The Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library

October 28, 2023I have been a fan of Shoeless Joe Jackson since I read a book about this amazing baseball player when I was a kid. Imagine my sheer delight when I discovered Joe was from Greenville and there's a museum in his hometown! The museum is open on Saturdays 10am-2pm. I spent an hour looking at all the exhibits and pictures of one of baseball's greatest players. The museum is tastefully filled with uniforms, bats, furniture, his wife's china and over 2,000 baseball books! There were 3 volunteers who offered free tours of this free museum. They shared a wealth of knowledge and I was completely fascinated. Joe's red brick home was moved twice to its current location. More museum area and a well stocked store were added a couple years ago. This is a must-see for all baseball fans and anyone visiting Greenville!

Enjoyed the history, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative. I had looked forward to visiting for some time and was glad I finally was able to get there! It's time for Joe Jackson and the other players to be in the Hall of Fame!

AMAZING! The gentlemen that volunteer here are so knowledgeable and friendly. Finding a hands on museum like this dedicated to a local legend was such a treat and I'm glad I got to see it.You could spend 15 minutes just popping in or hours in the library and history that this little converted home has to offer. Right across from the ballpark, its only open on Saturdays so plan a trip and enjoy this must do FREE activity that is sure to delight any baseball or history buff.

You can't ply me with enough alcohol to sit through 9 innings of baseball. So I suppose it is G-d's idea of a cruel joke that I have been graced with a Little Leaguer kid, not to mention a hubby, who both adore the sport (Get 'em next year, Mets!). Anyway, like every good Mama and wifey, I sometimes suck it up when it comes to activities I'm not into for the love of my family. So it was here:Now just so y'all know, this l'il museum was actually once Joe Jackson's house, moved from its original location to this current one, which just so happens to be right across the street from Greenville's Minor League baseball stadium. The guy clearly did not live in the lap of luxury, since this is a small, humble home and as such, it shouldn't take you more than 45 minutes max to get through all the exhibits, unless you're really, really hardcore. Whatever you do, make sure one of the docents provides you with an overview. Ours was so passionate about his subject, while still being able to convey information in a relatable way, that I wound up getting sucked in in spite of myself. Wish I would've gotten his name 'cause his enthusiasm was so contagious, I truly began to enjoy poking through the various rooms of the house, including a kitchen, which featured a small handful of retro appliances and a 1950's cookbook, if memory serves. Leave it me to grab hold of the one food-related display in the place.This FREE museum operates solely thanks to the devotion of volunteers, which explains its very limited hours. As you leave, be sure to either drop a few bucks into the donation box or purchase something from the gift shop, both of which help support a truly lovely homage that managed to charm even me.:)ps We were so inspired by our visit here that we decided to pay our respects at the cemetery where Joe is buried, also in Greenville. Should you try to do the same be sure to get VERY specific directions. Once you arrive at the cemetery, there are no signs. NONE. We drove around for 20 minutes before a kindhearted caretaker took pity on us and helped guide us to the grave site, which is very inconspicuously marked with baseballs.

Baseball will always have the black sox scandal of 1919 as part of its legacy. Greenville has its own role in that by virtue of being home to Joseph Jefferson Jackson, otherwise known as Shoeless Joe.This museum documents his life including the good and the bad. It's located in the small brick home that he and his wife lived in and in which he later died. Having been relocated from its original spot, it's now right across from Fluor Field at the West End, a fitting location.The small house, 900 square feet, is only open on Saturdays, but private tours are available by appointment. Thanks to a very nice man named Chuck, who had done exactly that, I was able tag along on his private tour. Despite the scandal, nothing can take away from Jackson's impressive hitting record in an era before the current high tech bats, gloves, and alleged performance-enhancing boosts. It's all documented and detailed here and the tour guide very impressively was able to tell everything about his life and career. She is a passionate believer in the injustice done to Jackson, as are many in the community. There's also a pretty impressive library of baseball-related books here - although they aren't for lending.When you're in the area, this is a must-visit for any baseball fan, and even worth the effort to visit if you aren't.

This was such a surprising treat. We stopped by with low expectations based on some reviews we'd seen but were really impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the volunteers. The house is pretty neat and they encourage you to pick things up and ask questions. For a free attraction, it is definitely worthwhile for even a casual baseball fan.

This place was a lot cooler than I thought it was going to be. The museum is the house Joe built and lived in before he die. It is now located right next to the ballfield which is also really cool for a minor league club. The museum is free and is loaded with facts and items from his life. I had no knowledge about Joe before this trip and I learn a lot. I have never been to a museum that had so many curators helping tell the story. You must stop by this place.

Anne H. left a very thorough review, so I will not rehash her points. My own experience - I emailed a month in advance to ask for a special opening, since I wouldn't be through on their once-weekly general public opening. Arlene happily obliged and gave me a personal tour of the small house. I thought that was exceptionally nice of her. She is very knowledgable and passionate about Greenville, and that's what led her to this museum, where she has picked up the same knowledge and passion about Shoeless Joe. I highly recommend a visit here - it's free, but please do donate.The unfortunate reason that this isn't 5 stars is not any fault of hers. I asked about this, but apparently almost everything of Joe's was taken, likely by a family member or friend (intentionally being vague here), and many parts of it are now appearing on the market for very high prices. The home itself, the kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and just a few small items are all that's actually left from Joe's time there. None of the furniture is there (he apparently loved furniture and left very little room in the house for walking), nor any of his baseball-related or personal items. I found that very sad, and though I understand why, it still has to detract a star from the overall rating. I can only hope that people who own these items are willing to donate and help build this museum up. From what Arlene said, there is a lot of passion around the country for Shoeless Joe, especially among children who play baseball, and maybe that can be a motivator someday.

Nice little museum to 1900's baseball great. Docent-led tour made it special. Across the street from baseball stadium. $7 entrance.

Very, very impressed by the baseball and historical knowledge of the volunteer that took us through the various rooms of the museum. Very even-tempered too, as we asked many, many questions. I couldn't pick out Shoeless Joe in many individual and team photos (I thought he and Ty Cobb looked very similar in a lot of photos), but our volunteer never got short with us and was only too happy to answer our questions. (Sorry, I never asked him his name.) Bought several souvenirs as we were exiting the museum and just recently ordered a couple of nice t-shirts on-line. It was a very enjoyable hour spent at the museum. We visited in July 2023.