History
The National Wrestling Museum and Hall of Fame opened in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Sept. 11, 1976, with the induction of 14 charter members.
It was built at a cost of $600,000 on land provided at no cost, through a 99-year lease, by Oklahoma State University. Money for construction was raised through donations to a non-profit corporation.
The corporation deeded the building to USA Wrestling, the sport's national governing body, but continued to oversee fund-raising and museum operation.
USA Wrestling was headquartered in Stillwater until it moved to Colorado Springs in 1988, when the building was given back to the corporation.
In 2002, Federation Internationale des Luttes Associees (FILA), the international wrestling federation, announced that its new International Wrestling Hall of Fame would also be housed at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater.
The 10 charter members of the new hall of fame were inducted in September, 2003, during the World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in New York City.