AKRON, Ohio — Before he became a king, LeBron James was a kid — a kid munching on Ruffles cheddar and sour cream chips living in an Akron apartment. Dream of becoming great.
His life is compartmentalized in the LeBron James Museum, thematically curated room by room, from his accolades on the court to the minute details of his life. The museum, which opens Saturday at House Three Thirty in Akron, offers a comprehensive look at 38-year-old LeBron Raymone James, who is entering his 21st season in the NBA.
Arizona artist Chris Rhimes created a collage of four portraits of James — a youth, a high school student, a young player and a bearded veteran. The mural also shows various aspects of him, from his infancy to his time with St. Vincent de St. Paul. Marie High School and his three NBA teams – Cleveland, Miami and Los Angeles.
The rooms reflect various periods of his life, a clever approach similar to the Joe Jackson Museum in South Carolina that highlights the baseball great’s six productive years in Cleveland.
Letters from fans to James were posted as wallpaper in the alcove as a tribute to his followers. These letters will be replaced periodically along with other notes. It’s also a small waiting area outside his 602 Spring Hill apartment.
“This is their first apartment of their own,” one tour guide said.
The museum is full of details. His favorite cereal sits on top of the refrigerator. He had an old boxy computer in his bedroom surrounded by sports magazines. The shelves are lined with trophies and a sentinel overlooks his domain.
Family photos sit in the living room next to the TV his mother Gloria bought. There are a pair of small TV tables in front of the sofa, with ruffles playing on paper plates.
As Jay Z’s “My First Song” plays, you can snake around the room and see reflections of the boy — a remote-controlled Hummer sitting on the floor — and the one LeBron has become. people.
His high school locker room was recreated with chalkboard graffiti and a row of five lockers – James’ locker room was flanked by his close friends and teammates – Romeo Travis, Drew Joyce , Willie McGee and Sian Cotton.
You’ll see the words “discipline” and “sacrifice” he took to heart, two principles that drive the work ethic of James, the league’s all-time leading scorer with more than 39,000 points.
There was no serious controversy in James’ life. The negative issues in his life have almost no nominal dimension, such as the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s overbearing scrutiny of his amateurism and the initial backlash from Cleveland fans after James signed with Miami. But the museum offers a collection of beautiful, colorful and vibrant artifacts.
The museum is notable for two main reasons: While many items are preserved under glass, such as the white suit James wore to the 2003 NBA Draft, much of the collection is out in the open. It’s as if visitors get a rare front-row seat to a big game, a chance to see their stars and idols up close.
On the other hand: minimal interactivity. Don’t expect video games, trivia booths, or similar hands-on activities. Memorabilia, artwork, objects, photos, objects and other keepsakes tell stories. It’s so refreshing.
Combined, the objects reflect his life: He married his high school sweetheart. He has traveled around the world and competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He leads his team on the field. He also likes Swensons—a bag of the Akron-based fast-food restaurant is kept in his locker.
Then there are shoes.
The museum feels like a shoe store. Shoes are a running theme throughout, with logos, colors, stylish designs, artistic touches, autographs – all preserved like artifacts.
James graced the court in some of these shoes. His honor is everywhere – in plaques and photos, in sights and sounds. A bank of televisions played high school highlight reels, with Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale singing the praises of a teenager on the verge of greatness.
Glory depends on more than just personal achievement.
James fostered a sense of community by delivering a positive message to children in his hometown. The LeBron James Family Foundation’s House Thirty Thirty embodies this in a multi-purpose facility.
The Charity Corridor reflects James’ work as a donor off the court, hosting bike-a-thons, creating “I Promise” schools and paying for children’s tuition.
Visitors can clearly see the words on this row of charity artifacts: I promise/I will work hard/I will never give up/I will do my best/I will dream big/I will hold my head high/I will succeed/I will become strong.
This is really what museums are about. As James enters the twilight of his career, it’s clear that his lasting legacy will be a positive reaffirmation aimed at helping today’s kids.
If you go: LeBron James Museum
Que: Located on the former site of The Tangier, the renovated museum houses restaurants, bars, event spaces and a theater, and showcases the Akron native’s life and career room by room.
Where: House Three 30, 532 W. Market St., Akron, 35 miles from downtown Cleveland.
PARKING: There is a free garage on site.
Museum opening hours: Monday to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Construction time: Monday to 6pm to 5pm Friday; Saturday 8am to 5pm.
Museum tickets: $23; children under 5 free.
What to know: The building is cashless. No pets, smoking or vaping allowed.
nearby: The space is a half-mile from the heart of the Highland Square neighborhood of bars and restaurants along West Market Street and three-quarters of a mile from James’ high school. Less than two miles from Main Street in downtown Akron.
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I am here cleveland.com‘s lifestyle and culture team, covering topics related to food, beer, wine and sports. For my latest story, This is the directory on cleveland.com. WTAM-1100’s Bill Wills and I usually talk about food and drink on Thursdays at 8:20 am. Twitter: @mbona30.My latest book co-authored with Dan Murphy is Gray Company’s “Joe Thomas: No Just Joe”
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