<P> The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland , Ohio , recognizes and archives the history of the best - known and most influential artists , producers , engineers , and other notable figures who have had some major influence on the development of rock and roll . The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established on April 20 , 1983 , by Atlantic Records founder and chairman Ahmet Ertegun . In 1986 , Cleveland was chosen as the Hall of Fame 's permanent home . Since opening in September 1995 , the `` Rock Hall '' -- part of the city 's redeveloped North Coast Harbor -- has hosted more than 10 million visitors and had a cumulative economic impact estimated at more than $1.8 billion . </P>
when was the rock and roll hall of fame built in cleveland
September 1995