The cultural and spiritual home of our National Pastime.
Such an amazing place. The baseball Hall of Fame does a fantastic job of telling the story of baseball in America. From artifacts to stories to interactive media to the plaques themselves. It is a must visit for every baseball fan!
Brett S.
The Museum's exhibits span the history of the sport. From the earliest days to the modern era, visitors can explore exhibits that showcase the game's greatest moments and the legendary players who left an indelible mark on the sport. The exhibits capture the essence of baseball's cultural impact, connecting generations of fans to the game's rich history.
The Plaque Gallery is sacred ground for baseball fans, where the bronze plaques of the Hall of Famers line the oak walls and visitors speak in hushed, reverential tones. The dramatic arched entryway and marble columns let you know you are somewhere special.
For generations of fans, their love of the National Pastime can be traced to simple pieces of cardboard with an image on one side and numbers on the other.
They were our Shoebox Treasures, and their story is one of the most celebrated in the game's history.
Shoebox Treasures opened on the Museum's third floor in 2019. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
This popular exhibit traces women's roles in the game from 19th-century ballclubs to their present-day involvement – on the field and in baseball's front offices and broadcast booths.
The Museum's Diamond Dreams exhibit. (Milo Stewart Jr. / National Baseball Hall of Fame)
The National Baseball Hall of Fame Library contains thousands of volumes dedicated to chronicling the history of America’s Pastime. Each year, hundreds of new books and publications dedicated to baseball are added to the collection. One may use our online library catalog to perform subject, title, author, and keyword searches in order to discover which materials would best one’s needs. Here is a list of some of the items available in our collection:
Books: These form the bulk of our collection of printed materials. They include novels; biographies; team histories; histories of baseball played in particular cities, states, and countries; children’s books; cookbooks; and various other fictional and non-fictional works.
Periodicals: The Hall of Fame Library has bound editions of many popular baseball periodicals, as well as many that focus on sports in general. Sports Illustrated, Sport, Baseball America, Baseball Weekly, Baseball Digest, The New York Clipper, and The Sporting News are just a sample of the titles contained in the Library’s collection. In addition to print editions, some of these – Sporting Life and The Sporting News, for example – may also be available in microforms.
Statistical Guides: Complete or nearly-complete runs of various statistical guides are also kept at the Library. The Spalding, Reach, and Sporting News guides form the bulk of the annuals kept here, but other early annuals, such as Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player and DeWitt’s Base-Ball Guide, are also available. However, many titles exist, and the Hall of Fame Library strives to include as many as possible. The Hall of Fame Library also has several copies and editions of baseball encyclopedia.
Team Publications: Another strong category within the Hall of Fame Library surrounds team publications for Major League Baseball teams, minor-league teams, foreign teams, AAGPBL teams, as well as others. It is important to note, however, that these may not necessarily be complete runs. Publications for minor-league teams are mostly from the latter half of the 20th century and afterward, and they may be limited, depending on the team.
Foreign-Language Publications: Documents written in Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other languages are also available at the Hall of Fame Library.
The mission of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Museum collection is to collect and preserve three-dimensional artifacts documenting the history of baseball. As stewards of the collection, it is our charge to protect these objects for the public. It is vital that objects be conserved and preserved for future generations to enjoy. The Museum’s three-dimensional collection contains more than 40,000 artifacts representing all facets of the game, from its inception to the present. This includes bats, baseballs, uniforms, player equipment, ballpark artifacts, awards, artwork, textiles, collectibles and assorted memorabilia relating to all aspects of baseball including, but not limited to, Hall of Famers, Major and Minor League players and teams, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the Negro Leagues, stadiums, events, amateur baseball, and international baseball.
A collage of artifacts connected to the Museum's opening in 1939. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)
Our Museum Object Collection Management Policy is available here.
Gifts of artifacts associated with baseball’s history are essential to the growth and education potential of the Museum and are actively sought. Past donations have provided our Museum with the outstanding collection that has continued to appeal to all generations from varied backgrounds throughout the world. The Museum acquires appropriate artifacts for its collection solely through gifts from the general public and amateur and professional baseball organizations. We invite you to contribute to the Museum’s holdings and become an active participant in the future of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. All artifacts submitted for acquisition are reviewed by the Museum’s Acquisitions Committees.
A must for any baseball fan. The Hall itself is church-like and gives the true fan chills just to stand there.
Kenneth C.
