National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum

Well done! Blown away by the amount of artifacts from baseball’s past. Loved it. Not only do they have history of the game but areas devoted to African-​American players, women, and Latin American players. Baseball in the movies was well done. Start on floor 2.

I visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame about 15 years ago and again this year. I’m not a huge baseball fan, but this place is magical! I loved my visit the first time in the winter and my second visit in the early fall was even better. Cooperstown is beautiful and full of interesting shops and restaurants.
There is so much to see in the museum that you could get there early and stay all day or split your visit over a couple of days.

Loved visiting the museum this past weekend. The exhibits were well organized, the information was presented in an interesting way and the staff were very helpful. The hall itself was very impressive and right by the gift shop was a show in itself. This weekend also happened to be the Baseball Film Festival. We were able to watch a few short films, which a few were produced by ESPN.
Overall, it was a great time and was capable of keeping the interest of this casual baseball fan.

Cmon man it’s the Hall of fame, what do you expect. IT WAS GREAT. Only wish I had more time to read the plaques.
They have a scavenger hunt for the kids to keep them occupied, when they finish it they turn it in at the book store and get 2 packs of baseball cards.

What a fun town and place to visit.
We came here because we were on our way to New England and my husband has wanted to come here all his life.
For him it was nearly a religious experience. I liked it also but not with the reverence he did. But even if you are not a huge baseball fan for life, it’s a great place.
Clean, bright, well organized with cool exhibits. Plus, great restrooms, wonderful benches and a bang up gift shop.
Definitely worth a visit.

This was on my bucket list and if you are a baseball fan, try to visit. Baseball is very different from the other professional sport in the the way it played a role in American history. This museum definitely has some American relics that are worth the trip. They have dedicated sections to Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robertson, Roberto Clemente and Ted Williams. They have also added a section on the GPBL (Girls Professional Baseball League) that my daughter loved. Great family place and amazing pieces of history on displayed.
**TIPS**
All day parking for 10 dollars (They use a verified honor system).
I drove from Rochester NY to Cooperstown and it took me about 3 hrs.
Bring toll money, lots of it.
Enjoy!

I visited the Museum on Hall of Fame Induction weekend so this review will have flavors of that, but I will give general descriptions as well.
This attraction is worth a specific visit for any and all baseball fans. The entire town of Cooperstown is like a Disneyland for baseball fans, with shops, restaurants, everything themed toward baseball.
It’s worth considering an annual membership if you want to visit over multiple days. It’s near break even, but some of the perks might be worth it. VIP line, come and go as you want, etc. If/​when you go to buy tickets you’ll be presented with all the information. Membership DEFINITELY had it’s perks on induction weekend. Ability to get in the membership line could save an hour or more getting in. Plus additional access to induction weekend ceremonies.
The exhibits are top notch. Every single one has a message and allows the viewer to delve in as deep as they want. You could spend a whole day just looking at «stuff» and another day reading and reading all the information. And what you see is just a fraction of what they have in inventory. So the exhibits change often. When I visited, there was an exhibit about Latin American players, history of negro leagues and men of color in the game, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, hitting and pitching, baseball movies, exhibits for every team, and it goes on. And they change since what you see is only a fraction of the museum collection.
One thing I think the Hall does well is present history as it was. For instance, many are surprised that Pete Rose is discussed in an exhibit. «I thought he was banned?» He is banned from the Hall of Fame Gallery (display of players) but his pursuit of the hits record is right there for the fan to see. So is a display about McGwire and Bonds breaking records. And Alex Rodriguez. The stories are there, the only part they do not get to be recognized is the Gallery. Where those who represent character, sportsmanship, AND achievement are displayed.
The Hall of Fame Gallery (with plaques) is the ultimate stop. Spend time walking through history as you see plaques starting with Babe Ruth and going through Craig Biggio. Players who served in the military have a recognition below their plaque, a nice touch and reminder of the generation called to serve in World War II and Korea.
You can spend 3 hours here and see things at a high level, or 3 days to fully digest. It’s not a lot of physical space to cover, it’s the depth. Each display you could spend 20 minutes reading and learning.
It’s hard for a baseball fan like myself to be disappointed. If you’re not a fan but there with one, it would make for a long day looking through everything.
I give five stars because I really can’t think of a way to improve. The entry price is very affordable, the displays are world class, it’s got everything you’d want as a baseball fan.

