Extensive progress has been made in the renovation and expansion of the United States Golf Association Museum in north-central New Jersey, where the new home for the world’s premier collection of golf artifacts, memorabilia and historical items is on track to open in the spring of 2008.
Located adjacent to the USGA’s headquarters, the fully renovated Museum, together with the new Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History will comprise a 33,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that will display more than 2,000 of the USGA’s most treasured artifacts.
“The development of the Palmer Center is just one step -- albeit the most critical one -- in our effort to strengthen the Museum, its programs and its role within the USGA,” said USGA President Walter Driver. “Our goal moving forward is to develop and brand the Palmer Center as the premier institution in the world for the study and education of golf history.”
Construction of the Palmer Center began in December 2006 and is now more than 70 percent complete. With the exterior of the structure now fully enclosed, workers are focusing on the installation of the building systems and the construction of the interior walls, floors and ceilings.
The Palmer Center will offer more than 7,500 square feet of public space, with more than 5,000 square feet of that space devoted to permanent exhibitions discussing key moments in USGA Championship history. A collection of the nation’s most significant golf artifacts and documents also will be displayed here. Many of these artifacts will be on display to the public for the first time.
The museum’s galleries will provide visitors with engaging displays enhanced by multi-media elements and interactive kiosks. Collectively, the exhibits will present a new history of golf in the United States, focusing on the relationship between the game and the major historical, political and cultural events of the nation.
The signature architectural feature of the Palmer Center, the Hall of Champions, will celebrate every USGA champion and championship, beginning in 1895 with the first U.S. Amateur. A rotunda, illuminated by a clerestory, will feature all 13 USGA trophies, while listing winners of every championship on bronze panels that encircle the hall. Several kiosks situated throughout the exhibition galleries will host a new USGA Championship database that will allow visitors to search every championship by player, site and year.
Renovations to the interior of the existing museum, which has been closed since March 2005, are concurrently underway. Home for the past 35 years to the USGA Museum (the oldest museum in the country dedicated solely to sports), the renovated building will house offices and meeting rooms on the upper level. The main level will continue to function as a public space, featuring galleries devoted to the accomplishments of Bob Jones, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer. The Museum will continue to serve as the main focus for visitors to USGA headquarters and the gift shop will offer newly created products derived from the exhibition experience and world-class collection.
The new USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History will open to visitors in spring of 2008. A grand opening celebration is planned for June.
For more information, go to www.usga.org or call 908-234-2300.
