Strong National Museum of Play temporarily closed for expansion
The Strong National Museum of Play will remain closed through the end of the month, as workers complete finishing touches on the museum's expansion project ahead of its June 30 re-opening.
The museum, which temporarily closed on Monday, is set to reopen at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 30.
The 90,000-square-foot, $70 million museum expansion is part of a five-year-long project that went hand in hand with the new Neighborhood of Play, which includes more than 200 apartments and businesses. Nearby Nerdvana gaming bar, and Fattey Beer Co. both opened in November and are wildly popular. A parking garage and a family-friendly hotel are also part of the project.
With a goal of boosting annual attendance to 1 million from around 600,000, much of the expansion is centered on video games, as such games have become a larger part of how people play. With the expansion, the children's museum will become one of the largest in the nation.
"We can’t wait for guests to experience the magic of play even more and immerse themselves in our new exhibits,” said Steve Dubnik, president and CEO of The Strong. “This expansion project has been years in the making and reflects The Strong’s commitment to exploring the power of play and its influence on our development and culture."
Some new exhibits include a video game hall of fame exhibit with immersive and interactive exhibits and in the new ESL Digital World's Gallery can create an avatar to become a character in a video game. Visitors can also learn about the business and art of the video game industry and stories behind the museum's Women in Games exhibit.
The Hasbro Game park will open near Howell Street and features a 17,000-square-foot outdoor exhibit centered on Hasbro favorites, such as Candy Land, Simon, Game of Life, Jenga and Monopoly. The Dungeons and Dragons homage includes a fire-breathing dragon.
The park has one indoor feature (just inside the door of what was mostly recently the museum’s main entrance, but will become its exit once renovations are finished): a Chutes and Ladders game covering an entire wall.
Near the new entrance, dubbed the Portal of Play, will be a 20-ton granite ball floating via hydrostatic pressure on a thin film of water. Visitors, even little ones, will be able to move the ball “with just a quick swipe,” said museum spokesman Shane Rhinewald. The new welcome atrium (and gift shop) will connect the museum's parking garage.
The outdoor areas will be open year-round, as long as paths are safe to walk.
All permanent attractions are expected to remain, including the Wegmans Super Kids Market, Sesame Street, Field of Play, the carousel and train, Play Lab, Skyline Climb, Butterfly Garden, Toy Hall of Fame and Reading Adventureland.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Strong National Museum of Play temporarily closed for expansion
