MUSEUM FACTS

Located on Main Street in the heart of picturesque Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the country's most popular destinations and is surely the best-known sports shrine in the world. The Museum opened its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939. The Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game's treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan's "Field of Dreams" with its stories, legends and magic to be passed on from generation to generation. The Baseball Hall of Fame is an independent, nonprofit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of Baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime. In short we preserve history, honor excellence and connect generations.

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The Museum is open daily, year round (except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day), the Museum’s summer hours are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day Weekend through the day before Labor Day, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.

Admission prices are $30 for adults (13 and over), $24 for seniors (65 and over) and $21 for juniors (ages 7-12). Those holding current memberships in the VFW, Disabled American Veterans American Legion or AMVets organizations are admitted for $20. Hall of Fame members, active or retired card-carrying military personnel and children under six years of age are admitted free.

Group rates are also available. The Museum is handicap accessible and video programs are captioned for the hearing impaired.

The Museum Store resides on the first floor. Visit the Store for unique gifts, keepsakes and clothing apparel for the baseball fans in your life. 

We also have a Museum Bookstore, located in the Library Atrium, carries a wide variety of books and videos on a variety of baseball subjects, available for purchase. For the numerous book signings that take place in the Library Atrium year-round, books are available for purchase from this location.

The Hall of Fame Library, which houses in excess of three million documents, including a file on every player to appear in a major league game, 250,000 photographs and 14,000 hours of recorded film, video and sound. A public research area is a great place to spend the afternoon, for those wishing to delve deeper into Baseball’s history. 

The A. Bartlett Giamatti Research Center, housed in the Library, facilitates approximately 60,000 research inquiries from around the world each year. A public facility where numerous researchers and Museum visitors are served annually, the research staff answers questions ranging from students working on a report to fielding a request from The White House for information for a presidential speech. While the majority of patrons are independent baseball fans conducting research, others using the facilities have included such noted authors as George Plimpton, Roger Kahn, and George Will; officials from numerous major and minor league clubs; former major league players; writers from The New York TimesUSA Today and The Wall Street Journal; television shows such as Jeopardy; and students of all ages.

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The Research Center is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays, the winter months and special events. Appointments are encouraged. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, please call 607-547-0330 or eamil research@baseballhall.org.

A Three-Year, $20-Million Renovation of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum was formally completed with a rededication ceremony on July 29, 2005. Thirty-eight Hall of Fame members were present to cut the ribbon. The project marked the Museum’s seventh building renovation effort since the opening of its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939. Previous projects in 1950, 1958, 1968, 1980, 1989 and 1994 added exhibit space, the Hall of Fame Gallery, the Hall of Fame Library and the Museum Store, and connected them all. The most recent renovation offers visitors: a completely new look and feel; 14 exhibit and program spaces; 10,000 additional square feet of exhibit space; more accessibility for those with special needs; more interactive technology; a more consistent environment for the collections; and a seamless traffic pattern for visitors to enjoy. 

Membership is an integral part of the Hall of Fame and those enrolled in the membership program enjoy many benefits while assisting us in furthering our mission. There are membership levels for children, families and adults. Members receive complimentary admission to the Hall of Fame and Museum, a personalized membership card, a subscription to Memories and Dreams, the Hall of Fame’s bi-monthly magazine, free domestic shipping and 10% discount on purchases from the Museum Store in Cooperstown and at shop.baseballhall.org, and exclusive member-only events throughout the year and more.

Memories and Dreams is the official bi-monthly magazine of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Available exclusively to Museum members, Memories and Dreams features in-depth profiles on Hall of Fame members, trends in the baseball world, scores of original photos from the Library collection, original art, insightful writing and the latest news and notes from Cooperstown. The annual Hall of Fame Yearbook offers bios, photographs and statistics of all Hall of Fame members, along with profiles of the newest inductees. Free to all participants in the Hall of Fame membership program, the Yearbook retails for $10.

Inside Pitch delivers a free weekly newsletter via e-mail to baseball fans at work or home throughout the year, to keep you connected to Cooperstown. Featuring a weekly history lesson, Inside Pitch brings home baseball anniversaries, important news from the Museum and exclusive gift opportunities.

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Future Hall of Fame Weekends are scheduled to be held over the last Sunday in July in most years, but not always. The 2024 Induction Weekend will be held July 19-22, with the Induction Ceremony on July 21.

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A partial list of eligible first-time players for upcoming Hall of Fame elections includes: 2025: Brian McCann, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Troy Tulowitzki; 2026: Ryan Braun, Edwin Encarnación, Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis; 2027: Jay Bruce, Jon Lester, Buster Posey, Kyle Seager; 2028: Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols; 2029: Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Adam Wainwright. For complete details, visit our Future Eligibles page.

In 2007, an estimated 82,000 fans packed Cooperstown, honoring the Hall of Fame induction of Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn and setting a Hall of Fame Weekend attendance record…Following 2007, the next largest estimated crowds for Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies: 55,000 (2019); 53,000 (2018); 50,000 (1999); 50,000 (2016); 48,000 (2014); 45,000 (2015); 40,000 (1995); 35,000 (2022); 28,000 (2024); 27,500 (2017); 27,000 (2001 and 2005); and 25,000 (2000).

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 25 Main Street Cooperstown, NY 13326

Phone: (607) 547-7200 Toll-free: (888) HALL-OF-FAME or (888) 425-5633 Email: info@baseballhall.org

EXPLORE OUR EXHIBITS

Across our three floors of exhibit space, visitors experience baseball history through artifacts on display, which showcase the important moments on the field as well as the game's monumental impact on our society. 

ONLINE EXHIBITS

Explore baseball history from the comfort of your home. 

Featured Story

History of the Museum

Cooperstown has become a synonym for “baseball” – thanks to a story about a Civil War general and the country’s love for a timeless game.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Read the latest news from Cooperstown

ABOUT US

More information about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Hall of Fame Weekend

The eyes of the baseball world will be focused on Cooperstown July 19 - 22, with the legends of the game in town to see history unfold during Hall of Fame Weekend.

NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Read the latest news from Cooperstown

ABOUT US

More information about the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Hall of Fame Weekend

The eyes of the baseball world will be focused on Cooperstown July 19 - 22, with the legends of the game in town to see history unfold during Hall of Fame Weekend.