Train Lovers Itinerary

Time: 2 hours
Ages: 3-8

Start at The Strong Express Train
Kick off the day with a ride on The Strong Express Train! This is the perfect warm-up for any train superfan. Rides cost $2/person.

Travel to One History Place
Step back in time to an era when steam trains ruled the land. Kids explore mini-environments from a century ago—the golden age of railroads—through hands-on role-play among real artifacts.

Experience classic Lionel Trains
See National Toy Hall of Fame inductee, Lionel Trains, and Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductee, Joshua Lionel’s story in the Toy Halls of Fame on the second floor.

Before you leave, stop by Build, Drive, Go on the second floor
Explore three centuries of vehicles—including trains, trucks, planes, and boats. Kids can climb into a dump truck, build towering structures, and discover how transportation toys shaped our play.

A Doll Day at The Strong

Time: 2 hours
All ages

Start on the second floor at the Material Girl display
The ultimate stop for any Barbie fan. This special display dives deep into Barbie’s legendary fashion history.

Play Pals highlights dolls and action figures
While in Play Pals, explore three centuries of dolls, plush animals, and action figures. Highlights include a life-size dollhouse with a working kitchen, nursery, garden, and family car. Plus, don’t miss rare artifacts on display—the Barbie No. 1 doll and the G. I. Joe prototype!

Before you depart check out Black Doll Designers*
Explore the history of toy companies founded to promote representation—such as B. Wright Toy Company, Olmec Toys, and Shindana Toys—and view unique artifacts.
*Temporary exhibit

Star Wars Fan Itinerary

Time: 3 hours
All ages

Head to Play Pals on the second floor
Action figures are the heartbeat of Star Wars play — and Play Pals celebrates their entire history across decades. Discover how figures like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader fit into the grand tradition of toys with a display of the 12 original Star Wars action figures!

Journey over to Infinity Arcade
Challenge yourself (or Dad) to a game of Atari Star Wars, Star Wars Battle Pod, or Star Wars Trilogy arcade games. Games are rotated occasionally for maintenance.

Dive Deeper in Pinball Playfields
Immerse yourself in the pops, thumps, and dings of pinball and play your way through more than 80 years of pinball history. Play games like Lord of the Rings, Ghostbusters, and Star Wars: Fall of the Empire pinball machines. Games are rotated occasionally for maintenance.

Toddler Time at The Strong

Time: 2-3 hours
Ages: 12-24 months

Start at Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?
Watch as toddlers light up at familiar faces! This exhibit invites families to explore letters, numbers, inclusion, and diversity among the iconic Sesame Street neighborhood and its famous characters.

Kids run the store at Wegmans Super Kids Market
Cruise the aisles and fill a grocery cart with colorful products that look amazingly real. The exhibit features a toddler-scaled organic farm and pint-sized shopping carts!

Head to Imagination Destination
Imagination Destination’s Toddler Garden offers toddlers plenty of space to stretch their growing muscles on obstacles and a maze activity. Plus, take a moment for a snuggle in this out-of-the-way space.

Find calm in Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden*
Enter a calm, lush rainforest environment and walk among hundreds of brilliantly colored, free-flying tropical and native butterflies that flutter about—and may even land on you. Dress toddlers in bright colors—butterflies are more likely to land on them! *Fees apply.

Pro tip! Plan your visit on select Mondays and join Carol D. Simmons Storytime Club.

LEGO Lovers Itinerary

Time: 2-3 hours
Ages: 6-12

Start by finding the LEGO display in the National Toy Hall of Fame
The National Toy Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have inspired creative play, fostered discovery, and remained popular for generations—and LEGO holds a proud place among the inductees.

Travel to Build, Drive, Go
Adults and kids alike can go hands-on building their own creations, including oversized Duplo wall art. These interactive spaces are surrounded by construction-themed artifact displays, including early LEGO sets.

Go big at the Marble Speedway build table
Check out this popular build table and create your own marble speedway with interlocking blocks and track.

Pro Tip: The Strong also hosts LEGO User Group workshops in the Play Lab where experienced LEGO builders teach guests how to create special builds. Check our calendar before your visit in case one coincides with your trip!

Tweens and Teens Itinerary

Time: Half day
Ages: 11–16

Start your visit at ESL Digital Worlds: Level Up on the second floor
Grab an RFID bracelet at the door, build a custom avatar, and then work through five themed zones (Choose, Move, Create, Compete, and Solve) earning achievements as you go!

Get a little silly at Dance Lab on the first floor
The exhibit mixes music, movement, and interactive technology in a way that’s genuinely fun for all ages.

Head to Field of Play
Walk through a giant kaleidoscope and create and view your own kaleidoscope patterns. Lose all sense of proportion in the exaggerated perspective room and the slant room.

End your day at the Ralph Wilson Skyline Climb*
Balance beams, rope bridges, wobbly platforms, and a zipline will challenge mind and body. Guests will leave feeling exhilarated. *Fees apply.

Pro Tip: Friday and Saturday nights at The Strong are genuinely underrated for tweens and teens—the crowds thin out, the vibe is chill, and the museum stays open until 8 p.m.

Active Explorers Itinerary

Time: Half Day
Ages: 2-8

Get grooving at DanceLab
Let those wiggles out! Children can dance to music from different decades while creating colorful, moving shadow patterns. The energetic atmosphere encourages little ones to enjoy the benefits of dance, movement, and physical activity in a fun and engaging environment.

