The last thing you might expect from a sports museum is lessons in science, history, politics and race relations. But, that's exactly what the team behind a newly proposed Chicago museum is looking to highlight. The American Sports Museum promises to feature popular sports memorabilia, hands-on exhibitions and compelling educational components that, according to developers, will emphasize the many ways sports connect to our lives.
Mark Lapides, former chief marketing officer at Adler Planetarium, and Roger Germann, former executive vice president at Shedd Aquarium, are leading the project, which is expected to cost upwards of $50 million. Lapides, who lives in Chicago with his family, says he and Germann have a deep affinity for the city and never considered another location.
"We think the city is ready for another cultural institution," Lapides says. "There was a lot of disappointment about the Lucas Museum not coming, so we thought the time was right." And since Chicago is already a sports town, Lapides thinks it just makes sense. "I can’t think of a better city from that perspective."
First, the ASM nonprofit will need to raise the money needed to hire a planning staff and cover the cost of construction. This, according to Lapides, will be done through a crowdfunding campaign that launched Friday morning on the website Indiegogo. By afternoon it had raised $1,325. While this is still quite a long way from its multimillion dollar goal, Lapides is excited to see the campaign already bringing in money just hours after opening.
Next, the team will have to find a site for the museum. While there's not a specific location in mind, Lapides wants the American Sports Museum to be easily accessible for area students on field trips and in close proximity to major hotels. Because there is not another museum quite like the one they're planning, developers are expecting it to bring in significant tax and tourism revenue for the city.
Admittedly, we at Time Out think a sports museum in Chicago would be pretty cool. Check out this video created by the American Sports Museum team, and let us know what you think.
Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.