Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio

Right near the harbor on Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland is The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Combining two things I love, music and travel, it’s a place I’ve wanted to visit for years. To begin with, it’s a museum established to honor and preserve the history of rock and roll music and its impact on popular culture. How cool is that?

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Architectural Wonder

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is an architectural landmark in its own right. Designed by architect I.M. Pei, the building’s design is a large tinted glass pyramid. Move over Giza!

The interior of this pyramid aims to recognize not Egyptian pharaohs, but rock’s most influential bands, artists, producers, and important figures. It’s a unique building with future plans to expand even further.

Museum Exhibits

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum features a wide range of exhibits that showcase the evolution of rock and roll music. Visitors can explore it through interactive displays, photos, and multimedia presentations.

For instance, the exhibits include relics like instruments, handwritten lyrics, stage costumes, and memorabilia from iconic musicians and bands. Legends like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Prince, and Chuck Berry to name a few.

Likewise, the museum’s permanent collection includes displays about the roots of rock and roll, its different genres and subcultures, and the pioneers who helped shape it.

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The Lay of the Land

You enter on the first floor. There’s a concession stand near the entrance serving food, coffee, wine, and beer. There are seven levels in the building, but they’re not all open due to the changing nature of the exhibits. Obviously, you start downstairs on zero and work your way up.

How Much Does it Cost to Go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland?

Tickets are $35 per adult and $25 for kids aged 6-12. There are discounts for military, students, Northeast Ohio residents, and first responders. You can reserve your timed-entry tickets on the Rock Hall website.

If you’re visiting other fun places in Ohio like the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton it’s smart to buy a combo ticket that will save you some money.

How Long Does it Take to Walk Through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

3-4 hours depending on how much you stop and read. It’s a 150,000-square-foot museum so you’ll need time if you want to see most of it. It’s easy to spend half a day there at least. We probably spent 4 hours wandering around.

History of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The idea for the Rock Hall of Fame was created by Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records. It was officially established in 1983. The first induction ceremony occurred in 1986, and since then, the Hall of Fame has become one of the highest honors in the music industry.

Featured Exhibits

In addition to its permanent collection, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame hosts temporary and traveling exhibits that focus on specific artists, themes, or eras. During my visit, the featured exhibit was Hip Hop at 50: Holla If Ya Hear Me. Woop woop!

Hip Hop at 50: Holla If Ya Hear Me

Hip Hop at 50 is a large interactive display celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop inside the main exhibit hall on floor zero. Obviously, I was excited to see the museum itself, but growing up a big fan of hip-hop this was an added bonus.

There are one-of-a-kind rap artifacts like original outfits worn by the Beastie Boys and some items from Cleveland natives Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. A blinged-out LL Cool J ring from his early years as well as a drum set used by Qwest Love of The Roots.

Going further there are shades, a gold chain, and an outfit Biggie wore on the cover of Ego Trip Magazine in 1997. A letter from the FBI to NWA about their concerns that their music would encourage violence against law enforcement.

There’s also a DMX Ruff Ryders jersey, a Salt-N-Pepa jacket from the ‘Push It’ video, the Puffy and Mase outfits from the Mo’ Money Mo’ problems video, signed shoes worn by Jay-Z, and plenty more.

It was amazing to wander through and admire the unique items. My only criticism is that I was expecting to see more about Tupac and Wu-Tang! Nevertheless, it was still great.

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What Can You See at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

There are a ton of things in the museum. There’s a section on early influences highlighting people like the “Mother of Rock n’ Roll” Sister Rosetta Tharpe. A Legends of Rock area highlighting the giants of rock like David Bowie, Elton John, and The Rolling Stones.

Plus my personal favorite is the Cities and Sounds section which highlights niche genres like Motown, Psychedelic, Punk, Metal, and Grunge. That was awesome!

Some memorable items and highlights for me were seeing Johnny Cash’s former tour bus parked out front. The Richie Valens La Bamba guitar. Elvis Presley’s 1958 Harley Davidson. Michael Jackson’s red Thriller jacket.

The James Brown ‘Sex Machine’ outfit. Joey Ramone’s black leather jacket. Jerry Garcia’s guitar from the Cornell ’77 Dead concert. The former stage set replica from Pink Floyd’s The Wall show in Berlin in 1990. The piano Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles was created on is there too.

Swifties will be happy to find that there are even a few items from TSwift in the Right Here, Right Now exhibit. Although she hasn’t been officially inducted yet.

Additionally, you’ll find a Fender guitar that Kurt Cobain smashed and spun on a drill during a live Nirvana performance in LA in 1993.

Equally important, there’s a section on the censorship of Rock over the years. Including the obscenity list created by Tipper Gore and the PMRC that ultimately led to the parental advisory stickers on the packaging.

Also included is the backlash against The Beatles led by conservatives when folks were burning their albums after John Lennon famously said they were “more popular than Jesus”.

The Induction Process

Musicians, bands, and other music professionals are inducted into the Hall of Fame through a selection process that involves input from various historians, artists, music industry professionals, and fans.

To be eligible, an artist or band must have released their first recording at least 25 years prior to the nomination. There seems to be a growing trend lately to include iconic solo artists regardless of genre.

The Induction Ceremony

The annual induction ceremony at the Rock Hall is a major event in the music world. Inductees are celebrated with speeches, collaborations, and memorable live performances.

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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Inductees

The inductees in 2023 are…

• Kate Bush
• Sheryl Crow
• Missy Elliott
• George Michael
• Willie Nelson
• Rage Against the Machine
• The Spinners
• DJ Kool Herc
• Link Wray
• Chaka Khan
• Al Kooper
• Bernie Taupin
• Don Cornelius

Several of them like Willie Nelson and RATM had been repeatedly snubbed for many years.

The Garage

The Garage on the second floor has live music. We saw an impromptu jam session of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath covers by some Rock Hall Education students. There’s also an area where you can play guitar, bass, drums, or keyboard yourself at designated practice stations. So if you’ve got the skills, let it rip!

On the third floor, you’ll find the signature gallery including every Hall of Fame inductee together with the Power of Rock Experience a 15-minute show highlighting some of the best performances from induction nights.

Cleveland Rocks!

Rock Hall Gift Shop

Of course, there’s a very large gift shop full of things such as vinyl, t-shirts, books, keychains, posters, and more. I had to resist the urge not to spend several hundred dollars in there! The gift shop can also be accessed online Rock Hall Shop.

Where to Stay in Cleveland, Ohio

• Trendy Apartment in Tremont Neighborhood 9.8/10
• Frontdesk Osborn Apartments Downtown 8.3/10
• Hyatt Regency Downtown at the Arcade 8.3/10

Conclusion

Finally, I highly recommend visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if you find yourself in Ohio. Without a doubt, it’s a must-visit destination for music lovers, history buffs, and anyone interested in popular music.

Furthermore, there’s still a lot that I didn’t mention, but I didn’t want to completely spoil it in this post either. Go and see it for yourself!

Planning a trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Have you been?