Top Sports Hall of Fame Museums to Thrill Sports Fans of All Ages

As children millions of sports enthusiasts have dreamed that one day they might end up in a sport’s hall of fame, well, your dreams have come true.  Well, sort of.  Check out these wonderful sport’s halls of fame museums in North America and pretend that stadiums are full of people are screaming out your name. Head to upstate New York to visit The Baseball Hall of Fame Head, to visit a hall of fame dedicated to America’s favorite pastime.

The Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, New York

Perhaps the most favored Hall of Fame of all time, this museum features thousands upon thousands of artifacts documenting the sport’s 150-year history. It has interactive displays, kid-friendly exhibits, films on the sport, and all kinds of uniforms, gloves, and other baseball accouterments to interest anyone. Baseball card collectors will especially enjoy the hall of fame’s display of more than 130,000 baseball cards. This hall of fame is one that will delight all members of the family, even if some of those members will be traveling down the halls in a convertible car seat and cooing at the greatest relics of America’s favorite pastime.

The Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield, Massachusetts

Shooting hoops is something people have been doing for more than 150 years. It’s hard to believe that when the sport was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, it would become such a global phenomenon, but it has.  The Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield as an homage to where the sport was created. The building itself is shaped like a basketball, and inside it are thousands of artifacts that tell the story of the sport. Read all about its hundreds of inductees, see uniforms that were worn over the years, and even take a gander at a pair of Shaq’s sneakers.

The Hockey Hall of Fame, Tornoto, Ontario, Canada

If the United States has baseball, then Canada has hockey.  The Hockey Hall of Fame is a popular tourist destination for visitors to the city of Toronto and hockey aficionados from across North America. The hall of fame which opened in 1961 features goalie masks, thousand of hockey pucks, uniforms, and interactive exhibits that allow visitors to try their hands against an automated goalie.

Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton, Ohio

Find out why the ball used during America’s favoriteThanksgiving Day sport used to be called “the pigskin”.  This hall of fame dedicated to the sport of football, began in 1920 and today features all kinds of artifacts of the sport from uniforms to balls to everything else in between. There are exhibits that feature snippets from every Super Bowl game to ever be played, interactive experiences for people of all ages, and even trivia games.

The World Golf Hall of Fame, St. Augustine, Florida

The greatest players in golf’s history are honored at Florida’s World Golf Hall of Fame. From day one, this hall of fame recognized the best of the best regardless of gender or race.

This go-to destination for any golf-buff is located in St. Augustine. It features top of the line accommodations and not one, but two championship golf courses.

The Hall of Fame features an IMAX theater, museum, and nearby shopping and dining opportunities so that once visitors are done on the green, they can continue to relax in style.

The International Motorsports Hall of Fame, Talladega, Alabama.

While the other hall of fame museums to make this list feature sports played on a field or in a skating rink, motorsports provides a different look at sports. This tribute to racing features information about the riders, drivers, and pilots that have had anything to do with the sport.  The people honored at this hall of fame are the best of the best and fans of motorsports will be in awe of all that this museum has to offer.

Which of these sport’s halls of fame would you be most tempted to make a trip to see?

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Dana Rasmussen writes about travel and adventure, family vacations, and business topics such as mobile payments. She played a mean game of Little League as a kid and is a proud member of the hall of fame in her grandmother’s house.

photo credit: JessyeAnne