10/11/2009
When I lived in the Akron area I used to pass by this building at least once a week – sometimes more. Laura and I are not fans of football at all, so this was one of the places that was far down on our personal lists of things to see. Nonetheless, we were coming into Akron for my nephew and niece’s birthday party, so we decided to stop by here on the way and knock it off the list.
Like I said, Laura and I know nothing about football, so I am sure if you are a football fan this place would mean a lot more to you. Nonetheless, it’s a pretty neat museum. The bulk of the exhibits lead you through a chronological history of the game – so even the non-football loving history geek in me liked looking at the 19th century uniforms and helmets and comparing them to today. There is a nice section about the history of the Super Bowl – much of which is probably common knowledge to even the most basic football fan, but the whole NFL-AFL rivalry was news to us.
Frankly, you’re either a football fan or you’re not. If you are, you’re going to love this place without question. As a non-fan, I thought the museum did present a good feeling of the passion people have for this game. (In fact, one of the exhibits declared, “Baseball is America’s pastime, but football is America’s passion.”) If you’re going to “explore America”, how can you do that and ignore the cultural phenomenon that is football? America is more than Grand Canyons and Statues of Liberty. Love it or hate it, “football culture” is a big part of the American landscape. At the very least, this museum helped me appreciate that a little more. So, all in all, it was a worthwhile experience.
(One word of warning: this place is very expensive for what it is. Adult tickets are $18 each. I planned ahead and got tickets way cheaper on eBay. As obsessive as I am about this project, I don’t know if I could have justified dropping $36 to go to a football museum. Consider that the Henry Ford – which consists of literally acres of exhibits – costs $15. If you’re into football, maybe you can justify the price. If you’re not, I’d say its still worth seeing, but find a cheaper way.)
