As the heart of the city, Downtown Albuquerque is a must see for visitors and locals alike. Downtown is part of a key intersection to the original 1926 route, now 4th Street.
ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL •
ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL •
Celebrating 100 years of the Mother Road.
Downtown Albuquerque
route 66
Downtown Albuquerque was first established in the 1880s with the addition of the railroad to the new village. “New Town” grew (distinguishing itself from Old Town, a few miles away), and investment into buildings, transit, and infrastructure along Railroad Ave. quickly turned “New Town” into a central hub for the area. In 1912, Railroad Ave. was renamed Central Avenue, as we know it today. Over the next decade, Downtown continued to grow, and in 1926, Central Ave. intersected the first Route 66 route, going in a north-south alignment along what is 4th Street today. In 1937, U.S. 66 was realigned along Central Avenue, creating one of a handful of "crossroads" of Route 66 across the nation. Centering the heart of the city, Downtown’s history intersects with Route 66 and its culture to this day. Take in a mix of old and new as you explore the neighborhood and enjoy a one-of-a-kind place.
Jump to Route 66 Centennial related happenings in Downtown Albuquerque, and along the Mother Road.
Images courtesy of ABQ Museum, gift of Nancy Tucker.
NM Mainstreet route 66 centennial passport
The NMMS Route 66 Centennial Passport program is a fun way to celebrate 100 years of Route 66 as part of your adventure along the Mother Road. Pick up your NM MainStreet Route 66 Centennial rack card and sticker at participating businesses — collect stickers from all ten districts for a keepsake of this historic celebration. The program will run January-December 2026, during the Rt 66 Centennial.
Passports and stickers can be found at participating businesses within each NM MainStreet district. To learn more about each district and which businesses to stop at, head to the NM MainStreet website linked below.
downtown Albuquerque Route 66 passport Locations
Stop by any of these 3 locations to collect your Downtown ABQ passport sticker!
The Crossroads Information Station
While driving on Albuquerque’s stretch of the Mother Road, stop by the Route 66 Crossroads in Downtown Albuquerque. At the historic intersection of 4th Street and Central Avenue – where two alignments of Route 66 meet – Visit Albuquerque has a visitors information center for all your Route 66 needs. Snap a photo behind a cutout of a classic car, grab a Visitors Guide and NM MainStreet Passport, and ask our on-site staff about all the exciting things to do on Albuquerque’s Route 66.
The Information Station is inside the Rosenwald Building, on the southeast corner of the intersection. Look for the wrapped streetlight poles and the Route 66 photo-op on the corner, which stands in front of the visitor center.
HOURS:
Tuesday - Sunday: 10 am - 7pm
Ex Novo Downtown
A more recent business to Downtown, Ex Novo Brewing Co. transformed a former Firestone Tire and Auto Shop into a multi-venue café, coffee shop, restaurant and bar. Firestone had been a Route 66 staple since 1930 and Ex Novo honors that history with images throughout the space. With Sammy’s Café, Ex Novo Restaurant/Bar and The Bitter Nun Bar – you can check them out any time of day.
HOURS:
EX Novo: Sun - W: 11:30am - 9pm
TH - Sat: 11:30am - 10pmSammy’s Cafe: Daily 8am - 2:30pm
The Bitter Nun: TH - Sat: 4pm - 12am
Sun: 4pm -10am
Arepas el pana
Arepas el Pana: Located in the center of Downtown’s Central Ave. (Route 66), this Venezuelan restaurant opened in 2024 and is leading the way in diversifying Downtown and Route 66 cuisine. While diners are found all over Route 66, have you tried an arepa or empanada while road tripping? It’s worth the visit!
HOURS:
M/T: 9am - 4pm
W: Closed
TH: 9am - 4pm
F/Sat: 9am - 8pm
Sun: 9am - 4:30pm
Route 66 Remixed reimagines the historic Mother Road through bold, contemporary art, transforming everyday spaces into immersive experiences that celebrate Albuquerque’s culture, history, diversity, and creative future. Featuring site-specific installations, murals, sculptures, and augmented reality by an extraordinary lineup of local artists, the project invites exploration, discovery, and connection along one of the world’s most storied routes.
Route 66 Remixed can be experienced one site at a time or as a full tour, with an audio guide narrated by Albuquerque’s inaugural Poet Laureate Hakim Bellamy.
As Albuquerque prepares to celebrate the Route 66 Centennial all year, Route 66 Remixed stands as a signature cultural project that blends public art, community storytelling, tourism, and placemaking to showcase Albuquerque as a dynamic creative destination.
Learn more, explore the map, and enter the portal at the button below.
Downtown murals
As part of the Route 66 Remixed project, find these murals in the
Downtown ABQ MainStreet and Arts & Cultural Districts
Image 1: Cultural Crossroads by Lynette Haozous | Located at 505 Central Food Hall
Image 2: Buffalo Return to Route 66 by Jesse Littlebird & Thomas Christopher Haag | Located at the El Rey Theater
Image 3: Mother Road Cruise by Gael Luna | Located at the Rosenwald Building
Climb aboard for a one-of-a-kind journey down the Mother Road with ABQ Trolley Co.’s Route 66 Remixed Tour—a rolling celebration of 100 years of America’s most iconic highway. This immersive multimedia experience brings Route 66 to life, blending rich history with bold, contemporary creativity while inviting you to see Albuquerque’s stretch of the road in a whole new light.
In collaboration with the City of Albuquerque’s Route 66 Remixed project, the tour transforms the roadway into an open-air canvas—where vintage motels, neon signs, and roadside legends collide with striking public art and modern storytelling. As you cruise through the heart of the city, you’ll uncover layers of Route 66’s past while seeing how artists and visionaries are reshaping its future. From legendary landmarks to hidden gems, discover the people, places, and pop culture that defined the highway, and how Albuquerque is reimagining its historic corridor.
Expect vibrant visuals, engaging narration, and a fresh perspective on a road that never stops evolving. Whether you’re a Route 66 enthusiast or a first-time traveler, this tour is your ticket to experience the past, present, and future of the Mother Road—remixed.
Head to ABQ Trolley Co.’s website for dates and tickets.
Open Air Gallery Returns to Civic Plaza for Route 66 Centennial
As part of Albuquerque’s Route 66 Centennial celebration, the Department of Arts & Culture is bringing back the Open Air Gallery to downtown’s Civic Plaza, featuring photography and poetry inspired by the historic Mother Road.
The exhibition, titled Sunday on Central Avenue, showcases Route 66 photography by Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli, Jessica Roybal, and Gabriela Campos alongside poetry by Damien Flores and Levi Romero, blending visual storytelling with the written word.
The exhibition is part of the City’s broader Route 66 Centennial efforts highlighting Albuquerque’s creative community and the enduring legacy of the Mother Road through art, exhibitions, performances, and cultural programming. The exhibition will be on view through the Route 66 Centennial.
Route 66 Centennial resources
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Albuquerque houses 5 MainStreets, including Downtown
New Mexico houses 32 MainStreets and 13 Arts & Cultural Districts. Those along Route 66 are part of the above NM MainStreet Passport Program.
Learn about NM MainStreets HERE. -
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