Born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico, Roberto Clemente was not only a fantastic ballplayer but a generous and giving soul as well. When he wasn’t hitting dingers for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente could be found charitably donating his time and money to communities in need. Tragically, his life was cut short in a plane crash in 1972. Today, The Clemente Museum operates in his honor, providing a place where visitors can explore his lasting legacy on Pittsburgh and the sport of baseball.

Located in an old fire station in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the Clemente Museum has to be one of the most unique, memorabilia-filled small museums out there. The collection spans two floors and covers all aspects and time periods of Roberto Clemente’s life – from his early childhood working the sugar cane fields in Puerto Rico, to his heartbreaking death in an aviation disaster on his way to aid Nicaragua earthquake victims. A piece of the plane from Clemente’s final flight is on display on the first floor.

His accomplishments on the diamond are, of course, front and center. Clemente spent all of his 18 Major League seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, entertaining the literal millions who came out to Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium to see him play. He ended his career with exactly 3,000 hits and, after a special rule was instituted to allow him to be expeditiously inducted, Clemente was posthumously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. He was the first Caribbean and Latin-American player to be honored in Cooperstown.

The museum itself was founded in 2007, spawning from the personal collection of local photographer Duane Rieder. Formerly a fire station called Engine House 25, the building was completely overhauled to house the world’s largest Roberto Clemente exhibition. In an effort to continue The Great One’s humanitarian legacy, the museum continues to participate in community outreach in the greater Pittsburgh area.

The Clemente Museum is by appointment only, but authentic and extremely informative guided tours are often available for booking. Tours last about two hours and are both laid-back and eye-opening. Although the museum focuses on just one man, it is perhaps the best baseball attraction this side of Cooperstown.

The Clemente Museum: 3339 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15201
www.clementemuseum.com