Top Rated Attractions in Springfield

Founded in 1959, the present facility of the Basketball Hall of Fame was opened in 2002 in a gorgeously modern building shaped like a basketball. Located on three floors, the museum houses a large collection of sports memorabilia, exhibits, and more dedicated to athletes and teams from around the world, as well as other innovators, coaches, commentators and referees. At the end of your self-guided tour, shoot some baskets on the regulation-size court at a variety of hoops, ranging from the wooden headboards of the 1890s to the fiberglass models of the 21st Century.

Founded as a "Free Church" then "Sanford Street Church" in the 1840s, the St. John’s Congregational Church is one of the oldest active Black New England churches. Abolitionist John Brown was a member of the church and he along with other church members would help fugitive slaves escape, their actions helped Springfield become a major stop on the Underground Railroad. Church members also fought for Civil Rights, including Rev. Dr. Charles E. Cobb who successfully made the Springfield school Board end its ban on hiring qualified black teachers in 1956. A bible owned by John Brown is on display at the church.

McKnight District iwas one of America's first planned residential areas and it was developed in the mid-1800s. Designed by James and William McKnight and mostly completed in 1910, the neighborhood has a quaint and historic atmosphere. In 1976 the neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You'll find the district roughly between Albany Railroad, Armory Street, the eastern railroad track, and State Street.