A Guide to Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame

Hockey is Canada’s national sport. To say its a major part of Canadian culture would be a huge understatement. It should therefore come as no surprise that the Hockey Hall of Fame is Toronto is a very popular attraction, both for local sports fans and travellers from further abroad. The highly interactive and comprehensive shrine to all things hockey related is a really fun way to spend an hour or two, especially if the weather is forcing you indoors during your Toronto vacation. Even though I’m not the biggest hockey fan in the world (look, I can tell you who Wayne Gretzky is, and I’ve been to a few games in my lifetime but thats about it), I thoroughly enjoyed my visit.

My visit was spent checking out the various exhibits on display, learning about some of the big names, iconic moments and overall history behind Canada’s national sport. In this guide I’m going to take you through what you can do should you also visit the Hall of Fame.

• If you’re looking for more ideas for your Toronto trip, check out my itinerary post HERE.

Hockey Hall of Fame Basics:

• Where? Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street, Toronto
• When? The Hockey Hall of Fame is open daily from 10.00am – 5.00pm.
• How much? General Admission for adults is $25.00 CAD (admission for children from 3 – 13 years of age is $15.00). Children 14 years and above are considered adults for admission purposes.
• How to get there: The Hockey Hall of Fame is right in the heart of downtown Toronto. If you’re staying in the city centre, it will be a short walk from your hotel. If you’re using the metro, its about halfway between Union and King Stations.
• Website: https://www.hhof.com/

The Hockey Hall of Fame Building

The Hockey Hall of Fame was officially opened on August 26, 1961, but not at the same location you’ll find it today. Instead, it found its home on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition. Over time, its collection expanded to the point that it had outgrown this site. It subsequently moved to its current location inside the former offices of the Bank of Montreal in 1993. Today, its been converted into an incredible modern exhibition space devoted to every facet of Canada’s sporting obsession imaginable. The actual building is quite stunning, and it definitely stands out when you’re walking along Yonge Street. The brilliant facade is further marked by the ‘Our Game’ bronze sculpture near its entrance, which depicts a number of young hockey players scrambling onto the rink, ready for action. Some say the sculpture one of the most photographed images in all of Toronto!

While the street entrance will take you into the Spirit of Hockey store, you’ll need to go into the Brookfield Place Concourse to enter the actual Hockey Hall of Fame. Its really easy to find your way (follow the signs) to the statue of Gordon Howe, Mr Hockey himself, right by the entrance. Through the doors, a range of experiences await.

The NHL Zone

Once you go inside the Hockey Hall of Fame, you’ll be in the NHL Zone. This centrally located part of the museum is dedicated to the National Hockey League and also hosts various temporary exhibitions. At the time of my visit the 9&99 Howe and Gretzsky Exhibition was found here. Paying tribute to two of the game’s best players ever, the temporary exhibit was filled with artefacts, memorabilia and information about milestone moments in the lives and careers of these two men who played in different eras, but are known for being the most prolific goal scorers in the NHL. Outside of this exhibit, other sections in the area focus on other great players and moments throughout NHL history. Its a good way to start the experience with some familiar names before delving deeper into the surrounding areas.

The World of Hockey

If you veer to the right after the opening section, you’ll end up in the World of Hockey exhibition hall. This exhibit contains the largest collection of hockey memorabilia in the Hall of Fame and focuses on the reach of the game beyond the National Hockey League over 74 different countries. The exhibit walks you through key moments in hockey around the world such as Winter Olympics and other tournaments. One of the most notable moments showcased is the”Golden Goal” of Sidney Crosby from the 2010 Olympics that saw Canada victorious against the US in one of the most memorable hockey games of all time.

