Sports are a popular past-time for almost everyone in the world. Sports can be traced back to the first of humankind. Now, sports have evolved and continue to grow with various ones originating in different cultures.
As an athlete, watching the pros compete can be a great learning experience for you. You get to copy the playstyle of the player you like. However, sports museums can also help you grow as an athlete.
Sports museums contain rich history. They show how different sports have evolved throughout the years and who contributed greatly to a particular sport you love.
Learning the roots of the sports helps you appreciate the sport more, whether you learn it from actually playing the game or through educational platforms like https://athleticlift.com/. It gives tribute to the people who paved the way for the development of the sports you love today.
Here are the 6 museums athletes should visit around the world:
Olympic Museum – Lausanne, Switzerland
The Olympic Museum is located in Lausanne, Switzerland. It houses permanent and temporary exhibits that feature sports in the Olympics. It includes the history of the Olympic movement.
The Olympic Museum is the largest archive of the Olympic Games in the world. It has more than 10,000 artifacts.
The idea of building a museum featuring the Olympics originated from Pierre de Coubertin. He’s the man responsible for reviving the Olympic Games and founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
On the 23rd of June 1993, the museum was brought to fruition by the initiative of the president of IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch.
The unusual building is located in beautiful Lake Geneva. It showcases interactive exhibitions, documents, films, and collections of precious objects. This collection goes as far back as the Greek age until the modern-day Olympics. The museum is the largest information center for anything related to the Olympic Games.
If you’re going to tour their permanent exhibition, it’s organized into 3 major themes each with their own separate floor. The 3 major themes for the permanent exhibition are the Olympic World, Olympic Games, and the Olympic Spirit.
The permanent exhibition starts on the 3rd floor, which houses the Olympic World part of the exhibit. Visitors are educated about the history of the ancient Olympic Games and it’s rebirth in the modern world in the 19th century.
The highlights of the Olympic World include the display of Olympic torches. It also includes a video documenting important moments throughout the history of the Olympic Games opening ceremonies.
The second part of the permanent exhibition is the Olympic Games on the 2nd floor. Here, visitors are introduced to the Youth Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games.
Various sporting equipment used in different types of sports is displayed on this floor. There are also individual viewing stations where you can search over 1,000 video clips of Olympic Games and athletes.
In the final part, the Olympic Spirits lets visitors experience being part of an Olympic Village. Visitors can test their balance, agility, and mental skills on various interactive exercises. There are also Olympic medals on display.
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – Springfield, Massachusetts
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield, Massachusetts where founder, James Naismith, founded basketball.
The Hall of Fame museum houses more than 400 inductees. It has over 40,000 square feet of basketball history.
The Naismith Hall of Fame was founded in 1959 by Lee Williams. During its early years, it had difficulty raising money to construct its first facility. It finally opened on February 17, 1968, after raising enough money for construction. It inducted four people in the Hall of Fame its first year.
The first-ever made shot in basketball was in Springfield College, on December 21, 1891. The shot was made by William Chase on a 25-foot toss. It was the only basket made during that game and it was the first basketball game in history.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was relocated to different places. It first operated at Springfield College. Around 630,000 people visited it.
With basketball’s growing popularity, a new facility was to be constructed. In 1985, an $11 million facility was built beside the Connecticut River in Springfield.
In 2002, the Naismith Hall of Fame moved again 100 yards south along Springfield’s riverfront. The 80,000 square foot facility cost around $47 million. It was designed by Gwathmey Siegel and Associates. It features a metallic silver, basketball-shaped sphere flanked by two similarly symmetrical rhombuses. The dome illuminates at night and has different restaurants and a large gift shop.
The current Basketball Hall of Fame features Center Court, a full-sized basketball court where visitors can play. Inside the facility is a game gallery, interactive exhibits, several theaters, and an honor ring of inductees. There’s a large theater that’s used for ceremonies such as the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. This can seat up to 300 people.
