The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Tips for your visit

Before You Come

A trip to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame is the perfect family vacation. To best plan for the trip, consult the information below before you leave home.

Hours — Museum hours are currently 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. These hours will be in effect from Labor Day Monday until Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. See our Hours and Admission page for special hours.

Floorplans of the Museum and other Resources — First floor Second floor   Third floor
Visitors Guide

Directions and Accommodations — Be sure that you have directions to the Hall of Fame, transportation information, and admission times and prices.

* Check out the Cooperstown GetAway web site for information on other great attractions in the Cooperstown area.
* You may wish to contact the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce for local hotels, motels, and B&Bs.
* To purchase tickets to the Hall of Fame and other Cooperstown attractions before your visit, logon to CooperstownTickets.com, where you'll get one-stop access to America's Most Perfect Village.
* Be sure to check out our calendar of events to see what special events may be going on during your visit.

Handicap Accessibility

* The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is wheelchair accessible. The Museum does have wheelchairs available to loan to patrons and they are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservations are accepted.
* The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum provides closed captioning for many of its programs and events.

Pack Accordingly — Many visitors will not make their way through the Museum in one day, so be sure to pack comfortable shoes and clothing, depending on how in-depth your Museum experience will be.

* Pack a camera with plenty of film and a flash, which is allowed in the Museum, where lighting is often low to preserve the exhibits.
* If possible, bring your bikes, since Cooperstown is a beautiful village which can be navigated easily through scenic bike rides.
* You may wish to bring your baseball glove to take advantage of the many opportunities to play catch in the village.
* Be certain to bring along spending money to use in the Hall of Fame's Museum Shop, which is located within the Museum.
* If you will be traveling through Canada to reach the Hall of Fame, be sure to pack proper identification for everyone in your party.

Membership Program — If you are a member of the Hall of Fame Membership program, be sure to bring along your membership card so that you can gain free admission to the Hall of Fame and Museum and participate in special member events. If you are not a member, you may wish to take a look at the many advantages of becoming a member and, in so doing, supporting the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Research Library — If you wish to use the Research Library for any length of time, it may be necessary for you to call ahead so that the staff can assist in having materials ready for you. Call ahead for details (607-547-0330 or 607-547-0335).

* Be advised that the Research Library is closed during Hall of Fame Weekend.

Group Visits — We gladly welcome group visits on all days that the Museum is open. For more information on group sales, please click here.

Once You Arrive in Cooperstown

You've arrived in Cooperstown and are ready to start your dream baseball and family vacation. Follow these tips to make your stay as enjoyable as possible:

Parking and Transportation — Parking near the Hall of Fame is limited, and many of the spaces in the village are two-hour parking spots. Allow yourself extra time (approximately 30 minutes) to get a parking space in the village for your visit to the Museum. Please note that during peak times (Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, for example), parking is very limited, and you may wish to consider public transportation.

The Cooperstown Trolley provides transit to the Baseball Hall of Fame and Doubleday Field from three different locations:

* The Blue Lot on Route 28, south of Cooperstown
* The Red Lot on Route 28 (Glen Avenue) at Maple Street
* The Yellow Lot on Route 80 at the upper parking lot of the Fenimore Art Museum.

All-day Trolley passes are available for $3 for adults and for $1 for children 12 and under. The Trolley operates from 8:30 AM to 9 PM each day. View a map of Cooperstown.

Shopping — The Hall of Fame and Museum contains a 4,000-square foot Museum Store operated by the Hall of Fame. The store carries official Museum merchandise, collectibles, and souvenirs, and is open during regular Museum hours. The Museum Store accepts VISA, Mastercard and American Express, as well money orders. The Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit educational institution, and sales in the Museum Store help support the Museum's mission.

Induction Ceremony — The Induction Ceremony is held at the Clark Sports Center, located less than two miles from the Hall of Fame, at 124 Susquehanna Avenue. The ceremony is held outdoors, weather permitting. The ceremony is free of charge and there is general seating available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We recommend that you arrive early at the Clark Sports Center to get a location that suits your needs. Many visitors bring lawn chairs and blankets to stake out their spots. The Clark Sports Center does not offer parking the day of the ceremony, so you will want to allow enough time to either walk, bike, or take one of the many buses that shuttle fans to the site.

* Dates for 2009 Hall of Fame Weekend are Friday, July 24 to Monday, July 27.
* The ceremony will be Sunday, July 26, 2009. Admission to the Induction Ceremony is free and a ticket is not required.
* Dates for future Hall of Fame Weekends have been announced through 2011.

Discounts — The Hall of Fame and Sports Travel and Tours have teamed to offer special travel packages for Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. Hall of Fame Members will receive 5 percent off the package cost for Induction or any other baseball trip from Sports Travel and Tours. Details >

Other Things To Do — Check out Cooperstown GetAway for information on other great attractions in the Cooperstown area. The Fenimore Art Museum, Farmer's Museum, and Glimmerglass Opera, are examples of three wonderful attractions also located in Cooperstown. The beautiful and historical Otesaga Resort and Hotel is located on the shores of Lake Otsego, just a short walk from the Hall of Fame and downtown.

After you return Home

Stay connected with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum through our free e-mail newsletter, Inside Pitch, which is delivered to your e-mailbox each week.

Become a Hall of Fame Member and receive six beautiful color issues of Memories and Dreams, our magazine exclusively for Members. With Memories and Dreams, you'll hold a part of Cooperstown in your hands six times a year. As a Member, you are never far from Cooperstown and you help support the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - the most revered Hall of Fame in sports. The Museum contains thousands of artifacts that need to be preserved. Your Membership helps accomplish that, and it helps the Hall of Fame provide programming that promotes baseball to children and adults around the world.