APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – No need to plan a pilgrimage to Canton, Ohio when hundreds of artifacts from the Pro Football Hall of Fame are on display right now in Appleton.
The traveling exhibit Gridiron Glory was originally going to end its stay at the History Museum at the Castle in Appleton on Sunday, but it’s been announced that the exhibit has been extended through March 31.
“With the unprecedented popularity of Gridiron Glory here in Wisconsin, the Hall of Fame and the History Museum agreed to leave the exhibition on display through the winter,” museum executive director Matt Carpenter says in a news release. “People throughout the state and beyond have traveled to the History Museum in order to experience this rare piece of American history.”
Officials say nearly 9,500 people have visited the exhibit since it opened in June.
Dustin Mack, Chief Curator at History Museum at the Castle, explains the traveling exhibit.
“Gridiron Glory, the best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is curated by the Hall of Fame, it travels the country nationally,” says Mack.
And they aren’t displaying replicas of items in Canton, but rather showcasing the real thing.
“There are over 200 rare artifacts directly from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio that came here to Appleton,” he says.
Mack describes some of the national attractions showcased in the exhibit.
“A lot of game-worn jerseys, helmets, footballs,” he explains. “Everything that’s in here is legit, there are no replicas.”
And fittingly, there is a section dedicated to one of the leagues most historic franchises, the Green Bay Packers.
“The Hometown Tribute is designed specifically for the Packers, because we’re here in Wisconsin,” says Mack.
There also are plenty of interactive components to the exhibit, such as the opportunity to see how your grip on a football compares to that of NFL legends.
