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The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, should be on every baseball fan's list of places to visit. The Hall of Fame is a three-story facility that has nearly 80,000 square feet of space devoted to exhibitions and displays of artifacts from baseball's colorful history. The Hall recently underwent extensive renovations, so it is in tip-top shape today, which makes this the perfect time for a visit.

The Hall of Fame has so many exhibitions worth seeing that it would be impossible to list them here. Let's just say that even a casual fan would need to set aside several hours to tour the museum. The more famous displays include the Babe Ruth Room, the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery, and the Women in Baseball exhibit (think of the movie A League of Their Own). Some other exhibits that you can see right now are the Ichiro Suzuki display, which shows highlights of his record-breaking 2004 season, and the Autumn Glory display, in which you can see memorabilia from all of the World Series from the 19th century all the way up to the 2004 series won by the Boston Red Sox.

There are also plenty of things for children to do at the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Sandlot Kids' Clubhouse provides a hands-on learning experience for your young ones. Included in this area are games that teach children about the different fielding positions, charts that show the height of several major league players, and several video programs aimed specifically at a younger audience.

One of the most popular times to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame is during Hall of Fame Weekend, when new members are inducted. This year, activities for Hall of Fame weekend begin on Thursday, July 28 and continue until Monday, August 1. The Induction Ceremony itself will take place on Sunday, July 31, and is a free event that is open to the public. This year, Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg will be inducted. Other events include book signings, a Legends game, and youth skills clinics. Some of these events require pre-registration and/or tickets.

For help with planning your trip, I recommend that you visit the official Hall of Fame website at www.baseballhalloffame.org. On the site you will find many useful tips and lists of Frequently Asked Questions, as well as Hall of Fame contact information. You will also find a museum floor plan that will allow you to plan your trip in great detail, if you like doing that sort of thing. In addition, there is information about how to get to Cooperstown and links to websites that will help you find accommodation or plan other things to do on your trip.

If you are a true baseball fan, you won't want to miss out on visiting the Hall of Fame at least once. There are so many things to see and do that your appreciation of the game and its history is bound to increase. What are you waiting for? Make the trip this summer!