Dungeons & Dragons: 50 Years of Storytelling Opens September 21
ROCHESTER, NY, August 22, 2024—Prepare to embark on a grand adventure as The Strong National Museum of Play announces its latest exhibit, Dungeons & Dragons: 50 Years of Storytelling, opening on September 21. This landmark exhibit celebrates the 50-year legacy of the iconic role-playing game that has revolutionized gaming and storytelling.
Guests will journey through 20 sections, each corresponding to a number on the game’s iconic 20-sided die. Featuring rare artifacts, prototypes, interactive elements, and behind-the-scenes insights, the exhibit will capture the attention of new audiences and seasoned players alike
“Since its creation in 1974, Dungeons & Dragons has captured the imaginations of millions worldwide and paved the way for a new era of interactive storytelling and roleplaying games,” said Jon-Paul Dyson, PhD, Senior Vice President for Exhibits and Interpretive Resources at The Strong National Museum of Play. “This exhibit offers an exciting opportunity to explore the game’s rich history, showcasing the creativity and innovation that Dungeons & Dragons has inspired over the past 50 years. From the first-edition game and special artwork to iconic character designs and dungeon maps, visitors will see first-hand the game’s evolution and its lasting impact on popular culture.”
The exhibit features interactive experiences offering guests the chance to create their own characters, monsters, and dungeons; take a quiz to discover their character class; and even test their skills as a Dungeon Master in a 5-minute campaign challenge. Additionally, visitors will encounter rare and historically significant artifacts, including the first-edition Dungeons & Dragons set, the inaugural issue of Dragon magazine sent to co-creator Gary Gygax, and original artwork that has defined the game’s visual identity over the decades.
As visitors journey through the exhibit, they’ll uncover the imaginative power that has fueled D&D, exploring how the game’s storytelling has sparked creativity in players of all ages. Through the exhibit’s images and artifacts—that include displays on controversies the game has faced over the years, gear and costumes, and miniature play and how it shaped D&D—visitors can learn more about and understand the profound influence D&D has had on digital fantasy role-playing games and broader popular culture.
The exhibit is ultimately a celebration of the community and camaraderie created by Dungeons & Dragons over the past 50 years by bringing people together to share in its magic.
Dungeons & Dragons: 50 Years of Storytelling opens at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, on September 21, 2024, and will remain open until January 2025. For more information, please visit https://www.museumofplay.org/.
Presented in partnership with Wizards of the Coast and WizKids.
About The Strong®
The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving families. The Strong houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play generally and video games in particular and is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the National Archives of Game Show History, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play. Together, these enable a multifaceted array of research, exhibition, and other interpretive and educational activities that serve a diverse audience of adults, families, children, students, teachers, scholars, collectors, and others around the globe.