Opens March 23, 2024
Play your way through the history of electronic driving games and learn about America’s long fascination with the need for speed in Raceway Arcade. Start your engine and zip through the evolution of driving games in this highly interactive and artifact-rich exhibit designed for racing enthusiasts of all ages.
Produced by The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games.
Playable machines in Raceway Arcade require purchased tokens. Money collected from the sale of tokens helps maintain these original artifacts.
(Note: Arcade games […]
Ralph Wilson Skyline Climb
Are you ready for the challenge?
Jump into the realm of adventure play at The Strong’s high ropes course—Ralph Wilson Skyline Climb. Suspended above the museum’s carousel atrium, adults and kids alike can traverse beams and balance obstacles, maneuver ropes and wobbly bridges, and leap off a zipline platform.
Built by RCI Adventure Products, Ralph Wilson Skyline Climb consists of two courses geared towards different sizes and skill levels—the Low-Rise Course Powered by M&T Bank for guests below 48 inches in height and the High-Rise […]
Toy Halls of Fame
Experience the cutting-edge Toy Halls of Fame exhibit and go hands-on with iconic toys beloved by generations—and the people who changed how we play. Displays featuring The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame inductees pair with displays highlighting toy industry luminaries recognized by the Toy Association’s Toy Industry Hall of Fame.
National Toy Hall of Fame
Climb the dramatic exhibit staircase and view a gallery of 21 portraits of classic toys, some that move and interact with guests in humorous ways.
Marvel at a […]
Material Girl
Inside the Closet of America’s Favorite Doll
Examples from the 1960s, such as Twist ‘n Turn Barbie, Sophisticated Lady, and Little Bow Pink, that showcase Barbie’s early style and elegance
Versions from the 1970s, from Silver Blues to Roller Skating Barbie, that reflect the loosening of the dress code and the counterculture movement
Dolls with the bold styles and bright colors of the 1980s, such as Lilac and Lovely, and that speak to historical moments from the decade, such as Astronaut Barbie
Examples that […]
Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden
A visit to The Strong museum is not complete without a stop in Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, the only year-round indoor butterfly garden in upstate New York.
Enter the lush rain forest environment and walk among hundreds of brilliantly colored, free-flying tropical and native butterflies that flutter about—and may even land on you! Be sure to visit the chrysalis case and see emerging butterflies.
A paved path leads guests through tropical foliage, a turtle pond, and a cascading waterfall. Take a peek […]
Pinball Playfields
Immerse yourself in the pops, thumps, and dings of pinball and play your way through more than 80 years of pinball history at the original Pinball Playfields exhibit at The Strong museum. Trace the evolution of the playfield—the surface where the ball ricochets through a maze of lights and obstacles to rack up points—from countertop games of the 1930s to sophisticated, electronic versions that remain popular today.
Produced by The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games.
Playable machines in […]
Game Time!
Your turn! Move like a piece on a giant game board through three centuries of American games, puzzles, and public amusements at Game Time! located on The Strong’s second floor. Feast your eyes on oversized toy props; see rare, historic treasures from The Strong’s game and puzzle collections; and jump right in for active hands-on family fun.
Conquer the maze in a jumbo Perplexus, designed especially for The Strong, and compare it to the 1889 original handheld ball maze Pigs in […]
Aquariums at Rainbow Reef
Dive into The Strong’s Rainbow Reef exhibit and discover delightful activities inspired by the museum’s underwater residents.
Step up to a larger-than-life digital aquarium. Design and draw shapes on a fish coloring sheet. Then, scan your drawing onto a monitor and watch it come to life on a projected fish tank filled with coral reef.
Marvel at the fascinating behaviors of saltwater fish and coral in the 1,700-gallon coral reef aquarium featuring a large and low viewing surface that provides even the […]
American Comic Book Heroes
Grab a cape and leap into the world of superheroes with the American Comic Book Heroes: The Battle of Good vs. Evil exhibit at The Strong museum. Explore seven decades of amazing characters who have struggled mightily against evil in the comic book cosmos while inspiring kids’ imaginations and play.
Go hands-on at Super Powers School where everyone becomes a superhero.
Super Strength: Step into the laboratory and absorb “gamma rays” in order to pick up a massively heavy object.
Super Memory: Observe a series of flashing lights and […]
America at Play
Dive into the past and explore more than 300 years of play and pastimes in America at Play—a permanent exhibit at The Strong. Through a blend of rare artifacts and hands-on activities, learn how play influenced America’s cultural history:
Download The Strong’s Bloomberg Connects app for the America at Play audio tour with multilingual descriptions.
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences
Learn about luminaries in the video game industry and their award-winning creations at The Strong® museum in an exhibit that recognizes outstanding achievements within interactive entertainment and showcases recipients of both the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Awards and its Special Awards:
Scroll through a touch-screen timeline to learn about D.I.C.E. award recipients across multiple categories, including Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Family Game of the Year, and others. Game of […]
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