With two Duke alumni in the family, college football is an afterthought in our home. We are all about college basketball. But still, with one ticket left in our CitiPASS book and two hours until closing, we decided that the College Football Hall of Fame was worth a stop. After an emotional visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, burning off some steam (both physical and emotional) was a great idea for the kids.
College football fan or not, the Hall of Fame is a fun and interactive experience. Upon entering the building, you walk onto “The Quad”, an impressive three story atrium featuring the football helmet of all 760 colleges that field a football team. It is an amazing display and fun to try and find your favorite teams.
Everybody is given an “All-Access Pass” and a lanyard. You can personalize your experience by linking your name and favorite college team to your pass on the computers in the atrium. The boys thought that it was really cool that when you select your team, a light flashes under its helmet on the wall.
This personalization comes into play throughout the museum. There are multiple activities where you can scan your card for a personal interaction. The coolest use of this technology was definitely the huge touch-screen “Chick-Fil-A Why We Love College Football” exhibit. As you walk by, a Chick-Fil-A cow pops up on the screen, greets you by name and says “We got no beef with {your favorite team’s name}.” The boys went by again and again just to see him pop up.
The (heavily sponsored) exhibits in the museum include:
- Chick-Fil-A Why We Love College Football – interactive touchscreen wall and display of the Heisman and National Championship trophies
- Coca-Cola Fans’ Game Day – an exhibit celebrating fans, tailgating, mascots, cheerleaders, and traditions
- AT&T Game Time – play calling and other virtual reality experiences
- Game Day Theater – viewing of the short film “The Game of Your Life”
- Kia Building a Champion – learn about training, equipment, uniforms and more
- College Football Hall of Fame – augmented reality displays honoring the hall’s inductees
The interactive elements really kept the kids engaged, despite the fact that their college football knowledge (and interest) is practically zero. From that respect, the museum does a great job catering to all visitors, fans and non-fans alike. There was a ton of great football information and memorabilia for the die-hard fans, and plenty of interesting hands-on activities for those less knowledgeable and/or enthusiastic about the game.
But for the boys, none of the interactive displays compared to the hall’s main attraction (for kids at least) – the Indoor Playing Field. Their eyes lit up the moment they saw it when we walked in and they rushed through the rest of the museum to get there. They could not wait to play.
They could run an obstacle course and try to catch a pass, kick a field goal, or throw a touchdown. Tailgating tents, cornhole boards, and other low-key activities are setup for the parents to enjoy or for those in need of a rest. For nearly an hour, the boys ran around and played in there until we literally shut the place down at 5:00. They had an absolute blast.
If you have active kids, I highly recommend the College Football Hall of Fame, whether they are football fans or not. The interactive displays are interesting and engaging, and the indoor playing field is a fun opportunity for them to test out their skills and feel like a real football player. When we originally mapped out our Atlanta weekend, this was the attraction at the bottom of the list that was an “if we have time” activity. I am so glad we had time. It was well worth it.
