The Hockey Hall of Fame is regularly referred to as the "Cathedral of Hockey" and it is pretty obvious why when you ascend the stairs into the hall where the Stanley Cup sits. Two flights of stairs hewn from marble brings you into an octagonal room with high stained glass vaulted ceilings, large walls with all of the hockey greats looking down on you as you marvel in the splendor of it all. The Stanley cup itself sits on a dais overlooking the awed throngs of hockey fans waiting for a chance to stand in the presence of the cup. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
The rest of the hall of fame seemed like a very well curated hockey museum with interesting exhibits without being too dry or detailed. It didn't hold the splendor of the trophy hall, but it was a great experience all together. The hockey skills competition and 3D movie were a bit lame for adults, but you could see the happiness they brought to the assembled children.
Overall, it was a great experience. I would highly recommend it for any hockey fans that happen to find themselves in Toronto. It took us approx. 3-4 hours to get through everything reading most of the exhibits. The entrance was a bit tricky to get to, as it sits on the basement level of an office building. Once you're in the building, it is signed fairly well.