EXPLORE

Explore what makes the Route 66 Spirit of America Museum amazing.

Immerse yourself in a journey that celebrates the innovative spirit, cherished dreams, and core values that have shaped America. The Route 66 Spirit of America Museum brings history to life with riveting exhibits, interrelated themes, and inspiring stories that invite you to explore America’s past and imagine what it’s future can be. Each exhibit and feature is a gateway to an awe-inspiring narrative, a chance to look back at our journey, to admire the strength of our present, and to dream about the endless possibilities of our future. Now, it’s time to explore, to be inspired, and to ignite the spirit of America within you.

What to Expect

Embark on a voyage of discovery and inspiration! Our engaging Themes let you dive into America’s rich tapestry of innovation, dreams, and core values that define the American spirit.

Special Exhibits

Immerse yourself in history brought to life. Our Special Exhibits provide a deep dive into landmark moments and iconic figures that have shaped America, offering a fresh and engaging perspective.

Keep your curiosity piqued! Get a sneak peek of what’s on the horizon with our Future Exhibits. Stay tuned to explore our upcoming showcases of history, innovation, and American values.

For Kids

Ignite the flame of curiosity and learning in your young ones! Our For Kids page is designed to stimulate imagination and learning, making history and innovation fun and accessible for our youngest visitors.

Wonder Woman Theater

Visit the theater dedicated to  Wonder Woman.

What can I expect to see at the
Route 66 Spirit of America Museum?

The museum celebrates the dreams and values that are central to America’s spirit and the innovations they have produced. It also highlights the challenges the American spirit has faced in seeking to become the “more perfect union” the Founding Fathers imagined us achieving someday. How journalism helps the public learn what’s possible is celebrated as well, using both real life and fictional examples.

And to give the experience of visiting the museum a unique boost, visitors learn about one big dream we can still achieve and are then invited to add their own stories of who and what inspired them to the museum’s archives (in the museum’s unique “Tell Your Story” room).

The American spirit has been tested in the past and will be tested in the future. This historic pattern is not unlike what most of us go through in our personal lives. The museum’s mission is to help visitors fully explore the nature of “the American experiment,” so they leave appreciating the role we all play in making that “experiment” a success.

Our Dreams Matter

Explore how dreams have driven America forward, in both incremental and transformational ways!

Celebrating Innovation

The American idea of self-rule, the first cross-country road (Route 66), the transcontinental railroad, landing on the Moon. Celebrate these pathbreaking innovations and more!

Positive American Values

Explore the values that have helped Americans work to create a “more perfect union” since 1776 and can help us be the superheroes America needs now!

Challenges to Innovation

Telling people a breakthrough is possible can be as important as the discovery itself. And sometimes the establishment pushes back.

Advocating new Ideas Including the Role of Journalism

The public can’t ask for what it doesn’t know it can have. Explore how journalism has played a critical role in teaching the public what’s possible.

What Dreams are Possible Now?

The museum’s Dream of World Peace exhibit encourages museum visitors to “Think Different” about the future!

Tribute to Clark Kent’s Office at The Daily Planet from the Adventures of Superman TV show

The Route 66 Spirit Of America Museum’s celebration of journalism includes this tribute to the office of Clark Kent so that museum visitors can imagine what it would be like to be a “reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper” who “ fights a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way.”

Any journalist can be a “superhero”. It all depends on what stories they choose to cover. The museum helps visitors explore this question.

The Next Big Leap

Some of humanity’s Big Leaps have been achieved at the cost of human lives (from the many who were killed during the American Revolution to the astronauts who’ve died as NASA has pursued the exploration of space). The Next Big Leap exhibit at the Route 66 Spirit of America Museum describes a leap that will still only be achieved at a cost… but not of human lives. Instead, what will have to die is the Belief System that says we will always live in a “you or me” world. The belief has produced much suffering over the countless centuries. So, it is itself responsible for countless deaths. But the death of a Belief System is how humanity has progressed since the beginning. We invite you to learn more about this Next Big Leap and why achieving it is finally within our grasp!

Future Programs

The museum plans on hosting a podcast, in which people will be interviewed. The overall subject will be the “rediscovery and rebirth of the American spirit”. One focus will be the positive values people learned as children and as adults… and who or what inspired them to adopt those values. The aim of this podcast will be to remind audience members what helped people choose the light side over the dark, with those lessons being seen as applicable (not to be forgotten) as we face whatever challenges are in front of us today.

The museum plans on hosting an interactive “future world building” game, which will be available in both on-line and in-person versions. Called The America Game, it will help participants explore what possible strategies could be implemented that would help America (and the world) take the next Big Leap forward required to go from a “me to we” world …. to go from a world of cut-throat competition to one of cooperation. The America Game is inspired by the pioneering work of systems thinkers R. Buckminster Fuller, W. Edwards Deming, and Russell L. Ackoff, whose work is showcased in a special section of the museum.

Kids~ learn you can be a superhero whose superpower is
how you treat other people

Just for Kids

The museum is working to create a partnership with Stroud’s school system.

Other school systems are welcome too!

The museum’s theater is themed to Wonder Woman… both the fictional character and real life “women of wonder”. The American spirit exists as a co-creation of the men and women who were there at the beginning and of those who continue to pull America forward today. Museum founder, Steve Brant, believes this partnership matters. And he also believes individual efforts should be celebrated as well… be they from adults or from young people.

Thirteen year old Samantha Smith’s diplomatic efforts from 1983 are celebrated in this room, as well as Star Trek actress and civil rights activist Nichelle Nichols’ work with NASA. There are others celebrated too. Steve’s own mother was not in a partnership relationship with his father. And her bravery in the face of Steve’s father’s dysfunctional and at times dangerous personality mirrors the strength other women have demonstrated throughout American history. All of this feeds that aspect of the American spirit dedicated to a future based on love and adventure instead of hate and stagnation.