The Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is an absolutely amazing stop. This site is focuses on the history and amazing players from the game, but does so in a really fun way. Best of all, we have a great family-friendly tip for you. Hot Tip: It is often cheaper to buy a year-long membership than to pay for one-time entry into the Hall of Fame. In fact, we paid for an annual membership at the Baseball Hall of Fame and got into both Halls for that one price.
We especially enjoyed the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of how interactive it is. Our boys loved trying to decide a call based on instant replay, and trying on pads and helmets, and watching videos of great plays. This was definitely a family-friendly adventure. Here is a little bit of information about each of the areas in the hall of fame.
NFL’s First Century Gallery
This is the first area as you walk into the Hall of Fame. This exhibit tells the history of football from the beginning to what the NFL has become. This is where many of the hands-on activities were that our kids enjoyed. We also loved seeing how the game has changed through time, especially the gear. I would definitely not play football with what they wore in the first few years. There are artifacts and jerseys on display in this gallery, too.
“A Game For Life” Theater
We loved the Pro Football Hall of Fame because it felt more like an experience than a museum. Sure there were artifacts, but there were moving screens everywhere telling the story of professional football. Our favorite part of the entire presentation was the movie narrated by Joe Namath. To call it a movie is a bit of an injustice, because you are in a locker room surrounded by the gear of some of the most famous players ever while holograms present the game to you in surround sound. It was electrifying and inspiring to even be there.
Hall of Fame Gallery
The most famous area of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is the gallery where you can find a bust of every player inducted into the Hall of Fame. We enjoyed finding the busts of our favorite players and the greats from football history.
Pro Football Today Gallery
There were plenty of awesome facts, funny videos, and all of your favorite team’s artifacts. For us, that meant a Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) jersey and shoes. We took the most pictures in this area because it is full of recent players and plays.
Super Bowl Gallery
One gallery focuses specifically on the Super Bowl from the beginning to the most recent. We liked the complete display of Super Bowl rings from every year. Our boys even got to design their own Super Bowl ring. These fun interactive portions make the Hall pretty special.
In this area there is also a rotating theater showing film of the previous year’s Super Bowl. This was fun even though our team didn’t win, so make sure to watch the film in the rotating theater.
We definitely found the Pro Football Hall of Fame worth the stop in Canton! For more information about visiting the Pro Football Hall of Fame, check out their website with hours and ticket prices. The Baseball Hall of Fame is located in Cooperstown, NY, so it is about 7 hours away. If you are in the eastern United States, it’s worth checking out both to save on ticket prices. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is only about an hour away if you are interested in rock music.
