For the Win: Count New York’s American Museum of Natural History as the latest organization to catch sports fever.
Although the venerable institution is probably better known for its triceratops or Tyrannosaurus rex displays, the Upper West Side museum on Friday will debut a special exhibition tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026, titled “For the Win: Objects of Sports Excellence.”
The exhibit, guest curated by Vikki Tobak who also worked with the museum on “Ice Hot: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History” in 2024, showcases more than 70 championship rings, trophies, medals and jewelry from 15 sports that span nearly 150 years of sports history.
In a media preview Tuesday morning, Sean Decatur, museum president, said that these one-of-kind pieces, which include the Vince Lombardi trophy, Yogi Berra’s Babe Ruth Crown and Jesse Owens’ 1936 Olympic gold medal, have rarely been seen by the public.
The 1936 Olympic gold medal awarded to track and field legend Jesse Owens in Berlin.
Courtesy of American Museum on Natural History
“Sports have always been an important cultural expression, throughout history, across cultures, and in our present day,” he said. “The museum is proud to present this exhibition, which tells key stories from sports over the past 150 years through the world’s most coveted and spectacular athletic prizes. These symbols of achievement are also cultural touchstones highlighting the ways sports interact with, influence, and inform larger society and how we live together.”
Other key pieces in the exhibition include New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart’s 2024 WNBA Championship ring; Jim Thorpe’s commemorative medallion from the 1912 Olympics; Kevin Durant’s 2017 Golden State Warriors NBA Championship ring; Shaun White’s 2006 Olympic gold medal from his first snowboard halfpipe victory, and Katie Ledecky’s 2025 USA Swimming Golden Goggles Award.
Breanna Stewart’s ring designed for the New York Liberty’s 2024 WNBA finals victory by Jason of Beverly Hills and L’Enchanteur, features white gold, white diamonds, black diamonds, and tourmaline.
Courtesy of American Museum of Natural History
“Excellence is rare. The objects in this exhibition are a celebration of the culture of winning — tangible reminders of the great athletes and champions who made greatness something the rest of us could see,” said Tobak. “Encountering these championship rings, Olympic medals, and trophies up close will be something visitors won’t soon forget.”
“The reaction from the sports community after we announced this exhibit was proof to me that this exhibition is necessary,” said Rich Kleiman, Boardroom chief executive officer and cofounder, and senior adviser to the exhibit. “It was exciting to work alongside Vikki and curate a collection of some of the most cherished sports memories and winning celebrations of all time. The American Museum of Natural History is the perfect place to showcase the exhibition, and I can’t wait for people to experience it.”
Also featured in the exhibit was former New York Giant Justin Tuck’s 2008 Super Bowl ring and Claressa Shields’ T-Rex WBO Middleweight Championship belt. Both of the athletes were in attendance and answered questions from the museum’s astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium, Neil deGrasse Tyson. The athletes discussed their humble upbringings on a pig farm in Alabama, and in Flint, Mich., respectively, and the drive and determination it took from them to achieve the pinnacles in their sports.
Claressa Shields’s 2019 WBO Middleweight Championship belt, inscribed with “T-Rex,” her nickname.
Courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History
The exhibit is housed in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery in the Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals. In addition to “For the Win,” the museum will also debut Goal Zone, an interactive play space for visitors to test their soccer skills, as well as hands-on educational activities that explore the science of sports. And beginning June 11, it will host FIFA World Cup 2026 watch parties in its galleries and theaters.
