Sports Journeys: The Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is one of the premier Hall of Fames dedicated to a professional sport in the U.S.A. It opened in 1963 with a mission of honoring the greatest of the game, promoting its values, and celebrating excellence together. The selection of Canton, Ohio, as its home was very meaningful, as the NFL was founded in that city as the American Professional Football Association; it was also the home of the Canton Bulldogs, one of the power teams in the early days of pro football.

It also had the support of the citizens of the city, who were rightfully proud of the major part their hometown had played in the creation of the NFL. While many people think of a Hall of Fame as a dusty museum with a bunch of busts sitting on a shelf, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a vibrant, state-of-the-art facility that uses video, AI, holograms, social media, and other technologies to tell the story of the NFL and its elite players, coaches, and owners.

The multi-story Hall of Fame is divided into a series of galleries, with each focusing on a different aspect of pro football. The first of these galleries is entitled the First Century Gallery, and it takes visitors on a tour of the game’s beginnings in the smaller cities of the Midwest. It tells the stories of how the league was formed, as well as saluting the early elite players of the era.

A statue of Jim Thorpe prominently appears in this gallery. The Lamar Hunt Super Bowl Gallery looks at the phenomenon that the league’s championship game has become since the initial game in Los Angeles pitted two entirely separate leagues, the NFL and the AFL, against each other to decide a world champion for the sport. Displays are saluting each succeeding Super Bowl up to the most recent game, with the current champion having the most prominent display. This section also features the actual Lombardi Trophy awarded to the winning team. Several different Super Bowl rings are also on display in this gallery.

The section of the Pro Football Hall of Fame most people tend to think of is the Hall of Fame Gallery. The busts of 382 players, coaches, and owners who have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame are on display in this area. There are kiosks in the room which provide detailed information on each inductee’s contributions to, and impact on the game. The most recent inductee’s uniforms and artifacts receive additional attention in this room.

The final section of the Hall of Fame tour takes you to the Pro Football Today Gallery. It addresses the impact the game has had on racial equality, pop culture, and society in general. This section is constantly updated throughout the current NFL season as new NFL records are set.

Visitors to the Pro Football Hall of Fame can enjoy interactive skill exhibits, have their photos done with NFL helmets, gear, and backdrops for a souvenir, and shop in the huge NFL store at the end of their visit.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame anchors a larger Hall of Fame campus.

Other elements on this campus include the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, which hosts the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, as well as the Hall of Fame Game that kicks off the NFL preseason each summer. There are also several playing fields devoted to youth football on the campus, as well as a shopping and restaurant development with a football theme.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is located at exit 107B of I-77, approximately 60 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The Hall of Fame is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Admission is $45 for adults and $38 for children (aged 6-12). Seniors receive a special ticket price every Tuesday.

Pro Football Hall of Fame

2121 George Halas Drive, NW

Canton, OH 44708

www.profootballhof.com