The not-for-profit and hugely popular Strong National Museum of Play (The Strong) has lost two of its federal grants. One was from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the other was from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). They were terminated by Executive Orders associated with shifting federal spending priorities.
The irony here is that, yes, the good news on Monday was that the US/China tariffs war-of-attritions standoff was being suspended for 90 days – good for toys – but in the meantime the removal of federal spending has pulled the rug from under the Strong Museum toys showpiece.
The sudden terminations have left the museum with an unprecedented half million-dollar shortfall for projects designed to serve children, families, researchers, and scholars – including a critical collections care initiative and a new, one-of-a-kind, exhibit dedicated to exploring the history and cultural impact of game shows.
The Strong has something for kids of any age. From “Sesame Street,” board games, dolls and books to the latest electronic games, the museum is home to the world’s most comprehensive toy collection. Interactive exhibits include a replica Wegmans grocery store where kids can shop and use a cash register and an area devoted to the history of vehicles, from trucks and trains to planes and boats. There are also rotating exhibits that have featured everything from women who shaped the gaming industry to toys of the 1990s.
The museum was established in 1969 and was initially based on the personal collection of Rochester resident, Margaret Woodbury Strong. It opened to the public in 1982, after several years of planning, cataloguing, and exhibition development for its new building in downtown Rochester.
