Pro-Football Hall Of Fame In Canton, Ohio

For the diehard football fan, there is no other place on earth that represents and honors the history of the game, better than the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The Pro Football Hall of Fame first opened in 1963 and had 17 charter inductees. Presently, the museum includes; game scores of players, coaches, football, super bowl and history of the game exhibits. Every year, devoted and adoring fans are drawn here in innumerable throngs.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, is shaped like what else, a football! There are actually two buildings, with a museum that has undergone three expansions since it was first opened. The building is currently 82,000 square feet and has a total six exhibit areas. Its location in Canton, Ohio, is approximately a one hour drive, south of Cleveland. The location of Canton, Ohio was chosen because it was the original home of the American Professional Football Association, a forerunner of the National Football League (NFL).

Among the first things you see when entering the building is a bronze statue to honor Jim Thorpe, the first star in professional football. He was a very versatile athlete, played American football, won Olympic gold medals, and also played baseball and basketball. You walk through 100 years of football history, view information on over 200 inductees, see a complete collection of super bowl rings, and view a "behind the scenes'' movie about team game-day preparation. In 2008, the museum included two new galleries for visitors, "Moments, Memories and Mementos'', and "Pro Football Today''. In addition there is also a film area, trivia games, an interactive area, memento room, a photo gallery and the Adventure Room, which contains brief historical information about the seven different football leagues.

There are also bronze busts and complete history information on over 194 football players, from Harold "Red'' Grange to Tommy McDonald. There are colorful exhibits, complete with informative plaques, all throughout the museum. To be admitted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a player must have the support of at least 80% of the 39 member panel and be retired for a period of at least 5 years.

The players honored in the Pro Football Hall of fame, unlike the Baseball Hall of Fame, do not represent a particular team, they represent all of the teams they have played for during their professional career. Everything about this museum is larger than life and represents the history of the best players in the game.