Winter 2015 PDF link

Winter 2016 • Volume 6 • Issue 2
News and Events for Members, Donors, and Friends
PLAY Time
Build,
Drive, Go
Now Open
Rainbow
Fish
Musical
Pirate
Island
Weekend
4
5
6
6
Race to Win
School Break
Exhibit Opens February 6
Page 2
7
Royal Ball
Weekend
New Exhibit
New Exhibit
Put the pedal to the metal at the Hot Wheels™: Race to Win™
exhibit opening on Saturday, February 6.
Explore all that goes into the sport
of racing—including the design,
development, and testing of
cutting-edge car technology—in
a quest for record-breaking speed
and precision.
Become part of the race team and
burn up the track in four immersive
environments that simulate a racing
garage and a trackside pit.
Blue Zone
What makes one car faster than
another? Cruise into the Blue Zone
to learn why race engineers need to
choose the right car body and tires
for maximum speed. Hop into the
driver’s seat at the Aerodynamics
Computer Simulator and see how
air flows over three different styles
of race cars. Then choose a Hot
Wheels toy car body styles and
test its velocity on a track that
includes jumps and adjustable
downhill configurations. Join the pit
crew and choose a body shape for
an IndyCar and select the right tires
for the track conditions (soft or hard,
slick, or grooved tread). Examine
carbon fiber and learn why some
engineers use it to build race car
bodies. Check out a display of Hot
Wheels toy cars and compare their
body styles to determine the fastest
of the pack.
2
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
Yellow Zone
What makes a car go? Get revved up
in the Yellow Zone as you examine
the moving parts of a real engine to
learn how it provides power to turn
the crankshaft and gears which cause
the wheels to spin. Become part of
the engine yourself by turning axles
connected to a dragster and an
ordinary car. Listen to different
engine sounds to see if you can
determine the car engine—IndyCar,
stock car, or old jalopy—with the
highest RPMs (rotations per minute
of the tires). Pit two Hot Wheels
toy cars against each other—one
traditional and the other with a
“booster engine”—to see which
crosses the finish line faster.
Green Zone
Zip into the Green Zone to satisfy
your need for speed. Put five cars
on the starting line, and see which
zips to victory with the help of a
digital timer and scoreboard. Gather
the family and suit up to complete a
stock car pit stop. Make sure to jack
the car, change the tires, and refuel!
Hop behind the wheel and take a
virtual cruise around the track. Enter
the “Winners Circle” and stand near
the sculpted Hot Wheels racing
trophy for a photo opportunity. Learn
about different types of steering
wheels, check out the safety gear on
a race car driver’s uniform, and explore
different styles of racing with displays
about three famous drivers—Jamie
McMurray (NASCAR), Sarah Fisher
(IndyCar), and Antron Brown
(Top Fuel).
Don't miss Micro Sprint
race car driver Mike Austin
February 6!
11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Get ready for the ride of your life at the
opening of the Hot Wheels: Race to Win
exhibit. Meet local Micro Sprint race car
driver Mike Austin and check out one
of his real-life race cars.
Red Zone
Round the corner and head into the
Red Zone to learn about the most
important aspect of racing—safety.
Rely on your reflexes and instincts on
the “Timing Track” table and try to avoid
other cars in your path. Learn about car
safety technologies and test your
knowledge with a quiz game. View
different types of racing helmets
from throughout history and other
equipment worn by drivers to
help protect them from crashes.
Hot Wheels™: Race to Win™ remains
on view through April 24, 2016.
Produced by The Children’s Museum of
Indianapolis and Mattel. HOT WHEELS
and associated trademarks and trade dress
are owned by, and used under license from,
Mattel. ©2016 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.
Produced by
www.museumofplay.org
3
New Exhibit
School Break with
Sid the Science Kid
The Strong holds the largest and
most diversified collection of toy
vehicles, building toys, dollhouses,
and miniature toys for pretend
play in the world. The Build, Drive,
Go exhibit showcases hundreds of
these artifacts, including some of
the earliest:
Through January 3
Original
Hot Wheels
Mattel
revolutionized
die-cast toy cars
in 1968 when it offered the first 16
Hot Wheels vehicles—including
the first tiny Firebirds, Corvettes,
Thunderbirds, and Cougars.
Designed to reach maximum speed
on specially made race tracks, Hot
Wheels were as popular among kids
as the cool muscle cars they copied
were with adults.
Lionel Wartime
Paper Train
and Buddy L
Prewar Ford
Model T Flivver
Build, Drive, Go
Now Open!
Put imagination into motion and zoom, sail, or fly into the newly opened Build,
Drive, Go exhibit. Explore the history of construction toys such as LEGO and
Erector Sets, as well as vehicles of all sorts from trucks and trains to planes
and boats. The exhibit also encourages creative role-play at interactive stations.
Stop for a picture at an oversized traffic light and climb into a giant dump
truck. Use bulldozers, excavators, cranes, and other construction toys to move
rocks in a sprawling play area. In the Big Build area, create skyscrapers and
other towering structures with oversized blocks.
Make your own creations from a wide range of materials at the Build Table,
including favorites such as magnetic Magformers. Make pictures and patterns
out of interlocking bricks at the colorful Duplo Wall. Use basic physics
principles to redesign a race track to make toy cars go faster.
View timelines of driving and building toys and trace their history through four
eras—19th century, early 20th century, mid-20th century, and today. Marvel at
rare artifacts (more in sidebar story) from The Strong’s world-class collections.
Swipe through touch-screen stations to learn about each object and to access
audio, still images, and video to learn about each item’s historical significance,
as well as view sample advertising materials for each toy.
Build, Drive, Go is made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. Institute of
Museum and Library Services.
