Rockne: Life & Legacy

Knute Rockne is one of the most iconic of all the great legends who coached or played on Notre Dame’s football field, and it is his remarkable story being told in the exhibit "Rockne: Life & Legacy," on view August 23, 2025 - May 31, 2026, at The History Museum in South Bend, Indiana. This ultimate retrospective is the most significant presentation of Rockne artifacts ever assembled and made available to the public.

Notre Dame football has captured America’s attention for over 100 years. Fans watch every pass, every play, and every touchdown with a singular intensity. In 1924, Rockne led the Fighting Irish to the first of their 11 National Championships. The team’s success put Notre Dame on the national map and launched Notre Dame on its long and celebrated road to glory in football history. Tragically, Rockne died in an airplane crash on March 31, 1931.

In "Rockne: Life & Legacy," visitors can journey through Rockne’s life—from his childhood in Norway and early years in Chicago, to his transformative role at the University of Notre Dame and his sudden, tragic death in a 1931 plane crash.

The exhibit showcases artifacts on loan from the University of Notre Dame Archives, the College Football Hall of Fame, Studebaker National Museum, members of Rockne’s family, and private collectors across the nation. This extraordinary collection of personal and historical items includes:

• Rockne’s 1924 coaching contract
• Rockne’s whistle and the sweatshirt he wore at practices
• Cufflinks Rockne wore in the tragic crash which claimed his life
• Pieces from the actual aircraft, a Fokker F-10
• Original programs, photos, and game tickets from the Rockne era
• The famed “Four Horsemen” newspaper article by Grantland Rice
• A restored 1933 “Rockne 10” automobile--considered the finest surviving example in the world

Admission is charged. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm, Monday-Saturday, and 12 pm to 5 pm, Sunday. For information, visit historymuseumSB.org or call (574) 235-9664, ext. 6256.