Traveling exhibit in Green Bay

The Pro Football Hall of Fame focuses a great deal of time expanding the national outreach of the museum. One of the major methods in which this is accomplished is through the Pro Football Hall of Fame's traveling exhibit program.

{GALLERY}The Hall of Fame opened its current traveling exhibit Pro Football and the American Spirit at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in mid-October. The popular exhibit tells the story of professional football players and personnel who served our nation in the armed forces from World War II to Desert Storm and the conflict in Afghanistan.

Pro Football and the American Spirit features more than 40 artifacts including Hall of Famer Art Donovan's Marine Corps uniform; the career medals of General Ernest Cheatham, pro football's highest ranking former player; the Cleveland Browns sideline jacket of Don Steinbrunner, one of only two NFL players to lose his life during the Vietnam War; and Pat Tillman's Army Ranger uniform.

A main highlight of the exhibit is an Honor Roll of close to 1,300 NFL players, coaches and personnel who delayed, interrupted, or cut short their NFL careers to serve during some of our country's most trying times.

Not only does Pro Football and the American Spirit educate the public on this important story in the long history of professional football but it provides a new attraction for the partner institution.

"We really wanted to bring in new things for our guests to see," said Krissy Zegers, Packers Hall of Fame and Stadium Tour manager. "We want to give them a reason to come back here, create repeat visitors while also bringing in new fans. It is our hope that we draw in people from not only a sports perspective but from all crowds."

This is the third stop for Pro Football and the American Spirit in 2010. It previously showed at the Hall at Patriots Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame located near Wichita, Kansas. It will remain at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame until Jan. 9, 2011.