List of halls and walks of fame facts for kids

The Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, where famous people get stars with their names.

The Walhalla temple in Germany, a famous hall of fame.

A hall of fame is a special way to honor people, groups, or achievements that are truly excellent in their field. Imagine a list of the best of the best! These honorees are usually chosen by a group of experts. Sometimes, a hall of fame is a real building or museum. It might have sculptures, plaques, or displays of cool items from the people being honored.

Other times, the honors are shown on a wall, called a "wall of fame." Or they might be on a sidewalk, like a "walk of fame" or "walk of stars." In some cases, a hall of fame is just a list of names and their amazing achievements. These lists are kept by an organization or community. They can be for a whole country, a state, a local area, or even a private group.

What Does "Hall of Fame" Mean?

The idea of a "hall of fame" first came from Germany. The term "Ruhmeshalle" was used for a building in Munich in 1853. Another famous German memorial, the Walhalla, was built between 1830 and 1842.

The English term "hall of fame" became popular in the United States. This was thanks to the Hall of Fame for Great Americans. This sculpture gallery was finished in 1900 in New York City. It honored many important Americans.

The word fame used to mean being well-known for great achievements. Today, it often means being a celebrity or famous person.

Different Kinds of Halls of Fame

There are many types of halls of fame for different areas of life.

Cars and Driving

• Automotive Hall of Fame
• Model Car Hall of Fame

Flying and Space

Arts and Entertainment

Music

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, celebrates music legends.

Many halls of fame celebrate amazing musicians and their work. They honor artists, songwriters, and even specific types of music.

Movies, TV, and Theater

Writing

There are many halls of fame for writers. These places honor authors for all the books and stories they have written throughout their lives.

Sports and Games

Many Sports

Some halls of fame honor athletes from many different sports.

College Sports

Many colleges and universities have their own halls of fame for their best athletes.

Cricket

• Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
• ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Soccer (Association Football)

Australian Rules Football

• Australian Football Hall of Fame

Baseball and Softball

Basketball

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, celebrates basketball legends.

Boxing

• International Boxing Hall of Fame

Golf

• World Golf Hall of Fame

American Football (Gridiron)

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, honors football stars.

Horse Racing

Ice Hockey

Martial Arts

• UFC Hall of Fame

Motorsports

Professional Wrestling

Rugby

• World Rugby Hall of Fame

Tennis

• International Tennis Hall of Fame

Winter Sports

Board and Card Games

• World Chess Hall of Fame
• Poker Hall of Fame

Other Sports

Cowboys and Rodeo

These halls of fame celebrate the history and heroes of cowboy life and rodeo sports.

Other Interesting Halls of Fame

The Hall of Fame for Great Americans in New York, one of the first halls of fame.

Walls of Fame

Sometimes, instead of a whole building, famous people are honored on a special wall.

• Liverpool Wall of Fame
• Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame (for a football team)

Walks of Fame

The Vyborg Walk of Actor's Fame in Russia.

These are sidewalks or paths where stars or plaques are placed to honor famous people.

See also

• Hall of Honor