A must go for baseball fans of all ages.
Admission is $ 23 for adults and I thought it was well worth it. The place is three floors — each offering many sections that range from current players, record breakers, negros and women’s leagues, and much more.
It’s in the heart of Cooperstown which is a beautiful place in itself. Lots to do and see. Great for a weekend getaway!

My interest in baseball has waned over the years — the game has become too slow and boring. I still like going to minor league games since they are more accessible and feel more authentic but they too can be slow and boring. My experience at the NBHOF&M paralleled that feeling of slogging through 9 innings. With some visitors from out-​of-​state who love baseball we drove the nearly 3 hours to Cooperstown (not exactly centrally located) to tour the museum.
Being the middle of summer it was swarming with kids from Little League teams which made for a crazy atmosphere of ADD youth running through the exhibits — many seemed more bored than I was at times. If you are serious about baseball I suggest going at any other time than summer so that you can read all of the details in relative peace and quiet (my previous visit 20 years ago was not in summer).
If you are a big baseball fan you will love this place with all of its history, detail on all aspects of the game, and the stats but for a casual fan of the game it is too much (not unlike baseball itself with its deep focus on history and minutia). Even their multi-​media show at the beginning was slow and a bit bland. I found the sections on the third floor especially on the stadiums and the fans to be the most interesting.
In the last three years I have been to the Football HOF in Canton Ohio and the NASCAR HOF in Charlotte and I have to say that the Baseball HOF is the one in most need of modernizing (I know that is not what baseball people would ever want to hear). I am no fan of NASCAR but we had time to kill before a flight so we went to the HOF and found it super engaging with tons of hands on activities — I actually got more interested in the sport. Not the case at the baseball HOF (the Football HOF could also use some updating but not as much as the Baseball museum).
$ 23 for admission was pretty steep but if you are a fan I am sure this is a small price to pay for visiting this shrine to baseball…

This place was awesome! I’ve been to a few hall of fames including the hockey hall and this by far beat it! The setup on the museum was awesome and the items they had were awesome. I liked the touch of the modern but also the old stuff. The actual hall with the plaques of the members was well set up and organized. Cooperstown is in the middle of nowhere but worth the trip there!

A wonderful museum. It’s thought out so well and there is so much to see. It’s in the details so spend time reading and examining the things on exhibit. Really enjoyed my time here.

Nostalgia abounds. It’s on the walls and in the air. Every section offers something different, something unique. There’s also an ever-​changing exhibit of the latest inductees and the latest greats to retire.
The Hall itself is a fairly small part of the overall building. It’s like sacred ground for those who walk it. There’s a hush that comes over everyone when they enter and marvel at the names that are lined out before them, culminating in the six original inductees.
While probably twice as expensive as it needs to be (~$ 25), especially since it only takes an hour to an hour and a half to walk through, it is still an experience any fan that happens to be in the area shouldn’t miss.

Baseball heaven on earth. Wow! So much to see from the beginning of baseball until now. All the staff is friendly and helpful. The gift shop is big and has something for everyone. In and out privileges. We left for lunch and came back. I actually left twice. Once to go shopping by myself. All set in a small town so quaint it is called a village. About 4 ½ hours from JFK airport.

