Seniors

Museum Mondays for Seniors

Through Museum Mondays for Seniors, individuals age 55 and older can purchase discounted tickets for $17. Tickets include admission to the museum and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden. On select Mondays tickets also include unique, educational presentations in the museum’s Paychex Theater. See schedule below.

Presentation Schedule

11 a.m.

Monday, February 24: Amazingly Fun: The Classic Toys in the National Toy Hall of Fame
What does it take for a toy to earn its way into the National Toy Hall of Fame? Why do some toys start as fads and wind up being timeless? Learn the answers to these and other questions in this entertaining, hands-on presentation.

Chris Bensch, Vice President for Collections and Chief Curator

Monday, March 31: Margaret Woodbury Strong ‘s Life and Collections
Learn about the family history and some of the artifacts that inspired the collection of museum founder Margaret Woodbury Strong.

David Sleasman, Senior Director of Library and Archives

Monday, April 28: The Games and Puzzles of Rochester’s Alderman-Fairchild Corporation
Discover the Rochester company that was one of the most prominent game makers throughout the 1920s and 1940s.

Mirek Stolee, Curator

Monday, May 19: Basic Butterfly Biology
Learn how butterflies are related to other animals, what the dust on a butterfly wing is, why they are so colorful, what the butterfly life cycle is, and more!

Anna Simpson, Manager of Live Collections

Monday, June 23: Game Shows at Home
Hear about what is lost or gained when TV game shows become board games in this historical discussion.

Mirek Stolee, Curator

Monday, July 28: Monopoly X
Learn how top-secret World War II operations used the game of Monopoly to help Allied POWs escape, conceal spies, and send secret codes. The talk is based on the book Monopoly X, in bookstores July 2025.

Philip E. Orbanes, dedicated Monopoly researcher and author and longtime game industry executive

Monday, August 25: Ephemera 101
What is “ephemera”? Learn more about what makes these “everyday documents” important enough to collect in a museum, and what historians can learn from them.

Natalie Rudd, Associate Curator

Monday, September 29: Evolving a Dream: From Margaret Woodbury Strong to The Strong Museum
With her drive, financial assets, and compelling vision, Margaret Strong was one of the notable collectors of the 20th century. Find out more about how her amazing accumulation became the basis for the museum that continues to bear her name.

Chris Bensch, Vice President for Collections and Chief Curator

Monday, October 27: Monster Toys
It’s spooky just how much some people love Frankenstein and Dracula. This presentation will highlight recently acquired toys inspired by Shock Theater, weird science, and some monsters you may have never heard of before!

Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, Curator

Monday, November 24: Children’s Literature in the Collections
Children’s books are central to the museum and the story of toys in the 20th century. Learn about the importance of characters such as Berenstain Bears and Raggedy Ann (and Andy) and how each is represented in largest play collection in the world!

David Sleasman, Senior Director of Library and Archives

Monday, December 15: The History of the Christmas Card
Unlike many holiday traditions whose origin stories are lost to history, historians agree that the holiday card has a definitive birth, in 1843 England. Join for a lively presentation to learn more about the original Christmas card and its evolution.

Natalie Rudd, Associate Curator