Given that 2018 was The Year of Gritty, it makes sense that there’s finally a place to honor the legends who came before him. The Mascot Hall of Fame, an interactive children’s museum devoted to the big, fluffy creatures who goof around and rile up fans at sporting events, opens Wednesday in Whiting, Indiana.
The Mascot Hall of Fame started in 2005 as a project by Dave Raymond, who used to suit up as the Phillie Phanatic, the Philadelphia Phillies’ longtime mascot. He decided to turn it into a real place a few years ago, and reached an agreement with Whiting to build it near the southern part of Lake Michigan.
Now, it’s finally open.
The @mascothall opens soon!! Last night was an absolutely ‘Paw’some time with my fur ball friends! pic.twitter.com/sKCEVBIfQ3
— Southpaw (@Southpaw) December 20, 2018
The museum includes a variety of exhibits and already boasts over a dozen inductees from professional and college teams, including The Gorilla from the Phoenix Suns, Mr. Met from the New York Mets and Brutus Buckeye from Ohio State University. Last year, the Hall of Fame also announced that its next group of inductees would include a pair from Chicago: Benny the Bull and Tommy Hawk, who will be inducted as part of a ceremony in 2019.
The museum operates every day starting at 10 a.m. and closes between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. depending on the day. Admission costs $12 for everyone except children under the age of two, who are allowed to enter free. There is also free parking on site.
