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Planning a trip to Cincinnati, Ohio? Looking for something to do to entertain the sports fans in your family while you are there? Look no further than the Reds Hall of Fame! It is a must do for sports fans while visiting the Queen City! Keep reading to find out why!
The Exhibits
The First Floor Exhibits
The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame is one of the best sports team museums we’ve ever seen. Not only does it highlight the great players who have worn the Reds uniform throughout the years, but it also does a wonderful job of showcasing the history of the team.
The first exhibit you encounter when entering the museum is on the first floor, just past the ticket desk. Currently, this exhibit highlights the history of baseball in Latin America and the great Latino players in Major League Baseball.
After exploring this exhibit, turn the corner and find individual statues of The Great Eight: Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, David Concepcion, Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Cesar Geronimo, and George Foster.
The rest of the museum is up on the third floor. To get there, you can choose between the elevator and the stairs.
If you take the stairs, you will get a very visual representation of Pete Rose’s 4256 career hits. On the wall next to the stairs, there is a baseball for every one of these hits. It is pretty impressive. In the photo below, you can see some of these baseballs in the background.
The Third Floor Exhibits
Once you are upstairs, you begin with a look at the beginning of the Reds: the 1869 Red Stockings. After that, you can take in displays that include uniforms, stadium seats, old tickets and programs, scale models of old stadiums, and much more.
In one corner, you will find every baseball card ever produced for a Reds player. These date back to the beginning of the team in 1869. Those early cards are amazing to see! My son loved looking at them.
Also on display are each of the World Series trophies that the Reds have won throughout the years.
Past the baseball cards, you will find the official Reds Hall of Fame. There is a plaque for each of the players, coaches, and others who have been inducted into the hall of fame.
Past the Hall of Fame exhibit, you will find an interactive exhibit dedicated to sports broadcasting. This is a two part exhibit. The first and largest part is focused on television, while the smaller part is all about radio broadcasting.
In both of the broadcast sections, you can try your hand at announcing the action play-by-play or analyzing the game. This is a lot of fun, especially for kids!
The Logistics
The Operating Hours
The operating hours at the Reds Hall of Fame varies depending on whether it is baseball season or not. During the offseason (October through March), the museum is open from 10 am until 5 pm Tuesdays through Sundays.
From April to September it is open on nongame days from 10 am until 5 pm. On days with night games, the museum is open from 10 am until 8 pm. On days with afternoon games, it is open from 10 am until 2 hours after the end of the game. This makes it super convenient to tour the museum before or after catching the game at the stadium next door.
Admission Prices
Admission to the museum is pretty affordable. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students age 13-18 and those in college. Kids 12 and under and active military and veterans are free. To buy tickets or get more information, head over to the Hall of Fame’s website.
Location
The Reds Hall of Fame is conveniently located just outside the gates of the Great American Ballpark at 100 Joe Nuxhall Way in downtown Cincinnati.
Tips for Visiting the Reds Hall of Fame
If you have sports fans in the family, you will have a great time visiting the Reds Hall of Fame. This is especially true if they love baseball. The following tips will help you make the most of your time at this museum:
- Give yourself one or two hours to fully explore the museum.
- Definitely take the stairs if at all possible so you can admire the magnitude of Pete Rose’s hitting record.
- If you will be visiting on a game day, plan your visit to the museum so you can finish just in time to go into the stadium.
- The museum ends in the team shop, which is super convenient if you are looking to take home a Reds souvenir.
- Allow your kids to try out the broadcasting booths. I am sure they will love it as much as my son did!
- If you will be visiting during the season or on a weekend during the offseason, consider adding a tour of the ballpark to your visit to the museum. This tour lasts 75-90 minutes and is available for an additional charge.
- You can also choose to tour the clubhouse if you visit on a Saturday. This tour is 2 hours and also requires an additional charge.
Conclusion
It is always nice to add a little sports fun to your vacations if you have sports fans in the family. The Reds Hall of Fame is a great way to do this while in Cincinnati. It is an incredibly well-done museum dedicated to the history and greatness of the city’s baseball team. I highly recommend touring this hall of fame with your family!
For more to do in Cincinnati, see my posts on the Cincinnati Zoo, Sugar n’ Spice Diner, tips for visiting the Cincinnati Zoo, Dead Low Brewery, and reasons to visit Cincinnati with kids.
Happy travels!
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