North by Midwest: Moving the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum from Miami to St. Louis

Abstract

After seven years of commendably representing the rich history of chess in Miami, Florida, the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum is scheduled to re-open its doors in St. Louis, Missouri in September 2011. The road to St. Louis has been a long and winding one for this young institution, which counts its new home as the fourth in its relatively brief twenty-seven year history. From its modest beginnings in a basement in New Windsor, New York to a new multimillion-dollar facility in St. Louis’ upscale shopping and dining district, the hall of fame has had to adapt to a number of different spaces and environments, all the while maintaining its mission to commemorate the game's greatest players, as well as to educate visitors about the long and remarkable history of the game and the impact it has had on cultures worldwide. After a brief look at the origins of the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum, this essay will explore how the museum came to move from Miami to St. Louis, the procedures used to make this transition as organized and efficient as possible, and the obstacles the organizers have faced-and will face-in the months leading up to and following the opening in fall 2011.