Google Arts & Culture and Tennis Hall of Fame Launch Digital Exhibit

On September 13, 2026, the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) and Google Arts & Culture launched a digital exhibit titled ‘Serving Tennis History.’ The project is the result of four years of collaboration and features 30,000 digitized pages from ‘American Lawn Tennis’ magazine, spanning the years from 1907 to 1951. By bringing these archives online, the initiative aims to make the sport's significant historical moments accessible to a global audience.

Julianna Barbieri, ITHF’s Senior Vice President of Content & Partnerships, noted the importance of offering online resources that complement the hall's physical museum in Newport, Rhode Island. To bring the project to life, a contractor used a tabletop scanner provided by Google Arts & Culture to manually digitize every page and cover of the magazine collection.

Beyond the written archives, the portal includes an artificial intelligence assistant powered by Google’s NotebookLM. This tool can answer questions using both written and audio responses drawn directly from the historical records, creating a more interactive way for users to explore the past.

This digital expansion is part of a larger modernization effort at the ITHF. Since 2018, the hall has been working through an eight-figure capital campaign dedicated to upgrading its facilities, including renovations and court refurbishments.

Nicole Markham, the ITHF’s Curator of Collections, explained that because paper items are so fragile, only about 2% of the total artifact collection is usually on display. Digitizing these materials ensures they are preserved for the long term while allowing the public to view them without the risk of physical wear.

Since its founding in 2011, Google Arts & Culture has partnered with more than 2,000 institutions worldwide, ranging from The Olympic Museum in Switzerland to the ITHF. Surya Tubach, the program's US Lead & Program Manager, emphasized that the goal is to enhance the in-person museum experience rather than replace it, using the digital exhibit to spark interest in the sport's documented history.

As the ‘Serving Tennis History’ exhibit evolves through user engagement, the ITHF hopes to build a deeper appreciation for the game and encourage more people to visit the Newport museum. Advances in technology offer ongoing opportunities to expand these resources, ensuring the legacy of tennis remains available for future generations.