National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

As a lightweight baseball fan, and a retired non-athletic woman who only ineptly has played ball, I expected to amble through the museum in a just a couple of hours, but there was so much fun stuff to read, and so many visiting baseball fans to interact with as we took in the exhibits, that I was there five hours.

The history - early baseball, clubs, standardizing the rules, negro leagues, women's baseball, and wonderful stories of all sorts of people who played and/or enriched the game - it was just wonderful. Don't miss the introductory film.

The hall of fame plaques are career vignettes of the players. Just overwhelming and very cool. Loved the statue (in with the hall of fame plaques area) of Ted Williams and the notes about it.

There are areas that focus on key contributors - Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Connie Mack, Ken Griffey, Ichiro, etc. - and areas that focus on groups of contributors - Latin Americans, Negro Leagues, etc.

And there are interactive opportunities. Many. Including the opportunity to take your photo and be emailed baseball cards of yourself and the team you select. Fun for all. Highly recommend IF you have any interest at all in baseball.

I noticed families, couples, and groups of just women and just men. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

A great museum to learn all about our national pastimes' esteemed, famous and infamous heroes. DH's dream come true of a location that has been on his bucket list since he was a kid. So many exhibits to view, packed with enough information and statistics to entertain the biggest baseball aficionado. A special thank you for the focus on the baseball gals during WWII and the original Negro ball clubs before inclusion, very special and informative exhibits. Thank you for a great visit NBHOF!

Watch the video in the theater. If you have love of baseball, family, history, or a heart you'll be moved. Take 2 to 3 hours and you can see the whole museum portion without rushing. Take more if you're someone who wants to read everything. The Hall itself is cool for a baseball nerd, but not the main reason to come. Cooperstown is place you can spend a whole weekend alone or with your family.

My husband LOVES baseball so we had to visit while nearby on a work trip! We spent 3.5 hours inside and I think he could have spent even more time! They had excellent displays, photos, videos, etc… definitely recommend!

This was an amazing place, at times feeling like sacred ground for the sport. Overall we were impressed and happy we made the stop on our way home to Oh. There are 3 floors and you should watch the movie first to really get in the right frame of mind. I was expecting the women’s leagues exhibit to be larger from watching A League of their Own. But there was just so much to remember from years past and I found myself wondering what these players were doing in retirement. It’s well worth the trip and Cooperstown itself is an amazing American town set on a lake perfect fort a picnic lunch and then some ice cream.