EXHIBITION DESIGN

2nd FLOOR : SPORT AS NATIONAL IDENTITY

This attraction-museum will be an all-embracing representation of our American sports experience and serve as a celebration of sports' unifying influence on all of us.

NATIONAL PRIDE

From the therapeutic effects of baseball as a national pastime during times of crisis, such as the Depression and World War II, to the US men’s ice hockey team taking down the mighty Russians in the 1980 Winter Olympics, to the game-winning penalty kick against the Chinese in the 1999 Women’s World Cup, to President Bush’s post-9/11 first pitch, there have been countless moments when sports galvanized our national pride and brought us closer together as Americans.

CULTURAL INFLUENCE

A fun look at how athletes have influenced our culture, particularly through fashion and music. In the era of social media, athletes have gained even greater influence as catalysts for cultural trends.

FAN CULTURE

This gallery is a celebration of the culture surrounding the world of sports, particularly the most popular marketing campaigns, sports movies and other consumer-related trends, preferences and signature moments:

  1. “Fan Feud,” a trivia and opinion poll game – Visitors compete against one another (Sample questions: What was the most historically significant moment in sports? or, on a much lighter note, What team has the coolest uniforms?) in the style of Family Feud, presented at two competing stations.

  2. Broadcast Booth – Visitors choose from legendary clips, listen to the announcer’s famous broadcast, and then record their own customized play-by-play.

  3. Ultimate Sports Marketing & Media Wall — great stroll down memory lane, allowing visitors to reminisce about their favorite moments and trends in our shared history as athletes and sports fans.

BUILDING THE PERFECT ATHLETE

Building the Perfect Athlete explores the three key components of athletics: the physical, mental and psychological. This interactive exhibit synthesizes shared characteristics of all world-class athletes. In a cross-generational, multi-sport look at athletic accomplishment, this exhibit will explore the physical, such as speed, stamina, strength, and skill; the mental, including training techniques, strategy and split-second decision-making; and the psychological, with intangibles such as sheer determination, overcoming injuries and adversity, the power of teamwork, grace under pressure, and the ability to maintain nerves of steel and come through in the clutch. Visitors will have the opportunity to make comparisons and decisions regarding their favorite player attributes on the way to virtually “building the perfect athlete”.

Along the way, this exhibit will feature critical training tips for improved performance, divided into six categories:

  • Nutrition, Fitness & Training Techniques – designed to hone mind, body and spirit

  • Need for Speed – examples of exceptional speed + tips from top athletes/coaches

  • Feats of Strength – examples of exceptional strength + tips from fitness coaches

  • Sensational Skill – examples of skillful techniques from leading athletes/coaches

  • Superior Stamina – examples of exceptional stamina + tips from fitness coaches

  • Exceptional Strategy – examples of effective strategy + tips from top coaches


ROTATING EXHIBITS

This gallery will celebrate all other sports (extreme sports, horse racing, etc.) as well as sports’ most special events (Super Bowl, World Cup, etc.) on a rotating basis. The rotating exhibit space will be important to keep content fresh, and will specifically appeal to repeat as well as new, more targeted groups of fans. Some potential examples might be:

  1. Extreme Sports film – an exhilarating visual experience presented on eight flat screens that start overhead and cascade down the wall to recreate these athletes’ jaw-dropping aerial displays.

  2. Horse Racing simulation – Visitors select Triple Crown winners to race against each other and then witness an actual computer simulation based on accurate historical data to determine the outcome.

  3. World Cup Soccer (men’s and women’s) – a tribute to the multiculturalism and global importance of this momentous quadrennial sporting event.

  4. Summer and Winter Olympics – another great forum for international competition and camaraderie.

  5. Esports – the whole venue can be converted into an esports arena to host diverse esports competitions complete with sponsored prizes.

MORE THAN A GAME

Before leaving the second floor, one final exhibit will highlight a diverse selection of amazing charitable causes tied to sports, such as Players for the Planet (pro athletes advocating for environmental sustainability), the Special Olympics, Companions in Courage, Peace Players International, Social Change Fund, Athletes for Impact, the Women’s Sports Foundation, Athletes for Hope and countless other organizations that are leveraging the power of sports to make the world a better place. We want all of our visitors to have an amazing experience, but more importantly, we want them to remember and act on the principle that, in sports and life, it’s more than a game. The Museum will be a willing host for many charitable events, including utilizing its simulators to organize fundraising tournaments during which players from across the country and around the world will have the opportunity to play in simulated contests against pro athletes, while also donating to a great cause.