March 28, 2024

Iowa Hall of Pride to close June 30

BOONE — The Iowa Hall of Pride will soon live on through a digital format with the launch of the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s online program, Achieve.

The Hall of Pride museum, run by the IHSAA, will conclude its public schedule and operating hours on June 30 and close its physical location during the 2022-23 school year. Before that, it will transition to an online platform featuring many of the experiences that have made the Hall of Pride a special venue since its opening at Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines in 2005.

“While the Hall of Pride has been a unique space to honor excellence in Iowa’s history and education-based activities, we have seen declining attendance at the location in recent years,” said IHSAA executive director Tom Keating.

“We believe the best way to serve our member schools and the most students is through Achieve. The new digital format will make the Hall of Pride’s lessons available to anyone, anywhere at no cost.”

Through Achieve, online visitors will be able to view a variety of videos previously only seen at the Iowa Hall of Pride and learn about the rich history of Iowa high school activities. Achieve will also provide a hub for student programs and IHSAA history, including archives, Halls of Fame, and educational offerings for member schools.

Achieve launches online on June 22 and its programming, videos, and archives will continue to grow through the digital platform after the Hall of Pride closes. Achieve’s URL through the IHSAA website is: https://www.iahsaa.org/achieve.

“From its inception under Bernie Saggau and Jack Lashier, the Hall of Pride opened with a goal of ‘Educating the future, preserving the past, celebrating the accomplishments of all Iowans.’” Keating said.

“We are excited to launch the next chapter through Achieve, which will honor the vision and mission of the Hall of Pride and continue to celebrate the incredible student-athletes and individuals who have positively affected Iowa for generations.”

The Hall of Pride’s museum averaged around 800 visitors per month from January 2015 through January 2020. Since reopening in July 2020 at Iowa Events Center following a COVID-19 related closure, the 26,000-square foot space has averaged around 250 monthly visitors. The IHSAA’s current website averages one million pageviews per month and will highlight Achieve with an opportunity to present focused content and video through IHSAA channels.

The Iowa Hall of Pride will honor existing field trip and event reservations. Its public hours and scheduling will conclude June 30.