The Esso Great Hall (Home of the Stanley Cup)

If you go towards the back of the Hall of Fame and head up a staircase (not the one that leads to the gift shop and exit), you’ll come to a much quieter and prestigious looking section of the museum. This is the Esso Great Hall and is the part of the experience that most seemed to be represent an actual Hall of Fame. This is the holy cathedral of hockey, with a number of glass cabinets displaying tributes to the iconic players that have been inducted into the hallowed halls of hockey’s greatest to date. You’ll also find a number of NHL championship trophies in this hall – in fact, the Great Hall is the greatest collection of silverware in all of sports.

The most iconic part of the exhibition is the Stanley Cup itself. Named after Lord Stanley of Preston, this is the most prestigious prize in all of hockey. The Stanley Cup is awarded to the winner of the NHL play-off season each year and is also the oldest sports trophy in any North American league. A highlight of visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame is the opportunity to inspect the brilliant trophy up close and take photos with the cup. It really is impressive in person.

Lord Stanley’s Vault

Lord Stanley’s Vault is basically connected to the Great Hall and continues the exhibition of prestigious trophies and memorabilia. Its housed inside one of the old bank vaults (remember, you’re in the old Bank of Montreal!). Highlights here include the original Stanley Cup that was presented from 1893 to 1962 and various championship rings that have been retired from action. In a way, its a comprehensive timeline of the hockey’s most honoured award.

Interactive Fun at the Hockey Hall of Fame

While there’s a lot of historical exhibits in the Hockey Hall of Fame, there’s also plenty of interactive stations to liven things up. These are mostly situated around the NHLPA Game Time Zone, which you’ll find if you take a left from the main entrance area. This part of the exhibition is definitely the most crowded area, and if you’re visiting right at opening, I’d recommend heading here before the crowds pick up. The most popular things to do are the “Shoot Out” and “Shut Out” activities in the centre of the zone. Here you can have a go at trying to score a goal or defend a goal against virtual versions of legendary players. I had a go at taking shots and it was really fun!

You can also try your hand as an announcer or broadcaster in this part of the Hall of Fame exhibition. Overlooking the goal zone, you’ll find the Play-by-Play pods where you can take a crack at calling the action on legendary hockey moments alongside the voice of iconic broadcasters. If SportsCentre hosting is more your style, try your hand at being a panelist anchor and presenting the latest results. Reading that teleprompter is much harder than they get credit for, something I was quick to tell a broadcasting friend of mine shortly after completing the experience!

Theatres at the Hockey Hall of Fame

At some point you’re going to want to sit down after wandering all around the Hockey Hall of Fame. One of the best places to do that is inside the TSN Theatre which plays host to an original 3D film entitled Stanley’s Game Seven. Entry to the theatre is included with your admission and the film runs for about 20 minutes. Screenings commence by the half hour, and you’ll want to arrive maybe five minutes before so that you can get in. I won’t spoil too much, but the film is a really good way of highlighting some of hockey’s greatest plays as a group of school hockey players meet up to play the game.

While you’re waiting for the next session to start, take a seat at the Tim Hortons Theatre directly across from the theatre’s entrance. Here you can watch a continuously looping series of game highlights, short documentaries and other videos associated with hockey history.

Other Exhibits in the Hockey Hall of Fame

There’s a number of other displays throughout the Hockey Hall of Fame that are worth your time as well. I really enjoyed The Mask exhibit, where you can see a total of 90 iconic goalkeeper masks on the wall together. Its amazing seeing the differences, ranging from the early and non descript to the flashy, stylised masks worn on special occasions today. Another really fascinating area is the Upper Deck Collector’s Corner, where you can see a myriad of hockey collectables from a range of eras. While many of the exhibits focus on the NHL elite and other professional leagues, the Hometown Hockey exhibition pays tribute hockey’s importance to everyday Canadians, with displays focusing on the game at the grassroots level. And if all those exhibits aren’t enough, you can even enter a faithful recreation of the Montreal Canadiens’ Dressing Room.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is much more comprehensive than I expected and as you’ve hopefully seen, offers something for every visitor. In the absence of being able to catch a NHL game while you’re in Toronto, this is the next best thing. If you’re planning on visiting, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Let me know what your favourite part was if you do!