Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings just the start of Strip museum

Tom Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings and Michael Jordan’s first pair of Air Jordans are displayed. Morgan Freeman narrates the tour.

If you’re not sold on this experience already, there might not be hope for you.

The Hall of Excellence is that experience. The vast sports-memorabilia museum established by Tom Brady and the Tom Brady Family collection, along with broadcast great Jim Gray and his wife, Frann Vettor-Gray, opens June 20 at Fontainebleau.

Presented on the hotel’s second level, the Hall of Excellence will be open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, admission $35 for guests, 15-under. Discounts available for seniors, Nevada residents and military members at $30 per person. Tickets are on sale 6 a.m. Friday at fontainebleaulasvegas.com.

Announced during Super Bowl week 2024, the 3,100-square-foot museum offers a first public display of many iconic sports and entertainment items from celebrated athletes and celebs. Its name was inspired by the Raiders’ classic motto, “Commitment to Excellence.”

“The Hall of Excellence is about more than preserving history – it is about celebrating the relentless pursuit of greatness,” Brady said in a statement today, announcing the attraction’s details. “These moments, these legends, they remind us of what is possible when passion and hard work come together, and they inspire us to chase our own legacies. So much of this memorabilia represents the incredible journey that I, like so many others, have been fortunate enough to experience.”

Brady emphasizes the pieces belong for public enjoyment.

“Artifacts like these do not belong hidden away,” said Brady, who holds a minority ownership stake in the Raiders. “They should be shared with the fans who were along for the journey with us.”

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Academy Award-winning actor and iconic narrator Freeman leads the tour, which takes guests on a journey through sports and entertainment history history. The items, extraordinary for their volume and iconography, fit Las Vegas’ evolution as the sports and entertainment capital of the world.

Exhibited are such items as Brady’s seven Super Bowl rings, from his six Patriots victories and one with the Buccaneers; Jordan’s first pair of Air Jordans (1984) and first NBA championship shoes (1991 NBA Finals); the bat used by Jackie Robinson to break baseball’s color barrier (1947); Muhammad Ali’s worn gloves from his fight against George Chuvalo (1966); a Team USA Dream Team jersey and opening ceremony uniform (1992); Clint Eastwood’s Academy Award for “Unforgiven” (1993); Kobe Bryant’s first nationally televised game jersey (1996); the golf ball used by Tiger Woods during his first Masters victory (1997); Billie Jean King’s tennis dress (1974); Oprah Winfrey’s Presidential Medal of Freedom (2013) and Tony Award for “The Color Purple” (2016); Las Vegas Aces WNBA Championship rings (2022, 2023); a Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Championship ring (2023), and golf balls and baseballs signed by U.S. Presidents dating to Woodrow Wilson.

The museum also features a trophy room that includes the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the Heisman Trophy, the Claret Jug, the MLB Commissioners Trophy, Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy (NBA Finals), Wimbledon, U.S. Open Golf and U.S. Open

Tennis Trophies, the Pete Rozelle Super Bowl MVP Trophy, Olympic Gold medals, Emmy, Grammy, Tony and Academy Awards, and many others.

“The Hall of Excellence is the most extraordinary collection of historic sports and entertainment artifacts ever assembled. It’s a tribute to iconic legends whose achievements exceeded even their boldest dreams. This museum takes you back to the unforgettable moments that shaped generations,” Gray says. “By sharing these remarkable treasures, we hope to inspire future generations to strive for excellence. We are deeply grateful to all the superstars who generously contributed their most prized possessions.”

Fontainebleau Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Soffer said he is honored to host the display, as it represents high achievement.

“This is such a unique exhibition, not only for the resort but for the destination,” Soffer said. “The pursuit of excellence is woven into the DNA of Fontainebleau Las Vegas, and we are grateful to Tom, Jim and Frann for their generosity in bringing the Hall of Excellence to the resort, in turn supporting our mission to deliver once-in-a-lifetime experiences to our guests.”

Additional displays include historic memorabilia from legendary events that once belonged to such icons as Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Vince Lombardi, Jim Brown, Babe Ruth, Pelé, Shohei Ohtani, Hank Aaron, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Lionel Messi, Annika Sorenstam, Pete Sampras, Eric Dickerson, Simone Biles, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Charles Barkley, Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Usain Bolt, Serena Williams, Don Shula, Bill Belichick, Carl Lewis, Roger Federer, Mike Tyson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Aaron Judge, Reggie Jackson, Jason Kidd, Elvis Presley and The Beatles, among others.

Visitors will also have the option of hear detailed stories and descriptions of artifacts narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Marv Albert, Jim Nantz, Bob Costas, Mike Emrick, Mary Carillo, Andres Cantor, Tom Brady, Jim Gray, Snoop Dogg, and the premiere of the will.i.am song XLNC.

The exhibit is unique to Las Vegas, only available at the resort. This is a partnership between Soffer, Brady and the Grays, who are longtime friends.

“We are giving guests, sports and entertainment enthusiasts the chance to enjoy Las Vegas unlike ever before,” Soffer said, “with a first-hand look at history through the eyes of the world’s most beloved athletes and entertainers.”

From @TomBrady & @JimGrayOfficial announcing Hall of Excellence @fblasvegas, rare memorabilia from Jim and Frann Gray and the Brady Family. … Opening Q3 on hotel’s second level … @reviewjournal #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/hUfz6UOPV5

— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) February 9, 2024

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.