Pro Football Hall of Fame

Inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s entrance sits a vintage Hupmobile car. Its convertible roof is rolled back, and the long running boards below the doors look big enough for a man (or a few) to grab a seat. A placard explains that NFL legend and Chicago Bears founder George Halas and other owners of American Professional Football Association teams did just that while meeting at Ralph Hay’s Canton Hupmobile dealership in 1920 to formalize their league.  

Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs, one of the 14 teams that played that year in what is now considered the National Football League’s inaugural season. Only two of those original teams remain, and the league changed its name to the NFL in 1922, but what started in Canton has reached a level its originators could never have envisioned. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates the story of the NFL, mixing a deep history of its first century with fun and interactive exhibits that highlight the game’s advances and innovations. Kids can see how their football grip lines up with legends such as Warren Moon or don a helmet to hear what quarterbacks do as their coaches call in a play from the sidelines. 

Two entertaining and high-tech film presentations deliver stirring locker-room pep talks (“A Game For Life” features a holographic Joe Namath) and up-close views of the most recent Super Bowl (the Big Game matchup is updated at the Super Bowl Theater each summer). 

The Hall of Fame Gallery, which features the sculpted busts of the more than 360 men enshrined as greats of the game, is a highlight of any visit, as fans stand face to face with legendary players and coaches. 2121 George Halas Dr. NW, Canton, Ohio 44708, 330/456-8207, profootballhof.com