berwyn route 66 museum

It looks like your average storefront, but don't be fooled: there's cool stuff inside! The greatest generation and the baby boomers know about Route 66, but most Gen-Xers, Millennnials and folks under 40 are probably clueless ... and yet, they've likely heard just enough to make Route 66, the ultimate American road trip, both mysterious and appealing even to complete strangers. Seriously, it's probably the most famous road in the world and has TONS of international fans, who figure they're going to find the Real America and real Americans on the route. We won't argue with that. And because Route 66 began in Chicago at Michigan and Jackson -- the eastern terminus -- and Jackson, Adams, Ogden Avenue and Joliet Road form the streets it traveled in greater Chicago, of course Route 66 ran through Berwyn. Now that historic Route 66 in Illinois has been declared a National Scenic Byway, more people than ever want to learn about Route 66 -- and this tiny museum is a good place to start.When Route 66 came into existence on Nov. 11, 1926, Americans were just starting to really get into auto travel, and this museum has a lot of automobile and route memorabilia and artifacts. Berwyn also had an Automobile Row along Route 66/Ogden Avenue for at least 40 years, and the museum can tell you about that, too. Auto Row was a necessary source of service and support for drivers for all of the route's five decades of official existence. The museum also has some really fab mounted aerial maps of different eras to show you what the area looked like during different decades and some fantastic artisically reimagined hub-caps-as-art along the walls, among other things. I've been here several times, and the place grows on you, especially when they get new artifacts or other contributions. Make sure you walk all the way into the back to see the gallery displays there, too; it's more than just one big front room.This is a visit that will probably be of greater interest to older grade-school kids, teens, and college students than to the little kiddies under age 10, IF you can pull them away from their smartphones and Gameboys (hint: leave those at home). Adults who know anything about Route 66 (or want to know) will definitely be interested, as will those who are into history and geography, NatGeo and travel readers, and discerning travelers. You have to see this place -- it's adorable -- and the price is right: admission is free; but PLEASE consider making a donation to the museum restoration fund's kitty, so that several artifacts can be restored and put on display again. They don't get much in the way of grants, so every dollar is precious to the mostly volunteer staff. BTW, the museum is also one of the co-sponsors of the annual Berwyn Route 66 Car Show, one of the most important car shows along all of Route 66 in all eight states, and that happens every year along Ogden Avenue, just down the street from the museum on the first Saturday in September.Museum hours are Monday through Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00PM, but you can arrange other hours (including Saturdays) by appointment. For more information, see http://www.berwynrt66museum.com/ and/or http://curioustraveler66.com/