The first formal induction of the Hockey Hall of fame took place on Saturday September 5, 1959 at the Queen Elizabeth Building on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto, Ontario - 31 members of the original 34 living members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, attended a luncheon, where each was presented with the official Hockey Hall of Fame crest. All but Donald Bain, Frank Patrick and Senator Donat Raymond of the 34 living Honoured Members were present. The others were - Herb Gardner, William A. Hewitt, Hugh Lehman, Art Ross, Cyclone Taylor, Dickie Boon, Claude Robinson, Moose Johnson, Paddy Moran, King Clancy, William Northey, Frank Foyston, george Dudley, Frank Fredrickson, Lester Patrick, Newsy lalonde, Frank Nighbor, Joe malone, Duke Keats, Dit Clapper, Eddie Shore, Conn Smythe, Red Dutton, Lloyd Turner, Frank Goheen, Ching Johnson, Aurel Joliat, Frank Boucher, Al Pickard, Bill Cook and George Hay.

A temporary Hockey Hall of Fame opened as an exhibit within the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in August 1958, and 350,000 people visited it during the 1958 Canadian National Exhibition fair. Due to the success of the exhibit, NHL and CNE decided that a permanent home in the Exhibition Place was needed. The NHL agreed to fully fund the building of the new facility on the grounds of Exhibition Place, and construction began in 1960. The first permanent Hockey Hall of Fame, which shared a building with the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, was opened on August 26, 1961, by Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

The Hockey Hall of fame is now located at the former Bank of Montreal at the corner of Yonge and Front Streets in Toronto, Ontario, and officially opened on June 18, 1993.