4
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
Before World
War II, American
toymakers produced sturdy metal
trucks, cars, and tractors. But
wartime manufacturing diverted
available steel and tin, and left
none for making toys. Companies
adapted. The Lionel Train factory
printed locomotives, coal cars, and
cabooses on paper. The Moline
Pressed Steel Company, maker of
popular Buddy L vehicles, built its
wartime toys from wood.
Meet and take photos with Sid from the award-winning PBS
KIDS’ television show Sid the Science Kid from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
on Friday, January 1 and Saturday, January 2 and from 1 to
4 p.m. on Sunday, January 3. Discover and investigate everyday
science questions around Sid’s home and at school—in the
Super Fab Lab and on the playground. Use scientific tools and
thinking to learn about simple machines, the laws of motion,
magnetism, air power, and the five senses.
TM & © 2016 The Jim Henson Company. All Rights Reserved.
Rainbow Fish: A Shiny
New Musical!
Saturday, January 9, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, January 10, 1–4 p.m.
Enjoy full-length performances of
Rainbow Fish: A Shiny New Musical!
on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m.
and Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m. Written
and composed by Rochester's
Alec Michael Powell and presented
by Spectrum Creative Arts, the delightful musical is
an adaptation of the popular children’s book that tells the story of a lonely
fish who only wants to be noticed, and how his life is changed forever when
he meets Rainbow, a beautiful fish with scales of every color. The musical
incorporates themes of generosity, kindness, and self-acceptance, and
features a variety of musical genres including pop, rock, jazz, and more.
Get colorful all weekend long! Stop by the Rainbow Ranch to create a vibrant
craft, play games, and enjoy story readings of Rainbow Fish, A Bad Case of
Stripes, Elmer, and Planting a Rainbow.
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister© 1992 North South Books, Inc. Image courtesy of Jon Ferguson photography.
First LEGO Sets
When the Danish
producers of
LEGO blocks
began marketing
their construction
sets in the United
States, they teamed up with the
makers of Samsonite luggage who
had perfected the manufacture
of molded plastic. Together with
Samsonite, LEGO released the
Junior Constructor, Town-Plan, and
a number of gift sets to American
audiences in 1961. These first sets
used cellulose acetate, not the more
stable ABS plastic used today.
Celebrating Diversity
Monday, January 18, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Celebrate cultures near and afar. View a
display of headwear from around the globe,
and see and touch materials used to make
the hats like feathers, shells, buttons, and
other materials. Join Adriana Hoppe,
Spanish translator and interpreter, for an
introduction to basic Spanish and learn
about the history of traditional Mexican dresses.
Enjoy a performance by Dangerous Signs at 2 p.m., a poetry group from the
National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology.
The group’s mission is to represent global community building using a blend
of American Sign Language, spoken words, music, and dance.
Meet members of Art Force Five—superheroes that use the power of
creativity to promote peace—and help them create a giant mosaic art
piece in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Storytime Club
Celebrate the joy of reading.
Hear children’s stories on select
Mondays at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.
Have your Storytime Club passport
punched once during each visit.
Collect five punches and receive
a free children’s book.
Mondays, January 4 & 25
Play Pals
Snuggle up for tales about teddy
bears and other favorite friends.
Mondays, February 1, 22 & 29
Build, Drive, Go
Dig into construction-themed
stories about trucks, buildings,
and more.
Mondays, March 14 & 21
Silly Seuss Stories
Honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday with
tongue twisters and silly rhymes.
Sponsored by
Monday Kicks for
Ages 2 to 6
Join in playful learning activities
with your child at this monthly
series created to help parents
teach little ones important skills
through play. Events run from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
January 11: Build It
Hear stories about building and
construction, create a structure
of your own, and explore the
new Build, Drive, Go exhibit.
Upcoming Programs & Events
Rare Toys Featured
in Build, Drive, Go
February 8: Let’s Create
Express your creativity with
visual arts, movement, and
music activities.
March 7: Fun with Fairy Tales
Be whisked away to faraway
places with fairy-tale-themed
imaginative play, stories,
and activities.
Sponsored by
www.museumofplay.org
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Upcoming Programs & Events
It’s Easy
Being Green
Saturday, January 23, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, January 24, 1–4 p.m.
Saturday, March 12, 1–4 p.m.
Dive in for a fun-filled weekend featuring land- and ocean-themed
activities! Pose for pictures with “Captain Jack” the pirate and
listen to stories of adventure on the high seas.
Go green! Enjoy tales featuring
favorite green characters such as
Green Wilma and Huggly, create
your own Shrek-inspired ears and
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craft,
search the museum to find Kermit
the Frog, and more. Don’t forget to
show your colorful spirit by wearing
green when you visit.
Be on the lookout for special encounters and photo opportunities
with a mermaid or swamp creature!
Meet local scuba divers from Rochester
Aquatic Center, check out their gear,
and learn more about coral reef
exploration. Create a life-sized drawing
of yourself as a fanciful mermaid or
eerie sea creature, dig for buried
treasure in Kinetic Sand, and more.
Image courtesy Captain Jack
for Hire.
Scuba image courtesy Laura Blank.
Sid the Science Kid Exhibit Closing
Saturday and Sunday, January 23 and 24
Don’t miss your chance to visit Sid the Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit!
before it closes January 24. Step into Sid’s world and investigate every day
science questions at five hands-on zones: the kitchen, Sid’s room,
the backyard tree house, the Super Fab Lab, and the playground.
Race to Win
School Break
Fat Brain
School Break
Saturday, February 13–
Sunday, February 21
Saturday, March 19–Sunday, April 3
Make a racing medallion, decorate a
race car drawing, and enjoy the new
Hot Wheels: Race to Win exhibit.
