Play time isn’t just for kids. The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y. has announced the expansion of its domestic and international group tour and foreign independent traveler programs, and the addition of Karen Dodson as tourism sales associate. Dodson will work directly with operators to introduce new itineraries that invite guests of all ages and backgrounds to play, reminisce and explore at The Strong—the ultimate play destination and upstate New York’s largest cultural attraction.

Exclusive museum tours take guests deeper into artifact-rich and hands-on exhibits. Experiences include going behind the scenes in Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, the only year-round indoor butterfly exhibit in upstate New York; exploring play in America by viewing the world’s largest toy, doll and game collection from a curator’s point of view; or enjoying the World Video Game Hall of Fame and a massive video game exhibit where groups can test their skills on rare games such as four-player Pac-Man and two-player Tetris. The museum recently opened the Toy Halls of Fame exhibit, a cutting-edge, hands-on space that explores America’s favorite toys. Also on view throughout the museum are displays of some of America’s rarest and most iconic artifacts of play, including the first handmade Monopoly set, Thomas Edison’s talking doll, the first LEGO sets and Barbie No. 1.

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The museum has also developed several student- and adult-focused itineraries that appeal to a variety of interests to assist group operators seeking new experiences for their clients within New York State. Whether a group is adventurous, curious about history, or passionate about art, there’s something for everyone at The Strong and the surrounding Rochester-Finger Lakes region.

The Strong offers group-friendly amenities including a bus loop for easy motor-coach pick up and drop off, free motor coach parking, complimentary Wi-Fi, and character greeters upon request. Self-guided experiences are available in multiple languages.

Tour operators looking to book experiences at The Strong should contact Karen Dodson at 585-410-6359 or kdodson@museumofplay.org.

About The Strong
The Strong is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to play. It is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play and houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play. Known widely as the nation’s museum of play, The Strong blends extensive collections and high interactivity to explore the many ways in which play encourages learning, creativity, and discovery and illuminates cultural history. In 2016 The Strong was recognized on the Today Show and was named FamilyFun magazine’s “Number One Family Travel Destination.”

The Strong, by the numbers:
•    100,000+ square feet of exhibit space (2 floors, more than a city block long)
•    450,000 toys and play-related artifacts
•    1,000 brilliantly colored, free-flying tropical and native butterflies
•    300 species of plants in the museum’s outdoor Discovery Garden
•    150 species of fish and coral in the Rainbow Reef Aquarium
•    48 historic video games and dozens of pinball machines (available for play)
•    20 interactive exhibits
•    1 authentic, functioning 1918 carousel