The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, honors players who have shown exceptional skill at basketball, all-time great coaches, referees, and other major contributors to the game. It was established in 1959, with fundraising leading to an actual building opened to the public on February 17, 1968, at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1985 a new building off-campus was opened near downtown Springfield. On September 28, 2002, the Hall of Fame found its third home in a new $45 million shrine to the sport, located just south of the previous Hall of Fame.