National Rugby League Museum facts for kids

The National Rugby League Museum is a special place planned to celebrate the sport of Rugby league. It was planned to open in 2020. This museum is located in the historic George Hotel, Huddersfield, in Yorkshire, England. This hotel is very important because the Rugby Football League, which governs the sport, was first started there in 1895.

Why a Museum for Rugby League?

After the Rugby League Heritage Centre closed down in 2013, there was no national museum for rugby league in the United Kingdom. This is important because rugby league actually started in the UK.

Saving Rugby League History

A group called Rugby League Cares, which is a charity, helped save all the items from the old heritage centre. They received a grant of £97,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to do this. A grant is money given for a special purpose, and a charity is an organization that helps people or causes.

Traveling Exhibitions

With this money, Rugby League Cares created a traveling exhibition called "Rugby League Heritage On Tour." This exhibition has shown parts of the collection in different places across the United Kingdom since 2014. It allowed many people to see the history of the sport.

Finding a New Home

In March 2016, Rugby League Cares announced a plan to create a new national museum. Kevin Moore, who was the director of the National Football Museum, helped lead a study to see if this new museum was possible. This study also looked into creating a home for the Rugby League Hall of Fame, which honors the sport's greatest players.

Choosing the Location

The first location chosen for the museum was Bradford City Hall in September 2016. This was planned with the help of Bradford City Council. However, in 2020, these plans changed. Instead, the new idea was to put the museum inside the George Hotel, Huddersfield. This hotel was chosen because it is where the Rugby Football League was founded in 1895, making it a very meaningful place for the sport.

When Was the Museum Planned to Open?

The museum was planned to open in August 2020. This date was chosen because it marked the 125th anniversary of when the sport was officially formed.