Press Play: Why The Strong National Museum of Play Tops the List of 2024 Destinations

If you are looking for the perfect spot in Rochester, NY for your kids, then you need to check out the Strong National Museum of Play. It is hands down one of the most amazing kids places ever created.

I love visiting museums, but they can sometimes be scary because we have to worry about the kids touching things they should not touch or breaking stuff. So, I am always on the hunt for museums where they are allowed to touch everything!

This isn’t just any museum; it’s a vibrant celebration of play’s history and impact, designed to captivate visitors young and old. Step into a space where every exhibit, from the whimsical to the historical, is an invitation to touch, explore, and engage.

10 Exhibits to check out at the Strong National Museum of Play

Here are a few amazing exhibits we loved when we visited. There are a lot more exhibits especially depending on the age of your kids.

1. The Barbie™ You Can Be Anything

We loved this exhibit because it encouraged kids to be anything they want to be with empowering messages and showcasing real life models like Amelia Earhart (aviation pioneer), and Katherine Johnson (NASA mathematician and physicist).

2. Hasbro Game Park

This was probably our favorite spot. It’s a 17,000-square-foot, outdoor experience worth seeing. Check out the Candy Land candy canes, the huge Scrabble tiles spelling “PLAY,” the Monopoly game and more. Our kids also enjoyed playing with the jenga blocks, the five-headed dragon from Dungeons & Dragons etc.

Before you head over there, there is the Hasbro Board Game Place which tells the history and cultural influence of board games. It was fun to see games I used to play years ago and learn more about them.

3. Skyline Climb

This is an extra charge activity at the museum but very worth it especially if you have older kids. It is broken down into two parts, one for kids below 48 inches in height and the High-Rise for guests 48 inches. The older kids one is huge where they climb ropes all the way at the top and go through different challenges. It also has a zipline section. The one for younger kids was small but still a great experience.

4. Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden

If your kids are scared of butterflies, then you might not want to pay for this section. We loved being in the peaceful garden watching butterflies fly around but my kids were so scared of them. We eventually had to leave with all their screams.

It is so worth the extra $5 fee though.

5. Wegmans Super Kids Market

Imaginative play is one of my kids’ favorite things to do so when they heard there was a pretend Wegmans store, they were excited. It was full of sections with every store item you can find, plus bakery, meat section, checkout registers and more.

One pro tip: Try to remember where you picked items so you can restock properly. The staff ask that you restock everything you pick before leaving so imagine our struggle with 3 kids when we could not remember what goes where lol.

6. Reading Adventureland

Another great section at the museum is the Reading Adventureland where kids can solve riddles, play with words and more. It also had a little beach area where the kids played with sand and beach toys.

7. Imagination Destination

We spotted this section when we came out of the Wegmans kids’ market and the kids enjoyed pretending to be rescue pilots in the plane. But one spot in this area that I did not notice till some minutes after being here was the theatre. My daughter even made some new friends when they pretended to put on a show for the parents. We were in charge of the theatrics, sounds, lights and all ha-ha. They even had costumes and everything.

8. American Comic Book Heroes

We did not spend too long here as the younger kids were not super excited about it but was great seeing a bunch of superheroes and reading about them.

9. The Berenstain Bears: Down a Sunny Dirt Road

It is based on the popular children’s books and was a great way for the kids to learn more about the Berenstain Bears while exploring the family’s treehouse etc.

10. Field of Play

Another hit of a section, the field of play section had so many things for everyone to enjoy. We even had a dance off game, walked through the exaggerated perspective room, played race car etc.

Here are some more amazing pictures from our time at the Strong National Museum of Play! The kids had an absolute blast, and I cannot wait to go back again.

Tips for visiting Strong National Museum of Play

Address: One Manhattan Square, Rochester, New York 14607

Hours: The museum is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

1. Plan to spend the entire day here especially with older kids or at the minimum half a day.
2. There is a parking garage available for a fee.
3.  Bring some cash to buy tokens for play the games as many are not free. You also need cash for the carousel and train tickets.
4. The museum has a restaurant and food court, but I am huge on budgeting, so we always pack our own snacks or pre-plan food before or after.
5. There is an app for the museum which has a museum map and a guide for the exhibits and it’s really helpful to navigate the space.
6. Depending on time, you may not be able to go through the entire space so it’s helpful to plan what sections you want to check out ahead of time. Check the website and make your list based on the ages of your kids and what they may like.

1-Day Ticket Prices	Online (Save $2)	In Person
Museum Admission	$23	$25
Museum + Butterfly Garden	$29	$31
Museum + Skyline Climb	$31	$33
Museum + Butterfly Garden + Skyline Climb	$35	$37

There are also activities such as a train, carousel, and games that are additional fees.

Museum guests can enjoy half off general museum admission every Friday from 4–8 p.m. 

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