The Miami Marlins have a hidden attraction inside their stadium, The Bobblehead Museum, which gives loanDepot Park a nostalgic site to visit in between innings.
Created in 2018, the museum has now become the largest public display of bobblehead dolls across Major League Baseball with several pieces of memorabilia from many franchises.
Apart from the main attraction of hosting the improved Marlins this season, loanDepot Park is like most others around baseball in that it features youth play areas, statues, food trucks and even batting cages. But the Marlins have taken it a step further, as the museum includes more than 500 bobbleheads this summer, covered by interior lightning and a vibration plate that makes the heads of the figures move.
Oliver Mumaw, an employee at the park, has witnessed the museum’s popularity for fans of all clubs.
“It has been there for a couple of years now. We have received multiple donations of people that want it with more pieces. There should be space for another 100 bobbleheads,” Mumaw said. “It is interesting that the fans of the opposite teams that play here appreciate it and spend more time there than our home fans.”
Indeed, fans, teams and outside organizations donate several bobbleheads to the site in order to update the museum. There are pieces that from time to time have to be retired for a new item, and once it is retired, the Marlins store it in their archives.
Jeff Luksic, a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates, came to Miami to see his team play last week.
“I did not know that you guys have this piece here. When I get the chance to visit an opponent stadium, I try to see everything in it,” Luksic said. “I am glad that they honor players from of all the teams. It was funny to see one of our legends, Roberto Clemente, as a bobblehead.”
Clemente, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 and considered one of the best players in Pirates history, died in a 1972 plane crash.
It’s bobbleheads like Clemente’s that have become part of the culture of baseball, unique collectibles that span generations. Teams often have bobblehead giveaways with ticket purchases, and many become valuable items in the memorabilia business. LoanDepot Park’s collection of them has captured this essence, adding a nostalgic touch to a modern-day stadium.
