Penn State To Open Paterno Family Football Experience

Penn State University is set to unveil the Paterno Family Football Experience Room at the All-Sports Museum within Beaver Stadium on Thursday (September 3). This new exhibit will honor the legacy of Joe Paterno and over a century of Nittany Lions football history. The opening marks the most significant remembrance of Paterno since his dismissal in 2011 amid the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

The exhibit, funded by donations including a lead gift from an anonymous donor, will feature Paterno's original office desk and personal artifacts, along with a timeline of his more than six decades with Penn State football. According to Penn State Athletics, the room will serve as a multi-purpose space for donor and alumni gatherings and special events.

Penn State's Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Pat Kraft, emphasized the exhibit's role in preserving and presenting the history of Penn State football. "This room gives us an opportunity to preserve that history, present it thoughtfully, and create an experience that connects the proud tradition of Penn State Football with its future," Kraft said in a statement.

The exhibit will open to the public at 10 a.m. and remain accessible until 8 p.m. as part of the Night at the Museums event. It will also be open on Friday (September 4) and Sunday (September 6) with specific visiting hours. The regular schedule for the exhibit will be announced later.