Google Arts & Culture & National Trust Celebrate Oklahoma's Route 66 History

Google Arts & Culture is launching a new theme page dedicated to Route 66 in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in anticipation of the Centennial of Route 66 next year. The platform also launched a special spotlight on Oklahoma City as a key destination along the Mother Road highlighting the city as a crossroads of culture.

At a launch event on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt highlighted the deep civic and economic importance of Route 66 to the city and state.

“The new Google Arts & Culture project featuring the legendary Route 66 helps memorialize the distinctly American story of the Mother Road and highlight both the historic landmarks and exciting destinations along the way,” Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell said. “As we approach the 100th anniversary, I am grateful for Google’s commitment to support Oklahoma's centennial celebration next year.”

Key Features

AI-Powered Journey: A new Google Arts & Culture experiment uses AI technology like Veo to bring the Route alive. Users can journey through time by animating archival photography, exploring over 30 sites, and listening to AI-generated audio tours.

AI Brings Oklahoma Icons to Life: The new GAC experiment uses VEO AI technology to animate archival photos of iconic Oklahoma sites, including:

• The historic Threatt Filling Station in Luther (a site of Civil Rights-era Black resilience and a key preservation story).
• The legendary Blue Whale of Catoosa ("A Whale's Tale").
• Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park in Chelsea , and The Round Barn and POP's 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia.

 Local Cultural Depth: The hub features local partners and institutions—including the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Plaza Walls mural organization—showcasing how Oklahoma is telling a complete story of the Route, from its Indigenous roots to modern urban art.