Fit Kids Day
Saturday, January 30, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Jump, run, or slide into the museum
for fitness fun! Learn tips and tricks
from Wagner Soccer staff, participate
in interactive story time, and perfect
your aim in the Let’s Move! Sports
Zone. Participate in an indoor
snowball fight and more.
Learn about healthy food choices
with Wegmans and how to get
moving with the Be a Healthy Hero
Street Team. Check out snowboarding equipment with experts from Bristol
Mountain. Discover Wegmans' passport to Family Wellness program and
learn more about walking trails and hiking paths around Rochester.
Fit Kids Day is presented in cooperation with the Lets Move! Museum and Gardens initiative.
Supported in part by Wagner Soccer.
6
Fatten up your brain through play.
Find favorite Fat Brain toys
throughout the museum including
ModMobiles, SpinAgain, Twig,
HexActly, Squigz, Tobbles, and more.
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
Perfectly PEZ
Display
Through April 4
Celebrating Dr. Seuss
Saturday, February 27, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, February 28, 1–4 p.m.
Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. Enjoy
stories and tongue twisters, play games,
make whimsical crafts, and more.
And don’t miss your chance to meet
a special mystery Dr. Seuss character!
See The Strong’s newest collection
of PEZ-inspired artifacts that
chronicle more than four decades
of American pop culture history.
From cartoon characters like
Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny to
superheroes that include Batman
and Superman, these mechanical
dispensers continue to be a favorite
collectable among children and
adults. Learn more about the
collection on page 10.
Image courtesy Michael Fisher.
Royal Ball Weekend
Saturday, March 5, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, March 6, 1–4 p.m.
Sound the trumpets! Come dressed in your most regal attire and be
whisked away to the royal court. Join the Queen of Play for a day full of
dancing, pageantry, and lively music. Enjoy sprightly dance tunes and
soaring melodies from Nonesuch Early Music Ensemble, enjoy a “feast” at
the royal banquet table, and visit the Fairy Godmother to receive a special
bejeweled gift.
Complete a quest and be knighted
by the queen, try on real chain mail,
and visit Rapunzel’s Hair Salon for
a fancy braided up-do. Improve
your hand-eye coordination with
Nerf “archery” in Sherwood Forest,
create a crown or family crest,
and more.
On Saturday only, enjoy
Rochester Lyric Opera’s
production of Little Red’s Most
Unusual Day, a one-act opera
for the whole family, at 11 a.m.
and 1 and 3 p.m. This humorous
tale tells the story of Little Red,
Granny, the Wolf, and Little
Red’s mother when one big
misunderstanding leads to
one very unusual day.
Upcoming Programs & Events
Pirate Island Weekend
www.museumofplay.org
7
Museum News
The simple, ancient puppet; innovative and once-controversial Twister;
and raucous, splashy Super Soaker are the latest inductees into the
National Toy Hall of Fame. The three toys represent a wide range of play—
from role-playing and imaginative play to active and outdoor play.
People the world over, in ancient times to the present day, have used
puppets to act out folktales, epics of gods and demons, morality plays,
and stories of fantasies and make-believe. Puppets have been used
as instruments of public entertainment and instruction, and as
children’s playthings that encourage imagination, manual dexterity,
and performing arts.
The innovative dexterity game Twister did not achieve immediate success
when first introduced in 1966. However, someone at Milton Bradley forgot
to call the public relations firm and cancel the game’s promotion when it
was deemed a failure, and the firm plugged the game to television talk
show host Johnny Carson. Carson played Twister on the air with actress
Eva Gabor, and his studio audience screamed with laughter. Afterward,
stores couldn’t stock enough of the unique game to meet demand. “Some
saw Twister as a passing fad, but large-scale Twister matches, popular on
college campuses in the 1980s, boosted sales,” says Curator Nic Ricketts.
“And increasingly, Twister found favor among very young children.”
For uncountable summers, kids at play have delighted in splashing and
squirting each other with water. In the early 1900s, tiny, leaky water pistols
enabled a new water game, a kind of tag. These small squirt guns featured
little reservoirs that obliged kids to interrupt their mock battles for frequent
refills. By the 1990s the Super Soaker had changed all that. A large tank
and a pressurized-air delivery system expanded these soggy, funny contests
changing them forever and for good.
Puppet, Twister, and Super Soaker entered the hall at a special ceremony
at The Strong on November 5.
8
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
Pioneering Gaming Company Donates
Pinball Design Collection
Akinori (Aki) Nakamura,
professor at Ritsumeikan
University in Kyoto,
Japan, has joined The
Strong’s International
Center for the History
of Electronic Games
(ICHEG) staff as a visiting scholar. The
Strong and Ritsumeikan University
announced a partnership in May 2015,
and Nakamura’s visit marks the first
of several faculty and professional
staff exchanges between both
organizations.
A recent donation by electronic
gaming company Williams Electronic
Games, Inc. further bolsters the
growing pinball collection at The
Strong. The Williams Pinball Playfield
Design Collection, 1946–1995,
includes more than 200 original
drawings of playfields (the surface
where the ball rolls), hundreds of
mechanical drawings, and numerous
examples of pinball concept artwork
and layouts. The collection includes
examples of playfield sketches from
pinball designers like Barry Oursler,
Jeremy Saucier, assistant director of the
International Center for Electronic Games,
Python Anghelo, and Mark Ritchie for
and Julia Novakovic, archivist, review artifacts
such games as Joust (1983), Police
from Williams Electronic Games, Inc.
Force (1990), The Machine: Bride of
Pinbot (1991), and Indiana Jones:
The Pinball Adventure (1993). Collectively, these materials provide new insights
into the creative processes behind Williams’s most iconic pinball machines.