My first visit to the HoF, though I live 2 hours away and have a son who’s played Little League for several years. I think the experience is best for someone who a/​knows little about baseball but is interested in learning or b/​is totally immersed in the subject. Being somewhere in the middle I was somewhat underwhelmed though it was still a very positive (but somewhat short) father-​son experience.
An exhibit on recruit scouting, as you’re about to leave the 2^nd floor sequence, illustrates what I mean. If you don’t already know, it will be interesting to learn that there are colorful characters who roam the country looking for prospects in obscure places. If you’re an expert, you will enjoy the interactive exercise in which you get to test the acumen of your favorite team’s scouts. But for me in the middle it added little to see an actual radar gun used to rate pitchers, or the boater hat worn by one famous scout from the olden days.
For what they are, the exhibits are well curated. For example, there’s a display with the timeless hardware of baseball – home plate, benches and such. It was cool that the example they chose for home plate just happened to be the surface Willie Mays had stepped on after a record setting home run. And it’s great to see a well worn bat that was actually gripped by a legendary hitter. The uniforms preserved were less stirring, maybe because they’re suspiciously in mint condition with no sweat stains. And I don’t get excited by bricks from the childhood home of Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron, though you might.
We budgeted five hours, which is the recommendation of the museum, and were out in about 2 ½ hours. There were details we could have explored further yet we didn’t feel we were short changed on the experience. At the end we popped in to the actual Hall of Fame which is on the first floor, containing identically designed brass plaques for all the members. It was lightly visited, and we didn’t linger.
P. S. We visited off-​season (early April) and it was easy to get close to the exhibits and read all the fine print. That might be a challenge in the summer where I understand there are hordes of visitors.

My son and I have always wanted to visit this sports landmark, so we decided to take a road trip from Long Island to Cooperstown. Since this was spring break it wasn’t exactly peak season however there was a decent amount of families that had the same idea. They usually have overflow parking lots which required trolley shuttles back and forth, but we had a parking spot right at the main entrance 10 steps away from the door… awesome!
We opted for the family membership which was $ 1 cheaper than regular admission. In addition, we also received a membership card personalized with your favorite team, a magazine subscription as well as a yearbook, a no brainier. Two adults and two kids for $ 80 gave us Carte Blanche throughout the facility and unlimited entry for a year.
The museum was much larger and comprehensive than we thought, we imagined in and out in an hour, but 5 hours later was when we ended up in the gift shop! Wowsers! A $ 70 sweatshirt? Had to get it right? right!
They had a scavenger hunt for the kids, but of course I did all the work, we probably spent an extra hour trying to figure out what changes they made to the Roberto Clemente plaque, and what item is displayed for fielding stats in the Ty Cobb display. Once the hunt was completed the kids received their free pack of baseball cards.
We browsed the entire town that was solely based on baseball, souvenir shops, bat makers stores etc. It’s very unique to find an entire town based only on the game of baseball!
We had a very enjoyable time and got all pumped up for the upcoming baseball season. This place is a must for all you sandlotters!

The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is the pinnacle for any player who played the game or the fan who fell in love with the game.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is one impressive facility. The baseball history is so overwhelming as you walk the same halls where Ruth, Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Robinson and countless others walked through.
If you are a baseball fan it is a must visit. All the exhibits are amazing with tremendous amount of baseball history. The Hall of Fame Room was awesome and yes I touch all their plaques like a tourist.
Of all the exhibits, one was very memorable: The Henry Aaron Exhibit. The exhibit reminded me of the innocence of youth and the ugly side of America. I had no idea about racism and black/​white issues as a young teen. I was just a kid who loved baseball. During Aaron’s run at the holiest of all records, career home run record, there was a segment of the population that hated this and him. Mr. Aaron received death threats and hate mail. Just because of the color of his skin.
I remember one hateful letter that was as vulgar and horrific a letter one can write another human being. I think I saw the letter in a newspaper or book, but to be standing 15 inches away from this letter 40 plus years later, well it brought a tear to my eye. Sad.
While this part of baseball history was horrible. The video of the 715^th Career Home Run by Henry Aaron was just as emotional and exciting as I remembered seeing on live TV. It was a beautiful thing to see the celebration. The joy of Aaron and the fans reminded me of why I love this game.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum is a must visit for any baseball fan. Some may find the museum boring if you are not a fan, but if you approach the exhibits as a historical timeline in the history of our country, I am sure you will be WOW…

I am not a baseball/​any sports fan. We came to the HOF for my husband’s birthday.
When you first walk in from the snow, the staff greets you right away and give you a mini tour about what each floors (3 floors) consist of. Gray was one of these staff members who truly cares about visitors coming into the HOF and made sure we had a good time. He even periodically checked up on us and see how we were doing.
The best place to start out with is the 2^nd floor. It starts the baseball history in chronological order of how it all began in Doubleday field (which is walking distance to the HOF) to 2013.
I can’t name you all the players and events in baseballs, but is a very humbling historic experience to see baseball went under so many changes. To see Babe Ruth’s bat, gloves, balls and uniform is remarkable.
They has sections on female players, Negro League, Latin America players, Cricket, and so much more.

