Big Ten museum opens Saturday in Rosemont

The Big Ten Experience, a new interactive museum aiming to bring Big Ten Conference history to fan's fingertips, will open to the public Saturday at the conference's Rosemont headquarters.

The museum features 13 interactive exhibits showcasing notable events dating back to when the conference was founded in 1896.

“It gives people a place to come and celebrate the history of the schools,” conference spokesman Adam Augustine said Thursday. “To have a space like this to showcase our universities like this is great.”

To display all of those artifacts in one reasonably sized space, much of the historical content is displayed on interactive screens.

Augustine said the museum's system makes for a better experience.

“It will be meaningful for people to interact with it rather than just having it all behind glass,” Augustine said.

The museum will feature displays on prominent alumni — from both on and off the field — from each Big Ten school.

One exhibit, the Big Ten Theater, provides patrons a behind-the-scenes, immersive audio and video experience looking at student-athletes and traditions. The subjects range from the hallowed Assembly Hall at Indiana to the Minnesota ice hockey team to the Ohio State University Marching Band.

There also will be exhibits that are just for fun, like an interactive game where visitors can attempt to catch a football, stop a soccer ball or block a hockey puck.

Patrons can enter the museum by stepping through the “1” in a large version of the conference's “B1G” logo at the headquarters, 5440 Park Place in Rosemont.

The museum will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend. Admission is free.

Big Ten museum highlights

The Big Ten Conference opens its new interactive museum, The Big Ten Experience, to the public on Saturday. Some of the highlights include:

This is B1G: Collections of firsts, bests and most historical moments of the conference.

Game on: Interactive digital games testing your agility, speed, and hand-eye coordination. Try catching a football, kicking a soccer ball or blocking a hockey puck.

University Cubes: Focus solely on your favorite school.

Basketball Court: 14 program-changing audio calls from men's basketball games throughout the years.

Football/Basketball Touchscreen: Relive your favorite football or men's and women's basketball moments.

Heisman Trophy Photo Op: Strike a Heisman pose.

Big Ten Vault: View great performances by student athletes and Sports Illustrated covers featuring Big Ten schools.

Big Ten Theater: Witness in-depth looks at what happens behind the scenes of the athletes and traditions the conference holds.

Location: 5440 Park Place, Rosemont.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the weekend.

Admission: Free.