Nakamura holds a doctorate in
international development studies
from Nagoya University in Nagoya,
Japan, and a master’s degree in
behavior from Brigham Young
University in Provo, Utah. His
publications include Why Do People
Get Hooked on Games? A Fundamental
of Ludic Elements from the Perspective
of Game Developers and The Life
and Times of the Nintendo Famicom:
The Birth of the TV Games.
Nakamura is a valued resource on the
history of Japanese toys, games, and
other forms of play. In October, he
informed and assisted with the opening
of The Strong’s original exhibit Playing
with Power: Celebrating 30 Years of
the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Additionally, Nakamura contributes to
various museum initiatives related to
video game history and preservation,
including writing for the museum’s
CHEGheads blog. While at The Strong,
he also conducts independent
research on the history of Atari,
utilizing the museum’s vast video
game company collections.
World Video Game
Hall of Fame
Nominations Open
Do you have a favorite video game
that should be enshrined in The
Strong’s World Video Game Hall of
Fame? Video game lovers across the
world are encouraged to nominate
their favorite games for induction
this May. Nominations may be made
at worldvideogamehalloffame.org
or by mail. Submissions for this
year’s induction must be received
by February 29, 2016. Visit
worldvideogamehalloffame.org
to learn more about past honorees.
The Strong Welcomes
Distinguished Guests
The Strong’s President and CEO Rollie
Adams, Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren,
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Monroe
County Executive Maggie Brooks, and Toy
Industry Association President and CEO
Steve Pasierb unveil The Strong’s Toy Halls
of Fame exhibit.
Museum News
Puppet, Twister, and Super Soaker Named
National Toy Hall of Fame Inductees
ICHEG Welcomes
Visiting Scholar
“The layouts reveal not only the evolution of the state of the art of pinball
design, but also changes in the design process itself. Draftsmen sometimes
did the drawings for the designers or made hand-traced copies that would
be marked up for the tooling department to figure out how many holes to drill
into the playfield,” says former Williams software developer Duncan Brown.
Several designs from the Williams Pinball Playfield Design Collection,
1946–1995, will be displayed at Pinball Playfields, a new exhibit opening at
The Strong in early 2016.
Exhibit Draws Nintendo Luminaries
and International Media
In October, The Strong honored Nintendo Entertainment System’s (NES)
30th anniversary with the opening of Playing with Power: Celebrating
30 Years of the Nintendo Entertainment System. Produced in partnership
with the Center of Game Research at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan,
the exhibit tells the story of a critical time in video game history through
a mixture of playable games and rare artifacts, such as hardware design
documents from Nintendo’s archives.
A delegation from Ritsumeikan University—including Masayuki Uemura (right
image), program chair at Ritsumeikan University and the hardware designer
for the NES—previewed the exhibit in early October. Later, Don James (left
image), executive vice president of operations for Nintendo of America,
visited the museum to view the exhibit and tour The Strong’s extensive
electronic games collections. James was part of the team that introduced
the NES to the American market.
A television crew from Japan’s NHK World—the international arm of Japan’s
public broadcasting—spent a day filming the exhibit and talking with staff
from The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games
about the historical importance of the NES for a segment that aired to
Japanese audiences in December.
Arnie Rubin, Laura Rubin, Amanda Friedman,
and Neil Friedman enjoy the Toy Industry
Association's centenary gala and Toy Halls
of Fame opening at The Strong in September.
Paul Siefken (second from right), vice
president of broadcast and digital media at
The Fred Rogers Company, tours The Strong
with the museum’s Chris Bensch and
Corrie Kraai, as well as (far left) WXXI’s
Danielle Swartz and Cara Rager.
Fifteen delegates from Caltanisetta, Italy,
Rochester’s sister city, tour The Strong with
the museum’s Director of Public Relations
Shane Rhinewald.
www.museumofplay.org
9
Museum News
PEZ-related artifacts
donated to The Strong
What’s New in Collections: Historic Game and Popular PEZ
With more than 450,000 historical
objects related to play, The Strong
is home to the world’s most
comprehensive collection of toys,
dolls, board games, video games,
books, documents, and other
artifacts related to the history and
study of play. Together, these objects
offer a unique interpretive and
educational window into the critical
role of play in human physical, social,
and intellectual development
and the ways in which play reflects
cultural history.
Recently, The Strong acquired
an early American board game
titled New Game of the American
Revolution, developed by Boston
designer Lorenzo Burge in 1844.
Burge’s game allowed young children
to “play soldier” as they charged
through spaces on the board
illustrated with famous battles,
persons, and events.
In order to win the game, each
player must perform “good deeds”
to reach the center space—the “Land
of Freedom and Plenty.” Players
advance in the game by landing
on spaces marked for “Patriotism,”
“Valor,” or “Raw Recruits,” whereas
landing on spaces marked “Thief”
or “Sleeping on Guard” forces players
to move backwards and ultimately
lose the game.
The New Game of the American
Revolution is one of the earliest
printed board games now in The
Strong’s American board games
collection, which is the largest
New Game of the American Revolution
diversified assemblage of such
artifacts in a public institution in the
United States. The game provides a
rare glimpse of American patriotism
and nationalism during the mid-19th
century and demonstrates how
the American Revolution remained
an important event in the national
consciousness throughout the
Jacksonian era.
Another new addition to the The
Strong’s collections is an assortment
of PEZ-inspired artifacts donated to
The Strong by Robbie Brunner of
Schenectady, New York. Brunner’s
PEZ collection started as an amusing
joke nearly 40 years ago but soon
progressed into an avid hobby. The
collection includes PEZ PETZ bubble
gum dispensers, a PEZ-zazzle jigsaw
puzzle, multiple card games, holiday
ornaments with characters like Santa
and Bob the Builder, race cars, and
mini-tractor trailers.
