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An aerial view of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in winter. The chrome silver basketball dome at center, the flat-roofed rectangular museum wing extending to the left, a tower hoisting a giant red basketball on the right, flags below the tower, and a frozen Connecticut River with a highway bridge and the distant Springfield skyline behind.
Things to See · Museum
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, February 2026. Photo by Quintin Soloviev, source, CC BY 4.0.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Springfield, Hampden County

Category
Museum
Town
Springfield
County
Hampden
Admission
$34 adults · $25 seniors (65+) & students · $20 age 5–12 · free under 4

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame sits on West Columbus Avenue along the Connecticut River in downtown Springfield. Basketball was invented in the city in December 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a physical-education instructor at the International YMCA Training School (now Springfield College). The Hall was established in 1959 and has occupied its current domed building since it reopened in 2002 after a major reconstruction.

What’s inside

  • Three floors of exhibits covering the invention of the game, college and professional basketball, and international play.
  • A full-size center-court gallery with interactive shooting stations (ball rental included in admission).
  • The Honors Ring at the top of the dome lists every inducted player, coach, referee, and contributor.
  • A rotating gallery hosts new inductees each year during enshrinement weekend in early September.

Visiting

The Hall is currently open Tuesday through Sunday, 10am–4pm, with closures on Mondays and certain holidays or special-event dates. Admission is $34 for adults, $25 for seniors and students, $20 for youth ages 5–12, and free for children under 4. A full-service restaurant and a basketball-themed team store share the courtyard plaza; the same plaza is free to walk through.

Sources