The Naismith collection (which, at the time, included Hall of Fame items) was originally presented in 1991 at the Naismith Visitor’s Centre on a small parcel of land on the Naismith farm. The building was donated by local residents from an adjacent farm and moved to the site. It was renovated to look like a period home thanks to a grant from the province of Ontario. The site layout was designed by Algonquin college through their Museums Studies Program.
The collection moved to the Almonte Old Town Hall in 1999 to provide better access to the items to passerby’s, as tourism began to grow in town.
2003 saw the Hall of Fame items being moved to Canada Basketball where they currently reside. The collection then transitioned (through a partnership with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority) to the scenic Mill of Kintail where it currently resides in conjunction with the R. Tait McKenzie museum.
The collection is made up of personal items from Naismith’s past accompanied by detailed stories of their relevance to Naismith’s life. The museum is wonderfully curated and a great place to bring the whole family to learn about not only one, but two great Canadians.
Naismith Basketball Foundation 