PEZ was developed in 1927 when
Austrian inventor Eduard Haas III
molded flavoring and sugar into
little bricks, creating the first adult
breath mint. He called these PEZ, an
abbreviation of the German word
for peppermint. Nearly two decades
later, inventor Oscar Uxa designed
and patented a small mechanical box
to dispense PEZ candies individually.
Haas transformed his peppermint
breath mints into a fruit-flavored
candy for kids and fashioned a
three-dimensional cartoon character
head for the dispenser’s lid. Today,
PEZ remains a popular toy and
treat—as well as a pop-culture
collectible—for both young and old.
Artifacts from The Strong’s Collections Travel Near and Afar
The Strong’s collections have
travelled far and wide to enhance
exhibits and displays at other
museums. Recent loans include four
hand-drawn sketches by electronic
game designer Jordan Mechner,
creator of the Prince of Persia
10
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
series, to the German Film Institute
in Frankfurt, Germany, for its Films
and Games. Interactions exhibit; a
board game inspired by the Great
Depression titled WPA: Work,
Progress, Action to the Memorial Art
Gallery in Rochester for its Art for the
People exhibit; and an assortment of
historic fishing artifacts—including
a surf casting rod, reel, and three
Winslow Homer paintings—to display
at the Genesee Country Village and
Museum in Mumford for its Gone
Fishing exhibit.
Board members, administrators,
and teachers from the Fairport
Central School District took part in
a series of trainings at The Strong
last summer and fall aimed at
incorporating play in Fairport’s
kindergarten classrooms. The
sessions examined current research
on play-based learning, explored The
Strong’s Woodbury School model,
and inspired plans for integrating
play into the district’s classrooms.
The trainings are part of an ongoing,
multi-year professional development
series between The Strong and
Fairport Central School District.
“Children come to kindergarten
with a wide range of abilities, and
a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t
necessarily the best method to
teach them,” says Fairport CSD
Superintendent Brett Provenzano.
“By using play-based learning, we
are allowing the children to explore
and discover on a comfortable level,
while making connections to larger
concepts being introduced by
the teacher. It is a natural learning
process that serves the students
well throughout their lives.”
Senior Vice President for Guest
and Institutional Services
Kathie Dengler Retires
Kathie Dengler joined The Strong museum
three years after it opened at One
Manhattan Square, and in the ensuing three
decades of growth, she professionalized
and advanced its human resource functions,
helped to create a world-class guest
service program, and worked to foster the
museum’s unique team-based, boundaryless
organizational structure. Kathie retired this
past December.
“Kathie provided nearly 30 years of dedicated service and heart-felt
commitment to helping The Strong carry out its educational mission,” says
President and CEO Rollie Adams. “Through her leadership, The Strong
developed one of the most outstanding, if not the best, museum guest
services program in the nation, and Kathie left her mark on nearly every
aspect of our on-site interface with the public.”
Museum News
The Strong Delivers
Training to Fairport
Central School
District Staff
As Senior Vice President for Guest and Institutional Services, Kathie led
the human resources team and oversaw a wide range of other museum
functions, including security, environmental services, retail, food court, and,
most recently, educational programs. Kathie says that she’s most proud of
growing the museum’s guest service and host program, which began with
six museum hosts in 1996 and boasts 130 today. Other museums across the
nation now widely benchmark the program. Kathie also takes great pride in
the expansion of The Strong’s Woodbury School, which just entered its 10th
year and offers preschool and pre-kindergarten programs to more than
70 students annually.
When asked about her plans for the future, Kathie said, “It has been my
privilege to spend almost 30 years working at The Strong, and as my
husband and I travel across the country in our motor home, I will think fondly
of my Strong family and about all the wonderful opportunities I have been
afforded. Rock on, my friends.”
Fairport Central School District
rolled out its play-based curriculum
this past fall.
Woodbury School
Accepting
Applications
Apply now for the 2016–2017
preschool and early kindergarten
programs at The Strong’s
Woodbury School.
Woodbury School at The Strong
offers a preschool program for
three- and four-year-old children and
an early kindergarten program for
four- and five-year-old children. Both
programs are Reggio Emilia-inspired.
This approach encourages teachers
and students to work together to plan
the curriculum and create projects.
Children delve deeply into topics that
fascinate and stimulate learning, using
the entire museum as their classroom.
Visit museumofplay.org/education
for application information.
McCoy, Parnett-Dwyer Expand
Leadership Roles
The Strong is delighted to announce the promotion of Deborah McCoy to
assistant vice president for education and Michelle Parnett-Dwyer to director
of foundation and corporate relations.
McCoy joined The Strong in 2008, most recently serving as the museum’s
director of education. As assistant vice president for education, she
continues to oversee all of the museum’s education programs—including
direction of The Strong’s Woodbury School—and leads an ever-growing
portfolio of Reggio Emilia-inspired professional development training for
educators across the country. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
elementary education from the State University of New York at Geneseo.
In her new role, Parnett-Dwyer develops and writes grants; manages
fundraising events such as The Strong’s annual Play Ball; and obtains
corporate support for the gala, exhibits, and other special events. She
previously served as special assistant to the president and CEO and as
assistant librarian at The Strong’s Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives
of Play. Parnett-Dwyer holds a master’s degree in creative writing from
Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a master’s degree in
library science from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
www.museumofplay.org
11
Museum News
Volum
2009
e2 •
Numbe
r3 •
Fall 20
09
Through its research fellowship
programs, The Strong encourages
scholars from around the globe to
study materials in the museum’s
collections and library archives.
During a three-week fellowship in
October, Riccardo Fassone, adjunct
professor of media semiotics and
new media theory and practice
at the University of Turin in Turin,
Italy, conducted research using
archival materials and artifacts
related to the work of The Strong’s
International Center for the History
of Electronic Games to examine the
history of early film-to-video game
adaptations produced between
1982–1994.
