Larry Bird Museum to open later this month
May 9—Those patiently waiting for the opening of the Larry Bird Museum at the Terre Haute Convention Center won't have to wait much longer.
The museum is set to open May 30 and 31, and Larry Bird is expected to attend, the Vigo County Capital Improvement Board said in a news release Thursday afternoon.
The museum will open its doors to special guests on May 30, offering an exclusive preview before opening to the general public on May 31.
The grand opening festivities will kick off with a downtown Hoops Fest, a street fair, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 30, between Seventh and Ninth streets on Wabash Avenue.
The highlight of the day will be the outdoor ceremony and ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in front of the Terre Haute Convention Center.
Celebrities, local officials, and special guests will gather to commemorate the occasion, paying tribute to Bird's career and his impact on the sport of basketball and the Terre Haute community.
For the public opening, the public must reserve a time slot in advance through the museum's website, which will be available soon. This is to help ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all visitors.
The Larry Bird Museum is expected to become a must-visit destination for basketball aficionados, history buffs and those inspired by the story of a small-town kid who applied talent, determination, and hard work to achieve global fame.
Bird, from French Lick, played his college basketball at Indiana State from 1976 to 1979, leading the Sycamores to the 1979 NCAA Championship game against Earvin "Magic" Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans. He was the national college player of the year in 1979.
Bird was the sixth overall draft pick in the first round of the 1978 NBA draft. His achievements as a player with the Boston Celtics included three NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, three regular-season MVP awards and 12 NBA all-star team appearances.
He played on the 1992 Olympic basketball team (the "Dream Team") and was selected to the 50th and 75th NBA anniversary teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice as a player — first in 1998 as an individual, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team."
Later, as a coach and executive with the Indiana Pacers, his honors included NBA Coach of the Year in 1998, NBA All-Star Game head coach (1998) and NBA Executive of the Year (2012).
