The Center featured exhibit panels and artifacts about the people who traveled along the trail, the desert and life in the 18th century.
Former New Mexico House of Representatives member Don Tripp praised the design of the museum while being sharply critical of the decision to site it "in the middle of nowhere."
Former Socorro mayor Ravi Bhasker attributed the museum's failure to its inconvenient location, labeling as "impossible" consultants' projections of 100,000 visitors per year.
[1] The site featured a display of non-motorized travel aimed at providing modern motorists with an appreciation for the difficulty of traversing the desert environment.
An outdoor amphitheater featured traditional music heard along the journey reflecting the diverse folkways that developed as many cultures met on the legendary trade route.