Route 66: The Main Street of America
Wed, Sep 02
|Climate Action Museum
Time & Location
Sep 02, 2026, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Climate Action Museum, 300 S Riverside Plaza, Chicago, IL 60606, USA
About the event
A new film celebrating the centennial of Route 66, Route 66: The Main Street of America, premieres in Chicago on Tuesday, September 1st at the Art Institute, the first stop on the film’s screening tour down the historic highway. Get your tickets for the premier here!
The documentary, produced by Chris Elisara and directed by his partner, John Paget, tells the story of how Route 66 shaped American culture and highlights the wildly diverse institutions along its 2,500-mile stretch.
On the following day, September 2nd, CAM will host a special panel discussion with producer Chris Elisara. The conversation will explore what we can learn from the history of Route 66 and how CAM adds its own chapter to that story. The discussion will touch on a related public art project: the Route 66 river mural, painted by artist Thomas Melvin, located on the Chicago River just outside CAM.
