The Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame has existed since 1958. But for most of his existence, there’s been no permanent home. It was dormant from 2006 until it was revived in 2019.
Starting Friday, November 29th, The Hall of Fame will be a pop up exhibit on the lower level of the Dayton’s Project (the old Dayton store) located on Nicolett Mall in downtown Minneapolis.
“This is just the beginning,” Meet Minneapolis President and CEO Melvin Tennant told an invited preview audience, including the MSR, on November 26. “The promise of what a sports hall of fame can be. The promise of things that really going to reimiate our downtown.”
Visitors to the Hall of Fame Experience can see such displays as:
“Early Milestones”- a collection of “firsts”
University of Minnesota football — “The Biggest Game in Town”
“Gold Medal State” on Minnesota athletes’ Olympic success through the years
“The Metrodome”
“The Rise of Women’s Sports”
The state’s shift to pro sports, “A Major League Era”
Speaking to the MSR, Tennant stressed, “We have such a rich history of sports in Minnesota that it was really important for us to try to, at least for the holiday season, bring all of these great stories together so that we can all celebrate where we’ve been at the state with regard to sports, whether it’s professional, whatever it’s collegiate, whatever it’s Olympic.
“There’s so many great stories to tell, and we’re just excited to be able to tell them in this facility,” he added.
The Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame Experience is just is a joint venture from Meet Minneapolis, Minnesota Star Tribune, the Minneapolis Foundation, Hennepin History Museum and Mich’s Markets as well as many of the state’s professional and collegiate sports organizations.
Tennant has been very instrumental in bringing many large-scale sporting events to the state during his tenure at Meet Minneapolis, an overlooked fact over the years.
“I appreciate that,” said Tennant. “It’s always good to have a strong team of community leaders (and) our team at Meet Minneapolis. I’ve just been really fortunate to have a chance to work with so many great people.”
The Experience in its temporary location will be open Mondays-Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. During Holidazzle on December 18-21, the exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
“We have made great progress in terms of convincing people that, particularly our downtown area, is ready to welcome visitors,” declared Tennant.