Yesterday, I took my students on a field trip downtown to the NHL Centennial Fan Arena, a traveling exhibit which is set up outside the Central Library this weekend. It reminded me a lot of the Baseball Hall of Fame Tour I visited last summer, in that is uses a truck to create a traveling museum, and incorporates virtual reality, artifacts, and video into the experience.

The children loved all the hands-on activities outside, including a virtual reality zamboni challenge and floor hockey.

The big attraction, for me at least, was the museum. If you know me, you know I love history of all kinds, and this exhibit did not disappoint. There were tons of artifacts from the last 100 years of NHL play, and a few special things set up that are specific to St. Louis and the Blues, so you get a good feel for sports history, as well as a bit of local history. It is fascinating to see how much the equipment has changed over the years!

The exhibit will be open today and tomorrow in St. Louis, before it packs up and heads to the next city on the list (Nashville). If you’re a hockey fan, and have time some time this weekend, I highly recommend stopping by. And it’s even a free event, so it won’t cost you a cent (unless you decide to buy a funnel cake from the stand set up next to the exhibit!). I even heard the Stanley Cup will be stopping by, as well as some members of the Blues organization!