National Rugby League Museum facts for kids
The National Rugby League Museum is a special place being planned to celebrate the sport of Rugby league. It's like a big showcase for everything about rugby league! This exciting museum is set to open in 2020. You'll find it in the historic George Hotel, Huddersfield, located in Yorkshire, England.
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Why a New Rugby League Museum?
The Need for a Home for History
After the Rugby League Heritage Centre closed in 2013, the sport of rugby league didn't have a national museum in the United Kingdom. This was a big deal because the sport actually started in the UK!
A group called Rugby League Cares, which is a charity, helped save all the important items from the old museum. They got a grant of £97,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to do this.
Touring the Rugby League Story
With the money, Rugby League Cares created a special travelling show. It was called "Rugby League Heritage On Tour." Since 2014, this exhibition has shown parts of the collection in different places across the UK. It helped keep the history alive while a new home was being planned.
Finding the Perfect Spot
In March 2016, Rugby League Cares announced a new plan. They asked Kevin Moore, who leads the National Football Museum, to study if a new national rugby league museum could be built. This new museum would also be home to the Rugby League Hall of Fame.
At first, in September 2016, they thought the museum would be in Bradford City Hall. This was planned with the help of Bradford City Council. However, in 2020, those plans changed.
The new idea was to put the museum inside the old George Hotel, Huddersfield. This hotel is very important to rugby league history. It's where the Rugby Football League was first started way back in 1895!
When Will the Museum Open?
The National Rugby League Museum is planned to open in August 2020. This date is very special. It marks the 125th anniversary of when the sport of rugby league was officially formed.
