of Isleta
- Pueblo of Sandia
- Pueblo of Laguna
- Pueblo of Zuni
- Pueblo of Acoma
- Navajo Nation
- Forbes
Locations
- Albuquerque
- New Mexico
- Arizona
- Santa Rosa
- Santa Fe
- Gallup
- Window Rock
- Acoma Pueblo
- Sky City
- Laguna
- Isleta
- Sandia
- Zuni
- Rio Grande Valley
- United States
- Japan