ROCHESTER, NY—Race in for Marble Speedway now open at The Strong National Museum of Play. The newest long-term exhibit on the museum’s first floor challenges guests to race giant marbles on a 350-ft track, complete with obstacles and pitfalls and a massive whirlpool. Guests can also create their own marble raceway at a building station and cruise through a digital marble run on the Nintendo Switch.
“Building marble tracks as a kid was one of my favorite things. To get to help it become reality here at The Strong is amazing. The team did an incredible job,” says Austin McChord, the lead donor whose generous support and vision made this exhibit possible.
The exhibit also rolls through the history of marbles and explores their role as playing pieces, “gambling” devices, and mass-produced toys. Artifacts on display include:
- The world’s largest hand-gathered marble (more than 40 pounds!), which was created in collaboration with the Corning Museum of Glass.
- Games featuring marbles—from the 1905 German game, Meteor No. 7, to modern classics, such as KerPlunk and Hungry, Hungry Hippos.
- Marbles run sets, including a 1940s era handmade wooden run and a recent Jelle’s Marble Runs Skyway Chase set.
- Dozens of marbles of all sizes, and archival materials exploring how people have played with marbles over the centuries.
Marble Speedway was created by The Strong National Museum of Play and is on long-term view. This exhibit is made possible by the support of a generous donor.
