Have you ever wanted to test your skills and go one-on-one with some of today’s greatest hockey players? If so, your dreams will become reality at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The HHOF has 65,000 square feet of exhibition space and interactive activities, including the opportunity to shoot pucks on life-size animated versions of your favorite goalies (like Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist!). Or see what it feels like to be an NHL goalie, facing animated versions of NHL superstars.
Perhaps you prefer watching the action from the sidelines. At the HHOF, guests can call the play-by-play of a game or transform into game analysts with the TSN SportsCentre Experience. According to Manager of Marketing and Promotions at the HHOF, Jacqueline Schwartz, these experiences are what makes the HHOF unique. “We’re quite interactive,” she says. “That’s one of the top things that sets us apart.
There’s another little hands-on attraction at the HHOF that is not found at any other hall of fame. “Perhaps the most iconic trophy in the world, The Stanley Cup. “Guests can walk right up to the Stanley Cup, and touch it,” says Schwartz. “Unlike any other major trophy that’s usually behind glass. You can touch it and take a photo with it.”
In addition to the Stanley Cup, the Hall contains all of the other trophies that are awarded to players at the annual NHL Awards. “We have the world’s largest collection of hockey memorabilia,” Schwartz explains. “There’s something for everyone. There’s a lot of history here.” While hockey was born in Canada, the HHOF contains artifacts from over seventy different countries to show how the game has spread and grown infinitely in popularity throughout the years.
While the history and trophies are permanent fixtures, the HHOF is always changing. “We always want to give our guests something new to see when they come back as repeat customers. We opened a brand-new mask exhibit with ninety masks on display,” explains Schwartz. “It touches upon hockey masks, past and present, the inclusion of celebrity icons on the masks, and how masks became a part of pop culture.”
Plan to spend one or two hours at the HHOF. “Guests receive a handstamp when they arrive. You can go in and out of the facility to grab lunch, or go visit another attraction,” says Schwartz.
Hockey players from past and present frequently visit the HHOF, so you might just run into your favorite NHLer!
- By Ettractions Digital Content Editor PAULA MARINO
Other States: Ontario
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