Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center facts for kids
Entrance to the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center
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| Established | December 4, 1998 |
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| Location | 8 Yogi Berra Drive Little Falls, NJ 07424 |
| Architect | Terry H. Parker, AIA; Parker Associates |
The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center is a special place located at Montclair State University in Little Falls, New Jersey. It celebrates the amazing life and career of Yogi Berra. He was a famous baseball player for the New York Yankees and the New York Mets. Yogi Berra is so famous that he was even put into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This museum opened on December 4, 1998. It is right next to Yogi Berra Stadium, where baseball games are played.
History of the Museum
A group called "The Friends of Yogi Inc." helped create this museum. They are a nonprofit organization and raised $2 million from donations. This money helped build the museum to honor Yogi Berra. He played almost his whole Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees. John McMullen, who owned the New Jersey Devils hockey team, was one of the people who gave money.
The museum was built next to Yogi Berra Stadium. This stadium was home to the New Jersey Jackals, a Minor League Baseball team, until 2022. It is also where the Montclair State Red Hawks college baseball team plays. The museum was officially opened in October 1998. Famous baseball players like Ted Williams and Larry Doby were there. It opened its doors to the public on December 4, 1998.
In 2010, the museum got a new design. A famous sculptor named Brian Hanlon made a statue of Yogi Berra. This statue was placed right in front of the museum.
Yogi Berra had a disagreement with the Yankees' owner, George Steinbrenner. This started when Steinbrenner fired him in 1985. For a while, Yogi Berra did not want to be part of Yankees events. But in January 1999, they settled their disagreement. They did this at a public event held at the Yogi Berra Museum.
Yogi Berra often visited the museum himself. He would sign autographs and talk to visitors. He wanted to teach children important lessons. These lessons included good sportsmanship and being dedicated. He believed these values were important in sports and in life.
In October 2014, some valuable items were stolen from the museum. Thieves took specific pieces of Yogi Berra's memorabilia.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has many cool items from Yogi Berra's career. You can see his baseball cards there. There is also a jacket he wore when he threw out the first pitch at a World Series game in 2009. The museum also displays two of his MLB MVP awards. These awards are given to the best players. You can also see all 10 of his World Series rings. He earned these rings as a player. After Yogi Berra and George Steinbrenner settled their disagreement, the Yankees loaned the Commissioner's Trophy from the 1998 World Series to the museum.
Special Exhibits and Programs
In 2013, the museum worked with Athlete Ally. They created an exhibit called "Championing Respect." This exhibit helps support LGBT athletes in sports. It teaches everyone about being inclusive. In 2014, another exhibit celebrated the 75th anniversary of Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech.
The museum offers many programs for schools and the public. These programs cover different topics about sports and society. They have guided tours for school groups. They also offer educational programs. The museum even goes to schools to talk about anti-bullying and sportsmanship. They also work with Montclair State University. Together, they explore current issues in media and sports.
To promote respect and sportsmanship, the museum started a "Best Teammate Award" program in 2013. They partnered with Investors Bank and the Super Essex Conference. This award recognizes student-athletes who show great leadership.
The museum also has summer camps. These include youth baseball and softball camps.
