Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame

In the South, college football is closer to religion than sport, and Atlanta built it a cathedral. The Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame moved here from South Bend, Indiana, and opened in 2014 on the far side of Centennial Olympic Park from the aquarium. It is the most interactive museum downtown and the one that most reliably wins over visitors who think they do not care about football. On arrival you register a team, and the exhibits respond to your choice. The first thing you see is the three-story Helmet Wall, carrying helmets from hundreds of college programs, which lights up when you approach with your team selected. Upstairs, galleries trace the history of the game, its great coaches and rivalries, the bands, mascots and tailgating traditions, and the Hall of Fame itself, where inductees are honored with interactive displays. There is a short film in the Game-Day Theater. The highlight for many is the 45-yard indoor field and the Peach Bowl Skill Zone, where you can kick field goals, throw to moving targets, run an agility course and test yourself against the pros. There is also a broadcast booth where you can call a famous play. Most visitors spend two to three hours. It is ideal for sports families, rainy days and anyone in town for a game, and it is at its liveliest on fall weekends. The downsides: big event days can bring crowds, and fans of professional football will find less here.

Atlanta won the Hall of Fame in a competition with other cities, and the move made sense: the city sits in the heart of the Southeastern Conference footprint, hosts the SEC Championship Game and the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and has hosted the national championship. The Hall is run by the National Football Foundation, which inducts new classes of players and coaches each year, and the museum updates its displays to match. Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta-based restaurant chain, holds the naming rights.

To plan a visit, buy a ticket online and register your team on arrival so the exhibits respond to you. Start at the Helmet Wall, then head up through the history galleries before finishing on the indoor field, where you can spend as long as you like. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan to run the drills, and expect queues at the most popular stations on busy days. The ground floor shop sells gear from many college programs. The building can host private events, so check the calendar for early closings.

The Hall is on Marietta Street at the western edge of Centennial Olympic Park, a short walk from the aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola, near the Georgia World Congress Center, State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. If you are in town for a game or a big event, expect the surrounding area to be packed. It is included in the Atlanta CityPASS and sold in combination with the aquarium. Pair it with a walk through Centennial Olympic Park and a show at the Fountain of Rings, or with a stadium tour at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when one is scheduled.