National Museum of Roller Skating

Great place to go for an "only in Lincoln" experience!It's a little funny-- you walk through some people's cubicles and working area to get to the actual museum, which is a single room with fluorescent lights and labels printed on paper, taped to a scarlet fabric background. The amount of and diversity of objects they have is impressive, actually, and they have a number of kitschy souvenirs for sale, like vintage magazines, postcards, and books.I kind of wish it had been even more kitschy-- maybe exuded more passion for skates, or recognized its own uniqueness and niche-y-ness as a museum, or engaged the visitor a little more. Maybe the issue was that no one greeted us when we came in? Still, 100% a place you will only find here in Lincoln, Nebraska!

I learned so much more than I ever knew about roller skating. It was really fun to stop in here. The staff was super friendly and explained so many neat things about roller skating. Can't beat the free admission. Surely worth a stop if you are in the area, very fun.

These people were cool, and so was their museum. I was visiting from CA on vacation and figured I had to go to the roller skating museum. I used to be obsessed with roller skating, choreographed routines, and had a coach. So it was a necessary place to go. Plus, I always like to go to weird museums when on vacation, like when I was in Toronto and had to go to the shoe museum.Anyhoo, I digress. My friend and I showed up at the museum. It was closed because they were about to install new carpeting. At first, they told us to come back some other time, but when the nice people there found out we were from Ohio and California, they let us go in and take a look anyway, since we had come from so far away and couldn't come back. Thanks, folks, you rock!Inside, there were some pretty cool exhibits. Funny pictures of ladies in floor-length dresses trying to roller skate back in the day, on roller skates that didn't turn like today's skates do. Newspaper accounts of the notorious roller skating murder. Lots of cool looking skates from a long time ago and info about their history. The list goes on. So glad we got to visit!

The National Museum of Roller Skating is located inside the USA Roller Sports headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska. Who knew? Since they are the headquarters they also host the annual USA Roller Sports Indoor National Roller Skating Championships in July every few years. It is the home of the largest collection of historical and antique inline and roller skates, dating back to 1819, in the world. The museum was conceived to save and display items from the history of roller skating and help anyone and everyone who is interested understand and enjoy the roller sports heritage, while looking toward a healthy future for roller sports. Exhibits include athletes, inventors and artifacts from skating history.There is no admission fee. Donations are accepted. Highlights for me included seeing roller skates from the beginning and enjoying the journey, even to the bright blue and yellow skates I had as a child. There are skates signed by Drew Barrymore, an outfit from Tara Lipinski's rollerskating days, and a refurbished mechanical band organ used in the 20's when skaters performed. Lots of history, lots of old skates, unique skates, old pictures and costumes. A few co-workers and I went on our lunch break and it was a very information, interesting little stop. It doesn't take long to get through so if you've always wanted to check it out, do.Museum CollectionsThe museum collections include patents, medals, trophies, photographs, artworks, skating films, videos, costumes, libraries, archives and inline and roller sports memorabilia. There are approximately 1,500 volumes of roller skating books and periodicals, including over 125 American and foreign titles in the museum's periodical collection. The archives also includes over 8,000 photographs; personal papers of individuals prominent in roller skating from 1800 to the present; programs and archival material for local, regional, national, and international roller skating competitions; and miscellaneous articles and images related to roller skating.The biggest collection of antique roller skates in the world - including the James L. Plimpton family collection, patent models of early American skates, international skate designs, competitive and vaudeville costumes, rink memorabilia, inline skates models from 1819 to current gear, and many experimental and innovative skate products is also on display at the National Museum of Roller Skating.

I held my 8th, 9th, and 10th birthday parties at a Michigan roller rink. I used to revel in the bad music, lighting, and greasy counter food. Therefore, when I found out there was an entire museum dedicated to Roller Skating, it was definitely on my list of things to do while in Lincoln. When you enter the building, you walk through a working office and into a room that holds all of the display cases. There are roller skates of all sorts dating back to the earliest models. There are other displays dedicated to various roller sports, costumes, and movies that feature skating. This isn't a world-class museum in terms of interactive displays, but it's just one of those funky things that exists in the country. Even the most inexpensive objects are and only adds to the character. If you have some spare time in Lincoln and are looking for something a bit on the random side, stop in and check it out!

Maybe a little aggrandizing to call this place a museum, as it's really just a room full of some old skates. There's about 10 different displays that take you through the history of roller and inline skating, complete with some egregious roller skating outfits that look like they're from the move "Blades of Glory". You also have to basically walk through and office with people working to get into the room, and the men's bathroom is almost inside of a couple of people's cubicles, which is a bit awkward. But there is some history, and a few things that you can learn by going here. And it is free, so it's hard to knock it too much. If you're looking to kill 30 minutes while in Lincoln, them maybe give this place a visit.

I'm really not sure of the point of a museum that is only open from 9-5, M-F. I imagine they'd have far more visitors and revenue (hello!) if they'd open on the weekends, or even open on special occasions for visiting skaters with prior notice.

For those who read my reviews you know that I have a passion to locate and report on odd little museums. Well this sure qualifies it's not large but it is comprehensive about the history of skates and skating. Imagine being able two sea skates from 1814. Well I didn't even know they were skating in 1814 and today that's over 200 years old. wow! now the rest of the museum has various skates, over time, motorized skates, four wheel skates, inline skates, and skates that defy description as people just wanted to have a good time and go skating. I would think you needed skating because not everybody had ice year-round to do ice skating. But what do I know! Anyway, there skate competitions around the country, there were the days of the roller rinks, and all the wonderful things of the past, there were these designs that increase safety and speed there's just a whole lot to see here, if you stop and read, and a great calliope box that you need quarters for. So bring some quarters and come and enjoy the skating Museum. I thought it was wonderful.

Fun, nostalgic and cheesy in a good way. What a fun stop and great recommendation from all the "rating sites" - a must stop if you have a couple of hours to spare while in town.

If you've ever roller skated, either at a rink or in your neighborhood, or watched roller derby or competitive skating, this is worth your time. Free will donation, great staff, so much to see. It's a bit quirky compared to places with a much bigger budget, but it's free, and parking is easy. It's a great asset for Lincoln, I've driven by for years, finally stopped, will definitely be back. Couldn't soak up everything in one visit.