A special feature in the Beyond Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente exhibition at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, demonstrates that the impact of Clemente’s life crosses cultural and language barriers – even 40 years after his death. An “interactive board” posted in the exhibition that allows visitors to react to the exhibition has elicited moving personal tributes beyond English, including Chinese, Spanish, German, and French, showing the humanitarian and sports icon’s enduring impact.
While Clemente was an inspiration to Hispanic communities, the exhibition’s interactive board tells a larger story – a story of sports history, ethnic pride, and a profound commitment to helping others that resonated around the world. From the way he lived his life, helping others with free baseball clinics and other services, to the way he died, flying relief supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims, visitors have been inspired by his legacy.
The exhibition, developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the Smithsonian Latino Center, the Clemente family, and the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, will be at the History Center through March 18.
The History Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $9, seniors (60+), students and military with I.D. $7, and children ages 5-12 $6. Historical Society Members and children ages 4 and under are free. Parking is available at the adjacent Orlando Public Library garage on Central Blvd. A self-guided Audio Tour of the museum’s permanent exhibits is available free of charge with admission into the museum. For general information, call (407) 836-8500 or visit www.thehistorycenter.org.
Heritage Square and the Orange County Regional History Center are located at 65 E. Central Blvd. in downtown Orlando. For more information visit www.thehistorycenter.org or call (407) 836-7010.
