The Jackie Robinson Museum Is Opening in NYC Next Month — With Interactive Exhibits and Rare Memorabilia
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Robert Deitchler/Gensler/Courtesy of Jackie Robinson Museum
When baseball fans and history buffs alike visit the new Jackie Robinson Museum in New York City, they will be greeted with exhibits that evoke the kind of excitement and innovation befitting the man himself.
The 20,000-square-foot museum, which started welcoming some visitors last week on July 26 and will open to the general public next month on Sept. 5, has been 14 years in the making, Gensler, the architecture and design firm that worked on the museum, confirmed to Travel + Leisure. Through a series of interactive exhibits and rare artifacts and memorabilia, the museum will tell Robinson's story, and in doing so, closely examine both the civil rights movement and the first African American baseball player's athletic achievements.
Robert Deitchler/Gensler/Courtesy of Jackie Robinson Museum
"We all really immersed ourselves in Jackie's story," Laura Gralnick, the experience strategy director at Gensler, told T+L. "One of the things we heard was not to whitewash the story — to really tell Jackie and Rachel [Robinson]'s experience as authentically and true as we possibly could, so people could really understand all the trials and tribulations that went along with everything he did."
Robert Deitchler/Gensler/Courtesy of Jackie Robinson Museum
The museum contains 4,500 artifacts, memorabilia, and multimedia experiences, including an interactive model of Ebbets Field, which is where the Brooklyn Dodgers played. The field exhibit uses storytelling projection that lights up accordingly as various stories are told, which includes showing where Robinson's wife Rachel sat and different World Series plays.
The museum also highlights Robinson's impact on the world through the Living Legacy exhibit, which includes personal accounts from 42 influential people and celebrities, from former presidents to fellow baseball players.
Robert Deitchler/Gensler/Courtesy of Jackie Robinson Museum
"It's almost like there's a ripple effect, and it's very much still alive today," Gralnick said. "Given everything we've been through, now is a great time for this museum because we can feel it. Museum-goers will actually get those goosebumps, because they can really relate to the story. But they'll also be able to relate to the celebrations and the fun because of that sports aspect."
Robert Deitchler/Gensler/Courtesy of Jackie Robinson Museum
Tickets to the museum, which will be run by the Jackie Robinson Foundation, will cost $18 for adults and $15 for children over the age of 5. Children under 5 can enter for free. The museum will also feature a "Shop 42" store, where visitors can pick up limited-edition clothing and gifts.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for Travel + Leisure. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
