Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Springfield, Massachusetts)

 museum, sports venue, hall of fame

1000 Hall Fame Avenue
Springfield, MA 01105
(877) 446-6752
www.hoophall.com/

The Basketball Hall of Fame has been so popular that this entirely new facility was opened near the original hall in 2002, on a sliver of land between I-91 and the train tracks. Start at the top (third) level at the Honors Ring, with biographies of the players enshrined in the Hall. Interactive displays feature vast quantities of memorabilia and history of the sport, which was invented by Canadian-born Dr. James Naismith in Springfield in 1891 (remember the Chicago Studebakers or the Philadelphia Hebrews?). On the ground floor is a court where clinics and skill challenges are held, and where anyone can pick up a ball and shoot a few. There are several restaurant chain options in the complex, and a Hilton hotel on the other side of the parking lot.