Barbara Bader

Sometimes, the “a-ha” moment comes from what you don’t find. I came to The Strong Museum to search the earliest (1902–1929) issues of the toy industry journal Playthings for images and stories of the American past. I have spent the past two decades researching the American children’s literature industry, which regularly strived to convey this past to young readers in ways that served its moral and commercial interests. As a scholar new to the toy industry, I was surprised to […]

Continue Reading about Toys and U.S. History in Playthings Magazine Published on:
January 24, 2025

In August and September 2024, I had the chance to work in the exhibits and archives of The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Coming from Switzerland, a country in which the historical study and preservation of video games is still in its early stages, I was impressed by the wealth and the diversity of objects held by this institution.
As part of my doctoral research, I’m working mainly on video games designed for the domestic space, i.e. […]

Continue Reading about Game Instructions: How Do You Learn to Play in an Arcade Room? Published on:
January 17, 2025

From Dungeons & Dragons (1974) to Elden Ring (2023), modern games have asked us time and again to crack our knuckles, dust off our wizard cloaks, and test our magical mettle against fantasy’s most fearsome foes. But for all the magic our in-game spellbooks may contain, it was the pages of video game magazines that had the power to skyrocket an obscure game to national acclaim—or rain financial ruin upon a decorated studio for its latest flop. But how did […]

Continue Reading about Let’s Talk About Something Fun—How About Magic? Published on:
January 10, 2025

While cataloging some older books found within the museum’s collection, I kept coming across ones that had “Brownie” in the title. These books were written and illustrated by Palmer Cox, and the artwork within had whimsical characters (almost resembling Elf on the Shelf) travelling and causing mischief. Curious about who these characters were and the story behind them, I started doing some research and uncovered some surprising connections between them and some Rochester New York history!
As someone who indulges in […]

Continue Reading about Brownies: From Folklore to Kodak Cameras Published on:
January 3, 2025

Video games are many things, but in the main they consist of three primary elements: art, play, and story. Of course, these elements may not be distributed equally in every game. In Tetris (1985), for example, the play element predominates; there is no story and the art is mere adornment (as evident by the fact that Alexey Pajitnov created it originally on a Soviet minicomputer, the Electronika 60, using only basic characters for graphics). Flower (2009) offers minimal play and […]

Continue Reading about The Stories of Michael and Muffy Berlyn Published on:
December 20, 2024

“You are a toy!” Could the oft-recited line from the 1995 feature film Toy Story—a beloved classic—hide a more profound meaning? The film’s portrayal of toys, which are sentient in their private world but lifeless in the presence of humans, can be interpreted as a commentary on the performative aspects of existence under oppressive systems. Moreover, it sketches a rough outline of a protective practice deployed by African Americans for centuries.
The central theme of Toy Story revolves around the life […]

Continue Reading about Hush Harbors: Life in the Toy Box Published on:
December 12, 2024

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
“We surveyed 100 people. The top six answers are on the board…”
You probably easily guessed those iconic lines come from Family Feud. But have you ever wondered who those 100 people are?
Writing material and building each episode is plenty of work for any game show. When Family Feud started production in 1976, the staff took on an even bigger challenge. Not only would they write the material (the […]

Continue Reading about Survey Says: How Family Feud Gets Its Answers Published on:
December 9, 2024

My Little Pony invites children in the age-old play of hair grooming, brushing, and braiding. The ponies encourage fantasy, narrative, and storytelling. The variety of figures promotes collecting as a pastime. And, at the heart of it all, the ponies acknowledge many children’s fascination with horses. The continued popularity of the line proves that this brand—pardon the pun—has legs and has earned its place as a 2024 inductee to the National Toy Hall of Fame.
Hasbro based My Little Pony on […]

Continue Reading about My Little Pony Prances into the National Toy Hall of Fame Published on:
December 5, 2024

I don’t bring a stack of board games to family Thanksgiving anymore. Although my very kind mother will occasionally humor me and play one of my games, I’ve never seen her have more fun at the table than when we played the traditional card game Hearts this last summer. My aunt, too, has been more than happy to teach me how to play (and how to lose) gin rummy. Years after getting into board games, both personally and professionally, I’ve […]

Continue Reading about The Next Phase: Welcoming Phase 10 to the National Toy Hall of Fame Published on:
November 21, 2024