Visit the Massillon Museum that Pays Tribute to Football Legend Paul Brown

Ohio loves football — in a big way — and we likely have Paul Brown to thank for that. The legendary coach built two NFL teams, the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals, and won championships at all levels.

In fall 2018, the Massillon Museum honored the Norwalk native by opening a new wing, the Paul Brown Museum, giving visitors a chance to learn more about his unparalleled legacy.

“Paul Brown was a true innovator,” says Bailey Yoder, the museum’s curator of football heritage. “From creating the playbook to studying game film, he changed the way football was played. He means so much to Ohio. [In addition to co-founding] two professional teams, he led Ohio State to their first national championship in 1942 and won four national titles with the Massillon Tigers.”

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Editor’s Note: This story was published in 2019, but was most recently updated in September 2024 to incorporate information about the new exhibition on display this fall . 

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The Paul Brown Museum contains objects related to Brown and the game he helped shape, including Brown’s Hall of Fame jacket and his trademark fedora. The wall-length "Paul Brown & Massillon Tigers Timeline" presents the history of Massillon Tiger Football from 1891 to the present, as well as the timeline of Brown's famed career. Photographs, artifacts and films are installed throughout the 30-foot timeline to illustrate key moments in football history. Special exhibitions in the adjoining gallery delve into Massillon football and the community’s ties to it. 

“If you come even twice a year, you’ll see something different,” says Yoder. “We really try to show how the rich history of football in Ohio benefited from what Paul Brown did for the sport.”

Check the museum website for special exhibitions. “Paul Brown & Tigers Timeline” is always available to view to learn about the coach’s legendary life and career. 121 Lincoln Way E., Massillon 44646, 330/833-4061, paulbrownmuseum.org

What’s New at the Paul Brown Museum wing of the Massillon Museum:  
 “Brown’s Town: Art Inspired by Ohio’s Football Heritage”: This statewide and juried art exhibition invited former and current residents of our state to submit a work completed within the past five years that was inspired by the father of modern football, Paul Brown. This exhibition runs through Jan. 12, 2025.