Climb higher in Imagination Destination
Imagination takes flight in this exhibit filled with physical challenges; climb through and around a rocket ship set among the stars, zoom down a tube slide, and crawl through a city sewer-themed area to fix pipes and find a surprise!  Plus, a special toddler area features an oversized honeycomb maze designed for younger visitors.

Hasbro Game Park (Weather Permitting)
Head outdoors to enjoy this 17,000-square-foot game park. Children stay active through game inspired play experiences such as giant wooden Jenga-style blocks, a wheelchair-accessible Game of Life spinner, and a variety of lawn games.

Music & Dance Itinerary

Time: 3 hours
Ages: 6-16

Start off in Field of Play
Challenge friends to Dance Dance Revolution and see who has the best dance moves!

Pop into Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?
Surrounded by classic childhood characters, friends can join in and make music together on the colorful pipe organ.

Head to Dance Lab
The exhibit mixes music, movement, and interactive technology in a way that’s genuinely fun for all ages.

Travel to Infinity Arcade on the second floor
Ready for another challenge? Test your guitar shredding skills at Guitar Hero and dance moves on StepMania.

End your day in the Toy Halls of Fame
Wind down with the calming Crayon Piano in the National Toy Hall of Fame exhibit. Make light and sound by moving your hands above the crayon sensors.

Literature Lover Itinerary

Time: Half Day
Ages: 3–12

Start your journey in Reading Adventureland
Step into a giant pop-up book at Reading Adventureland! Discover a world of imagination through literary genres such as Mystery, Fairy Tales, Adventure, and more.

Travel next door to Berenstain Bears: Down a Sunny Dirt Road
In this exhibit, you will feel like you stepped into the pages of the beloved Berenstain Bears series. But first, give Mama, Papa, Sister, and Brother Bear a hug and snap a photo.

Don’t forget American Comic Book Heroes
Discover the rich history of comic books as you uncover your hidden superpowers. Set among iconic comic heroes such as Wonder Woman, Hulk, and Black Panther, you’ll feel larger than life in no time!

Pro Tip: Take home books from each exhibit with your Monroe County Library card. The Strong’s Gelser Library is one of only a handful of museums in the nation to offer guests a circulating library.

Nature Lover Itinerary

Time: Half Day
All Ages

Start at the digital fish and Rainbow Reef exhibits
Scan your fish drawing onto a monitor and watch it come to life on a projected fish tank filled with coral reef in the digital aquarium. Marvel at the fascinating behaviors of saltwater fish and coral in the 1,700-gallon aquarium. Can you spot Nemo?

Start exploring nature themes in Imagination Destination
Crawl through a city sewer-themed area to fix pipes and find a surprise!  Plus, a special toddler area features an oversized honeycomb maze designed for younger visitors.

Stop by American Comic Book Heroes
Spider-Man will greet you at this exhibit! See if you can find a hidden super-spider. Learn how insects are part of the superhero world!.

Refuel with a snack at Puppy’s Game Cáfe

Swing into Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden
Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden* is home to hundreds of free-flying tropical butterflies and many other insects and creatures. Walk among these amazing animals and test your scientist skills with a scavenger hunt. *Fees Apply

Wrap up your day at Hasbro Game Park
Weather permitting, Hasbro Game Park is a must-see! Stretch your legs and not only play among Hasbo’s most iconic games like Dungeons and Dragons, the Game of Life, and Jenga, but experience magnificent blooming plants and artful gardens.

Ultimate Gamer Itinerary

Time: All Day
Ages: 10 and older

Start at Pixel Landing
Begin your visit in Pixel Landing where you can snap photos with life-sized statues of iconic characters like Link and Sonic, then play the world’s largest Donkey Kong arcade cabinet.

Explore ESL Digital Worlds: Level Up and High Score
This exhibit dives into the cultural impact and evolution of video games—from early arcade classics to modern gaming. You’ll find playable experiences, gaming artifacts, rare prototypes, and 90-foot long timeline of video game history. In Level Up, get your RFID bracelet and earn achievements as you play through different game-themed interactives. Visit the World Video Game Hall of Fame and check which of your favorite games have been inducted over the years—from Pong and Pac-Man to Minecraft and Halo.

Stroll through Age of Empires*
Celebrate the art, music, settings, and gameplay of Age of Empires, and learn how the creators reimagined the rise of civilizations as a compelling strategy game that allowed players to grow populations, gather resources, develop technologies, and conquer rivals.
*Temporary exhibit

Go hands-on in Console Central
Head over to Console Central to see the evolution of home gaming systems—from the Magnavox Odyssey to modern PlayStation and Nintendo hardware.

It’s game on in Infinity Arcade
Grab the joystick and dive into the ultimate arcade experience! Play some of the most iconic arcade games of all time at the original Infinity Arcade exhibit. Plan to spend a good hour here! Most games require tokens that can be purchased 4 for $1.

Refuel with lunch at Bill Gray’s or Main Menu Food Court

Get rolling at Marble Speedway
Challenge friends to race giant marbles on a 350-ft track, complete with obstacles and pitfalls and a massive whirlpool.

Wrap up your day at Pinball Playfields
Trace the evolution of the playfield—the surface where the ball ricochets through a maze of lights and obstacles to rack up points—from countertop games of the 1930s to sophisticated, electronic versions that remain popular today.