After the expansion opens in 2023, The Strong’s annual attendance is projected to grow from 600,000 to nearly 1 million visitors per year. The new first-floor admissions center will welcome children, families, and other visitors from around the globe.

Upstairs, Digital Worlds will feature new exhibits and experiences. High Score will house the World Video Game Hall of Fame, which will highlight iconic games and trailblazers who changed how we play. LEVEL UP will position guests as the protagonists of a video game, allowing them to create personalized avatars and set off on quests.

A new, flexible Maker’s Space/Play Lab will host interactive workshops, classes, and activities that encourage guests to explore messy play, tinkering, technology, inventing, mechanics, and more.

Meanwhile, the existing museum atrium will be renovated to include a soaring high-adventure ropes course—projected to open November 2021—that provides challenging, yet safe, physical play.

A new 17,000 sq. ft. outdoor play exhibit—and a related introductory indoor exhibit—will allow guests of all ages and abilities to enjoy outdoor play while celebrating the tabletop games that have shaped how we play. Inside, a new café will serve up family-friendly beverages, snacks, and board games.

The expansion will also add new, state-of-the-art digital preservation labs and additional climate-controlled storage space, allowing The Strong to further grow the world’s largest collection of toys, video games, and other play-related materials, now 550,000+ items.

Powered by Play: A New Neighborhood and a Bigger Museum

The Strong’s expansion is the driving force behind the Neighborhood of Play—a new, vibrant, walkable neighborhood, revitalizing the downtown area that surrounds The Strong. With The Strong as its centerpiece, the new neighborhood will generate $130 million in annual tourism revenue for Rochester and will include:

• The Strong National Museum of Play’s existing 285,000 sq. ft. of exhibits and educational, play-based experiences—plus a new 90,000 sq. ft. expansion housing innovative exhibits and experiences, including the World Video Game Hall of Fame
• A national, family-friendly hotel operated by Indus Hospitality Group
• Market-rent housing and a mix of retail businesses operated by Konar Properties
• A colorful parking garage with ample covered spaces for visitors (now complete and open to the public!)

To fund this transformational project, The Strong has launched Powered by Play: A Campaign for The Strong. With a goal of raising $60 million, The Strong will need help from its supporters to build a bigger and better museum, preserve the history of play, promote the educational power of play, and bring joy to millions of children and families.

A non-profit educational museum, The Strong needs you—members, friends, and leaders in the toy and video game industries—to help make this transformational expansion a reality.

To support the campaign, contact Lisa Feinstein, 585-410-6370, lfeinstein@museumofplay.orgcreate new email

For media inquiries, contact Shane Rhinewald, 585-410-6365, srhinewald@museumofplay.orgcreate new email

The Strong’s expansion is only possible with the support of individual donors, corporations and other organizations, foundations, and government funders. The Strong is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit.

Ways to Give

Your gift to Powered by Play: A Campaign for The Strong is an investment in the lives of the millions of children and families who play, learn, and grow at The Strong National Museum of Play—today and for years to come. There are many ways to make an impact:

Capital Gifts

Both individuals and organizations can support the development and construction of the expansion project. Capital gifts directly support the building of the 90,000 sq. ft. museum expansion, new exhibits, and necessary renovations to the existing museum building.

Naming Opportunities

Your investment in The Strong can recognize or honor your family, an individual, or an organization by naming spaces—such as classrooms or exhibit galleries—in the expansion. Donors can also name programmatic initiatives, such as staff leadership positions, community outreach programs, or collections and conservation funds. Download the opens in a new windowNaming Opportunities PDF.

Sponsorships and Partnerships

Through sponsorships and partnerships, businesses and other organizations provide critical funding for targeted programs and exhibits. Sponsor organizations receive employee benefits and visibility amongst broad on-site and online audiences.

Annual Giving and Unrestricted Multi-Year Commitments

Annual Giving and unrestricted multi-year commitments allow The Strong to make immediate investments in play-based programs and outreach. Through a repeatable annual gift or a multi-year commitment, you provide critical support for transformational programs.

Planned Giving

Estate and planned gifts secure your legacy and the future of the museum. Donors who commit to a planned gift become members of The Strong’s Woodbury Society. Learn more about planned giving at The Strong.

Contact Us

Gifts of all types and sizes are welcome and help support The Strong’s play-based educational mission. To learn more, contact The Strong’s Institutional Advancement team at 585-410-6346 or advancement@museumofplay.orgcreate new email.