On Saturday, April 6, visitors of the World of Little League®: Peter J. McGovern Museum and Official Store, will have the unique opportunity to participate in behind-the-scenes tours of the Little League® International complex as part of the annual Open House event.
“With the MLB season officially underway at the end of March, our annual Open House event gives members of the community a chance to experience baseball in early April and take a behind-the-scenes look at the complex that hosts the Little League Baseball World Series each August,” said Lance Van Auken, Little League Vice President and Executive Director of the Museum. “The experience provided to our visitors during this event is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity and provides an inside look at the more than 70 acres that the Little League International Complex offers.”
Included in the event will be two full-complex tours beginning at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively, that will be led by a member of the Museum staff. There is no fee for the guided tour, and admission to the Museum is free that day.
Throughout the tour, museum tour guides will share stories about players and artifacts collected throughout the years. Please note, this is a walking tour with extended periods outdoors, so participants should wear appropriate shoes and dress for the weather.
Leading off the tour, participants will have the opportunity to enter one of the dormitories in the Dr. Creighton J. Hale International Grove where Little League Baseball® World Series players live during the annual tournament, a part of the complex closed to the public during the rest of the year.
Next, visitors will enter through Little League Volunteer Stadium and Howard J. Lamade Stadium, the same fields used during the Little League Baseball World Series, where they will descend beneath the complex to see batting cages, game operations facilities, and the press conference room, before taking in the view of the field from the dugouts and photography wells.
The group also will see the statue that honors Carl E. Stotz, Little League’s founder, and visit the “Mighty Casey” statue, symbolizing the $2 million endowment fund created in 2005 for the Little League Challenger Division® by The Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation and 28 current and former Major League Baseball players.
As part of the Open House, visitors also may tour the museum at no charge. In addition to the outside complex tours, staff members will be available inside the museum to answer questions and share information about the artifacts that are on display.
The Open House is a chance for area residents to familiarize themselves with the interactive experiences, films, and artifacts that are included in the Museum, including a recently updated opening film as well as an exciting new Major League Baseball exhibit.