Sports Museum of America

infobox Museum
name= Sports Museum of America


established= May 7, 2008
location= 26 Broadway, Manhattan, New York, USA
visitors=
management= Philip Schwalb, Sameer Ahuja, John Urban
website= [http://www.sportsmuseum.com/ Sports Museum of America] The Sports Museum of America (SmA) opened May 7, 2008 as the United States' first national sports museum dedicated to the history and cultural significance of sports in America. The museum, which was formerly known by the working name National Sports Museum, will be at 26 Broadway, in Lower Manhattan across from Bowling Green. The museum contributes to the revitalization of the area following the events of September 11, as it's situated footsteps from the Statue of Liberty Ferry, near Wall Street and the former site of the World Trade Center.

From the idea's inception, in September 2001 following founder Philip Schwalb's visit to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the museum was anticipated to celebrate all sports and the Canyon of Heroes, where New York City's famed "ticker tape" parades originated, was an ideal location. However, delays in funding, and construction pushed the museum to the point that some feared it would never be built.Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980DE1DA1F3AF930A35751C1A9659C8B63|title=About New York; The House that Ruth Didn't Build|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2003-12-03|author=Dan Barry|work=The New York Times] A decision was made to be a commercial organization, rather than a non-profit as many museums are, due to a desire to participate in New York's post 9/11 Liberty Bond financing program (available only to for-profit business).fact|date=March 2008Ultimately the museum received support from the requisite government officials, most importantly in the form of Liberty Bonds issued by the City and the State to support projects aiding in the revitalization of Lower Manhattan.Cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E6DA163DF93AA15757C0A9629C8B63|title=At Bowling Green, a Museum for All Sports|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2004-04-29|author=David W. Dunlap|work=The New York Times] The museum was originally scheduled to open prior to the IOC announcing its selection of the host city for the 2012 Olympics, for which New York City was a finalist.Cite web|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MWSB&p_theme=mwsb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0FD39335A975731C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title='Smithsonian of Sports' Planned for N.Y.|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2003-08-28|work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

The museum-attraction includes more than 20 original films, nineteen galleries and state-of-the-art interactive technology. The special event space on the second floor of the museum features a mural tribute to all of sports by LeRoy Neiman.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/03/12/arts/20080312_NEIMAN_GRAPHIC.html|title=The LeRoy Neiman Mural|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-12|work=The New York Times] The Museum will also be the permanent home of the Heisman TrophyCite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/13/sports/ncaafootball/13heisman.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin|title=Sports Museum and Heisman Find Place in Lower Manhattan|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2005-04-13|author=Bill Pennington|work=The New York Times] and the Women's Sports Foundation International Women's Sports Hall of Fame within the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center. Cite web|url=http://www.silive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-32/1206990857233020.xml&storylist=simetro|title=New All-Sports Museum is Opening in NYC this Spring|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-31|author=The Associated Press|work=Staten Island Advance] Cite web|url=http://www.normantranscript.com/commsports/local_story_084122631.html|title=Baker Joins Elite Company with Activist Efforts|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-24|author=Michael Kinney|work=The Norman Transcript] Like dozens of other sports halls of fame and museums, the National Baseball Hall of Fame has loaned numerous artifacts, and - in addition to all the partner halls of fame, artifacts were also secured via private collectors.Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/arts/artsspecial/12sport.html|title=Luring Sports Fans of All Seasons to Lower Manhattan|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-12|author=Richard Sandomir|work=The New York Times]

Partners

In an effort to be truly national in its representation of all sports, the Museum has partnered with more than 60 sporting organizations throughout the United States,Cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/travel/ci_8759325|title=New All-sports Museum Opening in NYC|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-31|author=The Associated Press|work=The Mercury-News] and the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto (with 30 of those signed up to participate when the idea for the museum was still just an idea).Cite web|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-24213864_ITM|title=Plans Announced for First-Ever National Sports Museum in Lower Manhattan|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=PR Newswire|year=2003-08-27] Exclusive Partners include:
*American Museum of Fly Fishing
*College Football Hall of Fame
*Companions in Courage Foundation
*Figure Skating Hall of Fame & Museum
*Heisman Trophy
*Herreshoff Marine Museum/America's Cup Hall of Fame
*Hockey Hall of Fame
*Indianapolis Motor Speedway
*International Boxing Hall of Fame
*International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame
*International Swimming Hall of Fame
*International Tennis Hall of Fame
*Jackie Robinson Foundation
*Lacrosse Museum and National Hall of Fame
*Museum of Yachting
*NCAA Hall of Champions
*Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
*Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
*NASCAR
*National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
*National Soccer Hall of FameCite web|url=http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080313005286&newsLang=en|title=Sports Museum of America Partners with National Soccer Hall of Fame to Create Nation's First All-Sports Museum|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2008-03-13|work=Business Wire]
*National Softball Hall of Fame
*The National Track & Field Hall of Fame
*National Wrestling Hall of Fame
*Pro Football Hall of FameCite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20070620-9999-1s20gallery.html|title=Ballpark Menu: Skewed Gator|accessdate=2008-03-31|year=2007-06-20|work=San Diego Union-Tribune]
*Special Olympics
*U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame
*United States Golf Association
*United States Tennis Association
*US Lacrosse
*United States Olympic Committee
*US Soccer
*USA BasketballCite web|url=http://www.usolympicteam.com/11767_54156.htm|title=USA Basketball Partners with Sports Museum of America|accessdate=2008-03-31|publisher=United States Olympic Committee|year=2008-03-17|author=Craig Miller]
*USA Hockey
*USA Football
*USA Rugby
*USA Softball & Amateur Softball Association
*USA Swimming
*USA Track & Field
*USA Volleyball
*USA Wrestling
*Volleyball Hall of Fame
*Women's Sports Foundation
*World Golf Hall of Fame

References

External links

* [http://www.sportsmuseum.com Sports Museum of America] Official Site