The
Hockey Hall of Fame is located in
Toronto,
Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the
history of
ice hockey, it is both a museum and a
hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams,
National Hockey League (NHL) records, memorabilia and
NHL trophies, including the
Stanley Cup. Originally founded in
Kingston, Ontario, the Hockey Hall of Fame was first established in 1943 under the leadership of
James T. Sutherland. The first class of honoured members was inducted in 1945, before the Hall of Fame had a permanent location. It moved to Toronto in 1958 after the NHL withdrew its support for the
International Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston, Ontario. Its first permanent building opened at
Exhibition Place in 1961. In 1993, the Hall was relocated to a former
Bank of Montreal building in
Downtown Toronto, where it is now located.