American Road Trip

9 March – 15 September 2024

The American Museum & Gardens celebrates an epic journey through the diversity of American landscapes, history and culture in a new, family friendly, special exhibition for 2024.

People travel in all parts of the globe, but the road trip is an experience forever American. American Road Trip presents the origins and stories behind the cultural phenomenon, and transports us thousands of miles on the ultimate journey of discovery along Route 66 and beyond.

Join us for:

A contemporary museum experience, where visitors join in and share their own stories
Large-scale-travel games, theatrical sets, and an array of American road-trip memorabilia
The chance to get up close to an original 1958 Harley Davidson Duo Glide motorcycle, on loan from Haynes Motor Museum

Entering an immersive gallery of imagery, music and neon-lighting effects, visitors will experience a series of interactive spaces to explore different aspects of the iconic adventure.

Exhibition features include billboards showcasing the diverse history and culture of the American road trip, a giant USA map game to play out all kinds of routes across the continent, and favourite examples of the American road trip in popular culture.

Visitors will be able to assemble a classic scene for a fun selfie in a theatrical car set, get up close to a 1958 Harley Davidson Duo Glide motorcycle, and navigate the USA via interactive dashboards featuring stunning landscape photography from America’s National Parks and beyond.

Surrounded by inspiring stories, imagery and objects from the road, exhibition road-trippers are encouraged to add their own American road trip wishes or memories to the displays.

Exhibition sponsor

With

Image credits:
Top row, left to right –
1. Group of Florida migrants on their way to Cranberry, New Jersey, to pick potatoes, Shawboro, North Carolina, Jack Delano, 1940. Library of Congress
2. Neon sign for the Supai Motel at dusk, Seligman, Arizona, Carol Highsmith, 2016. Library of Congress
3. Shenandoah National Park, Peter Forister. NPS Photo
Bottom row –
1. Yellowstone National Park, Neal Herbert. NPS Photo
2. www.classicdriver.com