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum – Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum is the largest tennis museum in the world. It was inaugurated at The Championships centenary event in 1977. It was only in 2006, where the Duke of Kent announced the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum was open to the public.
The museum contains exhibits and artifacts that date back to 1555. There are also touch screen computer consoles visitors can use. There are various memorabilia from famous tennis players dating back from the Victorian era until the present day.
The Wimbledon museum offers a unique VR experience that will surely put you in awe. It features:
- Fun and informative adventure of the history of The Championships at Wimbledon.
- Experiences with a different perspective of the famous grass used in the court by shrinking you to ant-size.
- Experiences in the life of an umpire by watching famous events in tennis through the point of view from the umpire’s chair.
- Hear the voice of former Wimbledon finalist and British no.1 Tim Henman.
Baseball Hall of Fame – Cooperstown, New York
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is full of rich baseball history located in Cooperstown, New York.
It features as a study for the history of baseball. In addition, it showcases baseball-related artifacts and exhibits. It pays homage to people who have made a great contribution to baseball.
The museum was founded in 1939 by then heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, Stephon Carlton Clark.
The museum contains about 40,000 baseball-related artifacts, 3 million library items, and 140,000 baseball cards
The first floor contains baseball movie memorabilia, where a screen shows some footage from the movies. It has a bullpen theater where visitors can play trivia games and book discussions. The Plaque Gallery includes induction plaques of all members. There is also a clubhouse for kids with interactive displays.
The Game contains most of the artifacts within the museum. It features the Babe Ruth room, Viva Baseball (baseball in Latin America), and Taking the Field (19th-century baseball).
The third floor contains the Autumn Glory. It’s full of post-season baseball history, artifacts, and replicas of World Series rings.
It also features Hank Aaron’s legacy in baseball. One of the Books teaches visitors the various baseball records made and exciting moments throughout its history.
Hockey Hall of Fame – Toronto, Ontario
The Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1943 in Kingston, Ontario. It was founded by James T. Sutherland. It was moved several times until in 1993, where it settled in Downtown Toronto
At the Hall, visitors can play against life-size, animated versions of the greatest goalies and shooters. Theses include Carey Price and Sidney Crosby.
The Stanley’s Game Seven lets you view hockey flicks via 3D film. The museum has 2 theaters.
The museum features the state-of-the-art D.K. Seaman Hockey Resource Center. It contains a 4-pad arena complex and Toronto Maple Leafs Practice Facility.
The 18,000 square foot facility is home to the largest collection of Hockey artifacts and archival collections. Visitors can explore trophies, memorabilia, and equipment worn by hockey’s notable players.
The facility also houses the Esso Great Hall, which is regarded as the Cathedral to the icons of hockey. It contains various portraits and biographical information of all Hall of Fame honored members.
The World of Hockey Zone is also present in this museum. It features hockey history outside of leagues in North America. It’s 6,000 square feet is full of international hockey history like Olympic Hockey.
NASCAR Hall of Fame – Charlotte, North Carolina
The NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive entertainment facility that pays homage to the history and achievements of NASCAR.
It opened on May 11, 2010, with high-tech facilities. It houses various artifacts, hands-on exhibits, a 278 seater state-of-the-art theater, Hall of Honor, and other types of facilities.
The 5-acre site includes a 19-story office tower and 102,000 square-foot expansion to the Charlotte Convention Center. It also includes a 40,000 square-foot ballroom.
You can participate in racing simulator. Experience what it’s like to be in NASCAR. Take a look at NASCAR’s rich history in Hall of Honor, Heritage Speedway, and Whelen Hall of Champions.
You can also buy memorabilia at NASCAR’s official gear shop or donate artifacts related to NASCAR.
Conclusion
Whether you’re an athlete or just a fan of sports, these museums are some great ones to visit throughout the world. If you’re planning a trip to any of these locations, try to make a stop into these museums.
