The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is the pilgrimage site for American baseball fans and a genuinely engaging museum for anyone interested in American cultural history. Three floors of exhibits trace the evolution of the game from its 19th-century origins through the present, with an extraordinary collection of artifacts: bats, balls, uniforms, equipment, contracts, photographs, trophies, and memorabilia covering every era of professional play.
The Hall itself — the room containing the bronze plaques of all inducted players, managers, umpires, and executives — is worth seeing for the atmosphere alone, even if you don't know most of the names. The museum gives appropriate and thoughtful treatment to the Negro Leagues and the long history of exclusion and integration in professional baseball. The research library on the premises holds the most comprehensive collection of baseball historical records in existence. Allow at least three hours; fans could easily spend an entire day.