Larry Bird Getting Own Museum In Indiana, And He's Donating Stuff

The legacy of Larry Bird will live forever, and now it will do so in a brick-and-mortar building.

That's because a Bird museum is coming to Terre Haute, Ind., the home of Indiana State University, where Bird played his college ball.

Right now, organizers of the museum are starting to collect thousands of Bird-related items ahead of a planned grand opening in 2022. Even Bird himself is expected to donate memorabilia from his playing career.

"The museum will be located in the eastern end of the Terre Haute Convention Center, which remains under construction with an anticipated completion date of March 2022," Lisa Trigg of the Tribune-Star reported.

Bird actually hails from French Lick at the southern tip of Indiana. He first attended Indiana University before dropping out early in his freshman season, returning to his hometown to attend community college and work odd jobs for the city.

But after endless harassment from then-Indiana State coach Bill Hodges, Bird finally agreed to start playing basketball again -- leading the Sycamores to an undefeated run to the NCAA title game in 1979.

Submitted artist rendering via Tribune-Star

Magic Johnson and Michigan State beat Bird and ISU in that game, and the two went on to form a rivalry and friendship during the 1980s, still considered the Golden Era of the NBA by many.

Bird later won three championships as the star of the Boston Celtics, and he dedicated the 1984 title to Terre Haute. He served as coach and lead executive of the Indiana Pacers after retiring as a player. He now lives in Florida with his wife, Dinah, and stays mostly out of the limelight.