A museum experience on a smaller scale: Louisville Slugger traveling museum makes a stop at Miller Park

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It was one of the most iconic moments in baseball history: Hank Aaron hitting home run #715 to pass Babe Ruth. Even 40 years later, it remains a special moment. Baseball fans in Milwaukee were able to experience that moment when the Louisville Slugger traveling museum made another stop at Miller Park.

While the record-breaking home run was hit in Atlanta, most of "Hammerin' Hank's" home runs were hit in Milwaukee, and most -- if not all, were hit with a certain brand of bat.

"Three out of four Hall of Famers used our bats and that's something we're really proud of," Shannon Siders said.

In August, a traveling museum showcasing that part of baseball's history came through Miller Park.

"We just have such a rich history. We're actually celebrating our 130th anniversary this year," Siders said.

Louisville Slugger, the famous and official bat of Major League Baseball set up shop for a weekend series.

"They can get a feel for what we have to offer when they come visit us on a smaller scale," Siders said.

On its third stop in Milwaukee, the traveling museum's exhibit offered the opportunity to see how a Louisville Slugger bat is made by hand.

"Just the craftsmenship that goes into it. Our hand-turning lay -- it would take 30 minutes. So, you're looking at half a day to a full day to make just one order of bats for a guy because he'd order anywhere between six or 12," Siders said.

Like many aspects of the game, technology has changed the way a bat is created.

"Now we make them on computer-based lays, so it'll pump out a bat in like 30 seconds," Siders said.

Another part of the display was set up specifically for baseball fans in the particular city they're in.

"We tailor it to each ballpark we go to, so a lot of times we'll get people in the museum trying to find their favorite player or trying to find their favorite team. So this gives us a chance to really tailor the experience," Siders said.

In this case, fans had the opportunity to take in something they'd rarely see unless they traveled to the museum in Louisville itself.

"We have some game-used bats from some Milwaukee great players, and then we also have the bat that Hank Aaron hit his 700th home run with. That I think is one of the coolest things we have. It is such a historic piece of memorabilia and it's so cool. It's not just a random bat that he used at some point. It's just really great," Siders said.

That famous piece of lumber is just one of the many pieces from Hall of Famers that are on display in Louisville on a daily basis.

"We have an actual wall that has all of the signatures of players who have used us on little wood plates, so it's really neat just to see our history, how it's gone," Siders said.

CLICK HERE for more information on the Louisville Slugger Museum.