Whether you’re a fan of the sport or not, this place is a MECCA for everything baseball and an absolute must-​see if you’re anywhere near Cooperstown, NY!
We visited Friday afternoon (pro tip: if you enter/​pay after 3pm, they’ll stamp you for a free return visit the next day!) and followed their recommendation of starting our tour on the second floor. There, we took in a 13-​minute video, perused baseball’s beginnings, and enjoyed interactive exhibits highlighting Latinos, African Americans, and women in baseball. We capped off our day with a peek in the «locker room,» comprised of every team’s home and away jerseys, some memorabilia, important moments «this year» (2014 for us), and a short overview of each team.
On the second day of our visit, we jumped right up to the third floor (my favorite) and took in the evolution of ballparks/​technology, marketing, souvenirs, a special Hank Aaron exhibit, a post season room, and an area loaded with just about all the stats you could imagine, along with the stories behind them.
Of course, no visit would be complete without a trip through the first floor’s hall of fame — what the museum is actually famous for in the first place! While I’m not a huge history buff, this room, with its marble columns, oak walls, and etched plaques evokes a sense of class in the room, and immortality for all the inductees… certainly a sight to behold.
The best part about the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum though, is that they must have over 200,000 artifacts, but each and every one of them — from the obligatory signed baseballs, to the 100-​year old stadium seats, to the game-​used batting gloves, to the pinwheel from Comisky Park’s exploding scoreboard — has a well-​written back story explaining its significance and framing it such a way that die-​hards, casual fans, and curious tourists can all enjoy, understand, and appreciate.
America’s favorite pastime is spectacular, and no one else does a better job at sharing it than the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum.

If you’re a fan of America’s favorite pastime, this museum is a must-​see!
Ticket prices are a bit high around $ 20, but it’s an experience that’s absolutely worth it. To see the history of baseball laid before your eyes in a wonderfully warm museum is something else. Jerseys from the greats like Ruth, Cobb, and Gehrig are on display and are amazing to see. Don’t forget to check out the AAGPBL displays as well as the Viva la Baseball exhibit! You’ll be smiling and dancing the whole time.
Before I arrived in Cooperstown, James F’s father told us we’d need about five hours in the museum. I didn’t believe it, but guess what? We took a good four hours to see as much as we could see! Make sure you keep your ticket and don’t wash off your stamp because you can come and go throughout the day.
If you find yourself in the middle of upstate New York, this is an absolute must! Beautiful and stunning museum in the heart of an idyllic New England town.

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME! Did I mention that this place is AWESOME? Any true baseball fan needs to come here and experience baseball history in all of its glory.
The museum has 3 floors and is filled with historical artifacts of old. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty cobb, Honus Wagner and Cy Young just to name a few.
If you enjoy reading the history behind the displays, go early when it first opens at 9:00am. If you are a New York Yankees fan. You can still hear the voice of Bob Sheppard «The voice of Yankee stadium» as his voice greets you at the theater.
I can’t help but feel like a kid in a candy store all over again. As my eyes light up with wonder and excitement! When you view the artifacts and read the story and legacy behind each one, man, it can put a lump in your throat.
The museum pays homage to the diversity of baseball from Latin America and asia and women in baseball. It also highlights the darker days of racial segregation and how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier which helped move civil rights forward in our country.
All I can finally say is «TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME, TAKE ME OUT WITH THE CROWD, BUY ME SOME PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS, I DON’T CARE IF I NEVER GET BACK…»