“Courage to Be Kind” Performances to Begin in the Exhibit on July 7
ROCHESTER, NY—Reading Adventureland, one of The Strong’s most popular exhibits, will soon begin its next chapter. With the support of a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the 12,000 square-foot-exhibit, first constructed in 2006, will undergo a major reimagining centered around fostering character strengths in children. The exhibit will be transformed with new, custom-designed interactives, educational programming, and dedicated character actors that bring the stories and literature in the exhibit to life.
“Reading Adventureland turns 20 years old this year, so it’s a perfect time to refresh and enhance this beloved exhibit, ultimately creating a better experience for guests,” says Jon-Paul Dyson, Sr. Vice President for Exhibits and Interpretation Resources. “The reimagined space will leverage the power of reading and stories to nurture key character strengths—collaboration, courage, curiosity, determination, kindness, respect, responsibility, and playfulness.”
Beginning July 7, the exhibit will also feature character actors and daily performances, beginning with the original show “Courage to Be Kind.” Each 20-minute performance in the exhibit explores what courage and kindness can look like when it comes to making new friends through a re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood and the “Big-Bad” Wolf. These programs and offerings are expected to expand over the course of the project.
Work on the physical space has begun with updates made to the Jack and the Beanstalk and Storybook Cottage areas, but most of the work is slated to begin this fall. The project is expected to be completed later in 2027.
About The Strong
The Strong is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to the history and exploration of play. It 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 Woodbury School, the American Journal of Play, Generation Two, the National Archives of Game Show History, and houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. While the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States on an invitational basis to support these causes, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
