Arizona Science Center: Gridiron Glory

This week I had the privilege of attending a tour the Arizona Science Center’s “Gridiron Glory” exhibit on the history of American football. {Keep reading for a giveaway for one of you to go visit for yourselves.} As an Arizona Cardinals fan (and former Steeler’s), I was super excited not only to see the Cardinal’s memorabilia, but also the history items, from football birth certificate to the Vince Lombardi trophy. With the recent Super bowl held in Arizona, there have been a few opportunities to see the famed Lombardi trophy. However unlike other venues, the Gridiron Glory exhibit doesn’t have a two hour plus waiting line

 Beyond the trophy the exhibit was broken down in to a few distinct areas. The exhibit opens with the history of football, legacy teams, uniforms, equipment, and plenty of placard with milestones and stories. Another area was the technology of football, from improvements in pads and helmets to in helmet communication systems and failed equipment concepts like the rainy game football dryer, which inadvertently turned a ball into a hardened missile. The third area involved a more modern day informational section, field goal simulator, down field pass targets, wearable shoulder pads and helmets. This section also brings the players to life, from leg casts you can stand in, arm/bicep casts you can’t get your hands around, to hand casts on a palmed football. How do you size up?

For Cardinals fan’s the exhibit also highlights a few home town heroes. Curt Warner and Palmer’s jersey’s to the late Pat Tillman’s military uniform. For those unfamiliar with Tillman’s contributions both on and off the field check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman. 

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Disclaimer: I was provided the opportunity to visit the AZ Science Center through a campaign with Blended Extended. All opinions are my own.
Photography by www.melissadonaldsonphotography.com