The Route 66 Museum in Kingman's historic Powerhouse building is one of the better stops along the entire Mother Road. The exhibits trace the highway's history from its designation in 1926 through its golden age in the 1950s and eventual decommissioning in 1985, covering the culture, cars, and roadside Americana that defined the route. Scale models of gas stations and diners, vintage signage, and period photographs give the experience real texture.
The Powerhouse itself is worth a look — the 1907 Spanish Colonial Revival building is handsome, and shares its courtyard with a visitor centre, a gift shop stocked with Route 66 memorabilia, and the Electric Vehicle Museum next door. Admission is modest and the museum takes around an hour to get through properly.