In November, Mattia Thibault, PhD
candidate also from the University
of Turin, explored the museum’s
collection of toys, toy catalogs,
and related literature to investigate
how toys are used to create, share,
and convey knowledge and
culture values.
In December, Molly Duggins,
lecturer at the National Art School
in Sydney, Australia, examined
The Strong’s assemblage of
19th-century sailors’ valentines, shell
dolls, and other related Victorian
shell artifacts to inform her study
of the sentimental economy of
19th-century shellwork.
The Strong also welcomed
independent scholars and students
interested in the history of toy
development. During October Tyler
Calkin, professor and administrative
assistant at the California Institute
of the Arts, researched 18th-century
board games, paper toys, and
an extensive collection of game
designer Sid Sackson prototypes
to inform his thesis research. And
on two separate occasions in
September and October, Lorianne
Resch and Melissa Moukperian,
adjunct professors at Rochester
Institute of Technology, along with
their industrial design students,
poured through toy trade catalogs,
books, archival collections, and
Playthings magazines to prepare for
their upcoming class assignment of
successfully designing a toy.
12
Spring
r4 •
Numbe
e1 •
Volum
PLAY Time • Winter 2016
The Strong received a $149,993 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library
Services to complete the transformation of the museum's second floor with
America at Play, an exhibit that provides an overview of the history of play in
America. The exhibit's iconic artifacts, thought-provoking interpretation, and
compelling interactives will introduce guests to the important role play has had
in American history and how it continues to shape who we are as individuals
and as a nation
Volume 1 • Number 3 • Winter 2008
Strong
rong
The St
The Strong Receives Grant for
America at Play Exhibit
Natio
nal M
useum
of Play
The Strong
Slated to open in December 2016, America at Play will also provide an
interpretive gateway to the four other exhibits surrounding it: eGameRevolution,
which explores video game history; Game Time!, which focuses on
non-electronic games and puzzles; Play Pals that highlights dolls, action figures,
toy soldiers, and stuffed animals; and the newly opened Build, Drive, Go, which
celebrates toy vehicles and building toys.
Made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and
Library Services.
What it Takes to Produce an Issue of the
American Journal of Play
The Strong’s American Journal of Play—an interdisciplinary publication
discussing the history, science, and culture of play—publishes thought-provoking
content from prominent scholars, researchers, thinkers, and writers around
the world. The Journal publishes three times a year, and each issue requires an
extensive submission, peer review, editing, and layout process before it’s made
available free online to a readership now in more than 100 countries and before
print subscribers on five continents receive their copies.
The museum accepts submissions year-round from scholars across disciplines,
including child development, education, sociology, anthropology, neuroscience,
history, folklore, and psychology. The Journal’s editor also solicits articles from
prominent thinkers and attends play conferences that hold promise to yield
manuscripts. When sorting through submissions, the Journal’s editorial team
looks for well-developed and documented arguments, as well as clear writing.
The editors send out manuscripts that meet those standards for peer review
by at least three scholars independent of The Strong. After this feedback,
the articles may be rejected, accepted on condition of additional changes, or
sent for editing. The editors then decide in which issue accepted manuscripts
should appear. Assigned manuscripts then go to the managing editor for line
editing, which addresses style and language, and to library staff for reference
checks. Following copyediting by a second editor, the production team returns
manuscripts to the authors for review. Simultaneous to this, a graphic designer
develops any accompanying illustrations and the cover art for the issue.
After these steps, another graphic designer lays out the issue, and following
another review, this goes to the printer. A printed sample receives a final review,
and then the issue is ready for mailing and for posting online at journalofplay.org.
The Strong’s marketing team announces the new issue via a press release and
an email notification to more than 4,000 people across the globe. By that time,
the Journal’s editorial team has already started working on the next issue.
Museum Garners Acclaim
For the 14th year in a row, readers of the Democrat and Chronicle named The
Strong the gold standard for best museum in Rochester, and City Newspaper
readers again distinguished the museum as Rochester’s best family-friendly
attraction. Additionally, online site Yelp.com, which helps connect consumers
with great local businesses, awarded The Strong the "People Love Us on Yelp"
designation based on numerous top-scoring reviews. The Strong prides itself
on delivering transformative educational experiences and world-class guest
services and is honored to be the longtime recipient of these local
“best of” accolades.
Thank You for Making Play Ball 2015
a Success
On Friday, October 2, nearly 700 guests joined honorary co-chairs Laura
Saxby Lynch and John Lynch at Play Ball 2015. Attendees and sponsors helped
raise more than $220,000 for The Strong’s educational mission and outreach
programs, making this year’s event the most successful Play Ball to date.
This year’s gala included a contortionist and acro-yoga performers from
Rochester Aerial Arts, a dance party with DJ Naps, pop-up performances
by the University of Rochester’s Midnight Ramblers, and more. The evening
culminated in an incredible stage performance by internationally renowned
electro hip hop violinist, Svet.
The Strong is grateful for the attendees, sponsors, and donors who supported
Play Ball 2015. To view a full list of this year’s sponsors and photos from the
event, please visit theplayball.org.
Thank You Corporate Partners
Businesses that make a financial contribution to The Strong as corporate
partners and sponsors provide meaningful support for the museum while
receiving valuable benefits for their employees. To learn how your company
can participate, contact Michelle Parnett-Dwyer at 585-410-6353 or
[email protected].
Out and About
In September, Collections
Researcher Bethany Mosher and
Collections Manager Victoria Gray
visited Syracuse University as
guest lecturers for the Museum
Studies graduate program.
