The Hall of Heroes has got to be Elkhart, Indiana’s, best kept secret! Who would have thought that in my home town, population of 51,000, would be a superhero museum? They claim to have the largest comic book collection of superheroes in the world!
Elkhart, Indiana, the “City With a Heart,” has been known over the decades for many things such as Miles Laboratory, where Alka Seltzer was made; Band Capital of the World; and RV Capital of the World. Now, Elkhart can lay claim to having one of the largest collection of superhero comics in the world.
Built in 2006, the Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum was designed to replicate the Hall of Justice building on the 1970s cartoon series “Super Friends.” The museum is divided into sections displaying over 75 years of comic book and superhero history from 1957 to present day.
Elkhart resident Allen Stewart has been collecting comic books and superhero memorabilia most of his life. His collection became so large, he built a museum on his Elkhart property to house all of it. He now claims to have over 55,000 comic books
For you “Batman” fans of the 1960s television series, the inside features a replica of the bat pole to slide down to the bat cave section of the museum. Visitors are kept off the bat pole by insurance restrictions. There are original movie and television props used on the set of “Batman and Robin.”
Remember the television show from the early 1980s “The Greatest American Hero” starring William Katt? Well, his original costume is part of the museum collection! Very cool if you remember that show, which I do. It was very comical and entertaining.
Last Saturday, my husband and I visited the museum for the first time. They planned a special event for Wonder Woman’s 70th anniversary. Green Lantern was also present to help with the celebration. They charged half-price today for this event, and the parking lot was full and the museum crowded.
The museum’s collectibles were organized in sections according to the superhero characters throughout the two-story building. No matter who your super hero is, you are sure to find something unique.
If you missed the anniversary celebration this past Saturday, Stewart said he tries to plan special events every time a new superhero movie comes out. The next one planned will be in honor of “The Avengers” movie scheduled to be released in May.
Some of the other films scheduled for 2012 are “The Dark Knight Rises” and “The Amazing Spiderman.” In addition, there are more superhero films planned to be released in 2013: “The Wolverine,” “Man of Steel,” “The Flash,” and “X-Men Origins: Magneto.”
The Hall of Heroes Museum is a non-profit organization with the mission to preserve the entire printed history of comic books. It operates using funds from tours, donations, and fundraisers, including comic conventions and events like the Super-Villain Haunted House they plan each year scheduled for the two weekends prior to Halloween.
Tours are by appointment only by calling 574-522-1187 or 574-293-0755.
The museum is located at 58005 County Road 105, Elkhart, IN 46517.
Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under.