1 Normal Ave, Montclair, NJ
Time: 12:00pm
The extensively renovated Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center is set to reopen its doors to the public on Sunday, June 12 at noon, a day that will be marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a life-sized statue of Yogi Berra.
The Museum & Learning Center, which first opened to the public in 1998 on the campus of Montclair State University, has been closed for nine months due to a $3.2 million expansion and refashioning of the exhibit gallery and theater. The “new” YBMLC, which will accommodate more students for educational programs, will also reflect the importance of character and values—integrity, teamwork, perseverance—as embodied by Berra, one of America’s most beloved athletes and a cultural icon.
Designed by Ikon 5 Architects of Princeton, the building’s new features include a gleaming glass-box atrium and lobby which was cited for excellence by New York Construction, a major trade organization.
Other attractive additions include an interactive exhibit gallery, designed by Gallagher & Associates of Silver Spring, Maryland, featuring never-before-seen photos and artifacts from Berra’s legendary career. Among them are a dazzling display of championship rings—Berra's 10 rings as a player are most in baseball history—and the jersey he wore while catching Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series from the collection of Dr. Richard Angrist.
The hub of all the Museum’s public and educational programs will take place in the new Jay and Patty Baker Theater, where films will be shown during public hours. The Museum will be open from Wednesdays to Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m., except on days of New Jersey Jackals minor-league games, when it will remain open until 7 p.m.
The Museum, a not-for-profit sports education organization, was redesigned to accommodate more students and groups and give visitors greater insight into Berra's extraordinary life and care