During October Debbie McCoy,
assistant vice president for
education, presented a workshop
on the importance of play to nearly
50 international education students
from University of Rochester. Also
that month, McCoy attended the
North American Reggio Emilia
Association conference in Atlanta,
Georgia. In November McCoy
was the keynote speaker for a
conference of Generation Two,
a local program that pairs adult
volunteers with elementary school
students for weekly play and
conversation. She also attended the
92Y Wonderplay Early Childhood
Learning Conference in New York
City. Additionally, McCoy recently
joined the Action for a Better
Community’s (ABC) Head Start
Education Advisory Committee
in Rochester.
Advancement
The Strong
Welcomes
Research Fellows
Associate Curator Shannon
Symonds led a post-concert
discussion after the Rochester
Philharmonic Orchestra's October
performance of "Distant Worlds:
Music from Final Fantasy" at the
Eastman Theatre.
Suzanne Seldes, executive vice
president and chief marketing
officer, and Shane Rhinewald,
director of public relations, attended
the New York State Tourism Summit
in Albany in November.
In February, Jon-Paul Dyson and
Jeremy Saucier, director and
assistant director, respectively, of
the International Center for the
History of Electronic Games, and
Shane Rhinewald, will attend
the D.I.C.E. (Design. Innovate,
Communicate. Entertain.) summit in
Las Vegas to promote The Strong’s
partnership with the summit’s
organizing body, the Academy of
Interactive Arts and Sciences. In
March Dyson and Saucier will attend
the Game Developers Conference in
San Francisco.
Thank you to these corporate partners for renewing their commitment:
Bill Gray’s Restaurants
Chaintreuil Jensen Stark Architects, LLP
Eugene G. Sackett Co., Inc.
GUND Division of Enesco, LLC
Hammer Packaging
KPMG, LLP
Messner Carpeting
Tasteful Connections
The Bonadio Group
Tucker Printers
Woods Oviatt Gilman, LLP
www.museumofplay.org
13
Kids Page
Are you “wheely” knowledgeable about the many museum exhibits? Look closely at the wheels below and name
the exhibit where the wheel can be found. During your next visit, find more wheels on your favorite vehicles in
Build, Drive, Go, now open on the second floor, and in Hot Wheels: Race to Win opening February 6.
A
C
B
Winter 2016
Unless otherwise noted, events typically end by 4 p.m. and are free to members.
Mondays, January 4 & 25
Storytime Club
Play Pals: Snuggle up for tales about teddy
bears and other favorite friends.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Friday, January 8
Display Opens: Perfectly PEZ
Discover the history of PEZ and a sampling of
dispensers spanning more than four decades.
A. Toy Halls of Fame, B. Reading Adventureland, C. Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?,
D. Wegmans Super Kids Market, E. Play Pals, F. Field of Play
Book Nook
Librarians’ picks from the Grada Hopeman Gelser Library
The Strong is one of only a handful of museums in the nation to offer a
circulating library. Children’s books, at all reading levels, can be found in book
nooks housed among the exhibits. Check out these featured works:
You May Just Be
a Dinosaur
The Mouse and
the Motorcycle
by Heather Macht
(for younger readers)
by Beverly Cleary
(for younger readers)
Are you worried that the plates
down your back will split your
pants and rip your shirts? Do you
find yourself roaring instead of using
your inside voice? Does the ground
shake when you walk down the
street? The only way to find out for
sure if you are a dinosaur is to read
this book. But please make sure you
don’t rip the pages with your claws.
(Shelved in the Nonsense area of
Reading Adventureland.)
Ralph S. Mouse lives a boring,
predictable life with his family
in their mouse hole at Mountain
View Inn. But when Keith and his
parents check in for a stay, life gets
much more exciting! Keith’s toy
motorcycle is just the right size
for Ralph, and the quiet halls of
the hotel at night are the perfect
racing tracks… What could possibly
go wrong? (Shelved in Build,
Drive, Go.)
14 PLAY Time • Winter 2016
This bestselling, debut novel weaves
mystery, time travel, and magic
into the story of 16-year-old Jacob
Portman, drawn to the remote island
where his grandfather grew up. Could
the wild tales his grandfather told him
of orphans with supernatural abilities
be true? Handwritten letters and
haunting photographs will immerse
the reader in an unforgettable world
of levitating girls and invisible boys.
(Shelved in the Mystery Manor area
of Reading Adventureland.)
5
6
7
February 2016
FRI
SAT
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9
7
SUN
March 2016
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
1
2
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19 20
10
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22 23
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22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
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1
2
3
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5
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20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
Saturday & Sunday, January 23 & 24
Pirate Island Weekend
Build It: Hear stories about building and
construction, create a structure of your own,
and explore the new Build, Drive, Go exhibit.
Pose for pictures with “Captain Jack,”
a mermaid, and a swamp creature! Meet
local scuba divers and check out their
gear, dig for buried treasure in Kinetic
Sand, and more.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Monday, January 18
Celebrating Diversity
Create a mosaic with Alfred University’s
Art Force Five team, view a headwear from
around the globe, learn basic Spanish, and
enjoy a performance by Dangerous Signs,
a poetry group from the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute
of Technology.
Thursday, January 21
Monster Jam Truck and Driver
Meet and Greet
SAT
6
Monday, January 11
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Saturday & Sunday, January 23 & 24
Exhibit Closing: Sid the Science Kid:
The Super-Duper Exhibit!
Last chance to visit Sid the Science Kid:
The Super-Duper Exhibit! Investigate every
day science questions in Sid’s tree house,
the Super Fab Lab, the playground,
and more.
Saturday, January 30
Fit Kids Day
See a monster truck, meet a professional
monster truck driver, and more.
Perfect your aim in the Let’s Move! Sports
Zone, participate in an indoor snowball fight,
learn about healthy food choices, discover
the places to hike around Rochester,
and more.
