Planning Your Trip To The Basketball Hall Of Fame In Springfield, Massachusetts

Photo of Basketball Founder Dr. James Naismith.

1000 Hall of Fame Avenue

Springfield, MA 01105

1-877-446-6752

Many basketball fans are confused as to why the Basketball Hall of Fame would be located in Springfield, Massachusetts of all places. After all, basketball founder and creator Dr. James Naismith was born in Ontario, Canada and will be forever linked to the University of Kansas’ basketball program. Few knew that for six years, Naismith served as a P.E. teacher at the Springfield YMCA in Massachusetts before joining the University of Kansas athletic department. Naismith would go on to give more than 40 years of service to the university as an instructor, coach and athletic director. But Springfield, Massachusetts is where it all began.

Exterior photo of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was founded in 1959 and since then, upwards of 350 basketball players have been elected to the Hall. However, an actual building for the Hall of Fame didn’t open until 1968 on the campus of Springfield College. It was modest and would serve as the Hall of Fame for 17 years before a new building opened in June of 1985. With the rising popularity of NBA players such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwan, Larry Bird and Isiah Thomas, the organization knew that it would need a new building to fit the game's growing fan base. Unfortunately, the second Hall of Fame building would only serve as the home of the museum for another short 17 years. The current and third installment of the Hall of Fame opened in September of 2002 where it sits on the banks of the scenic Connecticut River.

Photo of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Atrium.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame now has more than 40,000 square feet of artifacts, exhibits and memorabilia. There isn’t really a peak season which means any time is a great time to visit the Hall of Fame. Being only a 90 minute drive Boston, one could easily visit the Hall of Fame one weekend while also taking in a Boston Celtics or UConn Huskies basketball game.

The Hall allows fans to rent out the facility for youth birthdays as well as for business meetings and banquets so definitely take advantage if you live in the area. If there are any other questions, the museum can be reached at the phone number above. Below you will find some of the most vital information needed in order to plan your trip to the museum. All active military members get in free with discounts for their families. Depending on your budget and the airfares you can find online, flying into the Bradley Airport in Hartford, CT may be the most ideal since Hartford is only a 30 minute drive from Springfield. If you fly into Boston, MA, you'll be 90 miles from Springfield, MA. Either way, you'll likely need to rent a car. Parking at the Hall of Fame is free of charge.