The Hall at Patriot Place to Celebrate 5 Years with Free Children's Admission Saturday

Five years ago this week, the Kraft family cut the ribbon on The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon and unveiled the crown jewel of the shopping, dining and entertainment complex to the public for the first time.

To celebrate this special anniversary, The Hall is providing free admission to all children 12 years old and younger on Saturday, Sept. 21.

"It's been a terrific five years," Hall Executive Director Bryan Morry said. "The Kraft family wanted a venue that preserved the history of the organization and honored the greatest Patriots, but wanted to do it by using technology and innovation to evoke emotion and bring the Patriots’ history to life. They built a venue that our fans have loved and we look forward to further enhancing the experience.”

In addition to honoring the history of the Patriots organization, The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon uses the fun of football to capture the attention of young visitors with the goal of stimulating student interest in math and science. Hall visitors can experience interactive games that use football to teach math and science concepts. The integrated math and science education program that serves thousands of students each year combines elements of The Hall’s exhibits in an engaging, educational platform for visiting school groups.

Recently, The Hall has added several new features, including a new helmet tunnel entrance, an interactive math and science football game and an exhibit full of game-used artifacts and memorable Sports Illustrated covers.

"One of the things we try to do is bring fans closer to the player experience," Morry said. "We do that with some of our interactive exhibits. Guests can step inside a life-size huddle and hear [Patriots quarterback] Tom Brady call actual game-recorded plays. Visitors also get to test their vertical jump, watch head coach Bill Belichick break down the playbook and now, thanks to our new tunnel helmet entrance, get to enter The Hall’s exhibit galleries just like the players enter the Gillette Stadium field on game day. Furthermore, we try to bring fans and players together in an informal, entertaining setting through our popular Hall Speaker Series, which has featured legendary favorites like Tedy Bruschi and John Hannah to current stars like Rob Gronkowski, Devin McCourty, Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich.”

Patrons of The Hall will also enjoy the exciting new exhibit, The Cover Boys – The Patriots on the Cover of Sports Illustrated, which looks at the Patriots’ appearances on the cover of Sports Illustrated over the years. From the first in 1966 to Tom Brady’s 17 cover appearances and the team’s three Super Bowl Championships, the exhibit features more than 50 SI covers accompanied by game-used artifacts as well as an exclusive behind-the-scenes video from two Patriots cover photo shoots.

The newest addition to The Hall is By the Numbers, a new interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) passing and kicking game developed in collaboration with Raytheon. Participants are asked to input data, such as force and angles, to try and complete a pass or convert a kick. The game is the latest addition to The Hall’s successful education program.

“We are committed to working with STEM educators in Massachusetts and beyond,” Morry said. “Our on-site programs are designed to enrich the academic experience students receive in the traditional classroom by providing real-life experiences with math and science. At The Hall, we show students these subjects are not only enjoyable but also used in areas they might not consider, such as football.”

That educational experience has attracted more than 15,000 students a year through field trips to The Hall, according to Morry.

“We hope we can impact those students by showing them how science, technology, engineering and math are at play in the world around them,” Morry said. “Our partner, Raytheon, is dedicated to helping young people develop and sustain an interest in math and science, as well as the skills they need to drive U.S. leadership in technology and innovation. We’ve worked closely together to relate the sports students love to math and science through Raytheon’s two interactive games, By the Numbers andIn the Numbers, as well as offering the rich educational program for schools. It’s a tremendous partnership.”

The Hall will be celebrating its five-year anniversary from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. Price of admission for adults (ages 13 and older) is $10; all children, who qualify for free admission, must be accompanied by an adult. If you work up an appetite during your visit to The Hall, be sure to stop by CBS Scene and show your admission ticket from The Hall to receive 10 percent off your final bill. 

In addition to celebrating The Hall at Patriot Place turning five years old, UMass football will be hosting Vanderbilt at noon for a college football clash at Gillette Stadium followed by the New England Revolution match against D.C. United at 7:30 p.m.

ABOUT THE HALL AT PATRIOT PLACE PRESENTED BY RAYTHEON

The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon is the crown jewel of Patriot Place and the only sports and education experience of its kind. Through a dazzling array of interactive multimedia exhibits and artifacts never before viewable by the public, The Hall showcases the tradition of the New England Patriots, explores the history of football in New England, and promotes math and science education for thousands of schoolchildren each year. The Hall received a Gold MUSE Award from the American Association of Museums and The Hall’s signature film, “Patriots Way,” won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. The Hall was named to Boston Globe Magazine’s Best of the New, and was a Yankee magazine Editor’s Choice recommendation. Tickets to The Hall are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children 5-12. Children 4 and under are admitted for free. The current hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit TheHallatPatriotPlace.com, visit “The Hall at Patriot Place presented by Raytheon” on Facebook or follow @TheHall on Twitter.