Saturday, February 6
Exhibit Opening:
Hot Wheels: Race to Win
Saturday, February 13–
Sunday, February 21
Race to Win School Break
Cruise in to explore the new Hot Wheels:
Race to Win exhibit and meet local Micro
Sprint race car driver Mike Austin.
Enjoy race-themed crafts and activities
in conjunction with the Hot Wheels:
Race to Win exhibit.
Monday, February 8
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Saturday & Sunday, February 27 & 28
Celebrating Dr. Seuss
Let’s Create: Express your creativity with
visual arts, movement, and music activities.
Enjoy stories and tongue twisters, play
games, make Dr. Seuss-inspired art,
and visit with a beloved Seuss character.
Saturday & Sunday, January 9 & 10
Rainbow Fish: A Shiny New Musical!
Enjoy full-length performances of Rainbow
Fish: A Shiny New Musical! Stop by the
Rainbow Ranch to create a craft, play games,
and enjoy story readings.
february
Mondays, February 1, 22 & 29
Storytime Club
Build, Drive, Go: Dig into constructionthemed stories about trucks, buildings,
and more.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Miss Peregrine’s
Home for Peculiar
Children
by Ransom Riggs
(for older readers)
THU
January
Meet and take photos with Sid from the
award-winning PBS KIDS’ television show
Sid the Science Kid and explore the Sid the
Science Kid: The Super-Duper Exhibit!
F
WED
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Through January 3
School Break with Sid the Science Kid
E
4
TUE
31
Friday, January 1
Museum Opens at Noon
D
3
MON
Calendar of Events
Where’s That Wheel?
January 2016
SUN
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
march
Saturday & Sunday, March 5 & 6
Royal Ball Weekend
Saturday, March 12
It’s Easy Being Green
Saturday, March 19–Sunday, April 3
Fat Brain School Break
The Queen of Play requests your presence!
Come dressed in regal attire and be
enchanted by live music, pageantry, courtly
dancing, and more.
Enjoy green-themed stories and crafts! Don’t
forget to show your colorful spirit by wearing
green when you visit.
Enjoy favorite Fat Brain toys including Twig,
HexActly, Squigz, Tobbles, and more.
Monday, March 7
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Fun with Fairy Tales: Be whisked away to
faraway places with fairy-tale-themed
imaginative play, stories, and activities.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Mondays, March 14 & 21
Storytime Club
Silly Seuss Stories: Honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday
with tongue twisters and silly rhymes.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
www.museumofplay.org
15
Nonprofit
Organization
US Postage
PAID
Rochester, NY
Permit No. 4144
One Manhattan Square
Rochester, NY 14607
The Strong® is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of
play. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization, The Strong is funded in part by contributions
and grants from individuals, corporations, foundations, and state and federal entities. 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.
Museum Admission
General Admission (does not include admission to
Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden®): age 2 and older
$14, under age 2 free, museum members free.
Admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden: $3
per person for members, general admission fee plus
$4 for nonmembers; children under age 2 free. Entry
to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden is by reservation
only. Reservations may be made at the museum’s
admissions desk.
Board of Trustees
Bernard Birnbaum
David J. Burns
Timothy T. Conlon
Roberta DuBeshter
Steve Dubnik
Zeke Duda
Cecilia Griffin Golden, PhD
Don H. Kollmorgen
Laura Saxby Lynch
Kevin McDonald, EdD, JD
Linda McGinley, EdD
William W. Napier
Aaron C. Newman
Joy Ryen Plotnik, Esq
Bruce Raiffe
William D. Rice
Donald J. Riley
Fred W. Smith, PhD
Matthew Tipple
Jeff Valentine
John E. Van de Wetering, PhD
Mee F. Wing
Admission rates and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden
fees subject to change.
G. Rollie Adams, PhD
President and CEO
Parking
Limited free parking is available for guests during regular
museum hours on a first-come, first-served basis.
On high visitation days, the museum lot may reach
capacity early in the day. If space is not available on
site at the time of your visit, you will find additional
parking (fees apply) at neighboring municipal garages.
The Strong is supported with public funds from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the New York State Council
on the Arts (NYSCA), a State agency. The Strong is accredited by
the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and is an institutional
member of AAM, the American Association for State and Local History
(AASLH), the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), and the
Museum Association of New York (MANY).
Museum Hours
Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
The Strong is a United Way donor designation agency (ID#2556)
The museum will close at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
The museum will open at noon on New Year's Day.
DINING
The museum offers a variety of dining options
including Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express,
Subway, Louie’s Sweet Shoppe, and Bill Gray’s
Restaurant. Visit museumofplay.org for hours
and information.
Museum Announces
Homeschool Programs
The Strong’s Education Team has developed
a full slate of programs designed specifically
for homeschooled children and their parents.
Facilitated by museum educators and other
subject-matter experts, these stimulating
educational experiences are set amid
The Strong’s dynamic, interactive exhibit
spaces and world-renowned collections.
On weekends, holidays, and during school breaks,
dining tables and chairs are reserved for restaurant
customers only.
Information
585-263-2700 • museumofplay.org
PLAY Time
Editor: Kelly Murphy Lucyszyn
Homeschool programs, which include lessons
and Theme Days, explore a wide variety of
topics—including health and wellness, science,
history, math, and English language arts—and
are generally intended for children in grades
pre-K through grade three. The full schedule can be found online at
museumofplay.org/education/homeschool-students. Advanced registration
with payment is required. Space is limited, so interested families are
encouraged to register early.
Contributing Writers and Photographers: Mandy Bly,
Kim Della Porta, Lisa Feinstein, Crissi Harrison,
Beth Lathrop, Bethany Mosher, Kelly Murphy Lucyszyn,
Shane Rhinewald, Suzanne Seldes, Olivia Viterna
Art Director: Niki Kruger, Zimmet Group
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