PLAY TimeNews and Events for Members, Donors, and Friends

Winter 2015 • Volume 5 • Issue 2

Pages 2–3 12Member News

4

6

6

7

Trivial Pursuit® Exhibit Opening

Under the Sea Weekend

Abracadabra Weekend

Royal Ball Weekend

Exhibit Now Open!

Ne

w e

xh

ibit

Ne

w e

xh

ibit

Play house, heal a teddy bear, and save the world in Play Pals, an original exhibit now open on the museum’s second floor.

Trace the evolution of dolls, action figures, toy soldiers, plush animals, and other toys of the imagination through three centuries of American history and role-play in interactive, themed environments in Play Pals!

Become part of the action in an enormous toy package and pose for pictures dressed like a doll or action figure. Create your own story at the adventure table with toy soldiers, superhero action figures, and ferocious dinosaurs. Move them across dynamic settings including a volcano overflowing with lava, two enemy castles separated by a field, and a modern city brimming with skyscrapers and underground lairs. Then grab a Buzz Lightyear or Mr. Incredible figure, plug it in, and explore the computerized world of Disney Infinity.

Step into a life-size dollhouse and prepare food in the kitchen, dine at the table, and care for a baby doll in the nursery. Outside, plant a flower bed, grab a snack at the picnic table, or pile into the family car—complete with GPS, pedals, and headlights. Head over to the fashion dress-up area and try on gowns and accessories.

In the GUND Teddy Bear Check-Up area, use an otoscope and blood pressure sleeve to test the health of stuffed bears, dogs, and cats. After, slip into a doctor’s coat and use bandages and other medical tools to fix what ails them. Test your reflexes with an oversized operation game, and try to pluck the honey jar, butterfly, and more from a lovable teddy bear.

Encounter cases filled with a variety of dolls, action figures, and stuffed animals from every decade. A massive timeline traces the evolution of these toys from the homemade dolls of the 1800s through the creation of the teddy bear and Raggedy Ann in the early 1900s, to the development of favorite modern figures such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Bratz. A nearby case explores dolls created in the likeness of cultural icons, such as pilot Charles Lindberg and America’s sweetheart Shirley Temple.

Reconnect with favorite playthings, including Teddy Ruxpin, Baby Alive, Tickle Me Elmo, and My Buddy. Also marvel at rare artifacts, including a Bild Lilli Doll (which inspired Barbie), an early G.I. Joe prototype, a Steiff bear, a 1930s Mickey Mouse, and Mabel—the beloved doll of museum founder Margaret Woodbury Strong.

The 4,000-square-foot Play Pals exhibit is phase three of a five-phase project to transform the museum’s second floor into America at Play, a highly interactive exhibit on the history of play in America. This project is made possible in part by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Made possible in part by

Teddy Bear Check-Up generously supported by

Newborn Nursery baby dolls and clothing courtesy of the Madame Alexander Doll Company.

2 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 3

Sprice: An Explosively Good Time! Saturday, January 10, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, January 11, 1–4 p.m.

Get ready for some explosive fun with Sprice, a Rube Goldberg machine builder from Michigan and quarter finalist from season eight of America’s Got Talent. Be amazed as he creates an enormous chain-reaction structure featuring a variety of materials and detonates them at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Try building your own chain-reaction creation using everyday objects.

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 5 & 26Frosty FunCurl up with stories about wintertime adventures.

Mondays, February 2 & 23Love Is in the Air Enjoy heartwarming stories about love, family, and friendship.

Mondays, March 2, 16 & 23Silly Seuss Stories Honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday with books featuring tongue twisters and silly rhymes.

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 12—Fun with Storytelling Delight in tales and activities that explore the art of storytelling.

February 9—Playing with Math Sort, count, and create patterns with math-themed songs and movement activities.

March 9—Fairy-Tale Fun Be whisked away to faraway places with fairy-tale-themed song and dance.

Sponsored by

Sponsored by

Local media sponsor

Up

co

miN

g p

ro

gr

am

s & ev

eNts

LEGO® Castle Adventure School-Break Week Through January 4

Explore the LEGO® Castle Adventure exhibit before it closes on February 1. Train like a knight in the jousting field, construct a virtual castle wall using 3-D computer technology, and admire royal furnishings including a decorative suit of armor—made entirely out of LEGO® bricks. Get creative and build a LEGO brick masterpiece and construct a paper brick to take home. Try your hand at strategy games that have challenged people for centuries including Red Dragon, Nine Men’s Morris, puzzles, and an oversized game of chess.

Enter the Best of the Brick Contest Monday, January 5–Friday, January 16

Calling toy-brick builders of all ages! Take inspiration from the LEGO® Castle Adventure exhibit and enter the Best of the Brick Contest. Create an original masterpiece from toy building bricks and upload a picture of it to The Strong’s Facebook timeline between January 5 and 16.

Winning designs receive a $50 museum shops card. Museum officials will choose one winner per age group and fans will choose another in each group by liking their favorite photos. For full entry rules, visit the museum’s web page.

Southwest RegionSaddle up a kid-friendly mule for a ride into the Grand Canyon, step into a pretend hot air balloon gondola, and explore buildings of the “Old West.” See why everything is bigger in Texas and have your picture taken with a comically large cowboy hat. Then activate a rotating Ferris wheel as you learn why the Lonestar State is known for its state and county fairs.

Western RegionGuide a dog sled through the Iditarod in Alaska and then warm up for a spell by hopping into a kid-sized convertible for a cruise through sunny California. Perform a Hawaiian dance, try to traverse Mount Rainer, and use a constellation guide to search for stars.

Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure remains on view through May 10.

The Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure exhibit was created by the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc. Trivial Pursuit® is a trademark of Hasbro and is used with permission. 1981, 2015 Hasbro, Pawtucket, RI 02861-1059 USA. All Rights Reserved.

Travel from coast to coast learning about historical sites, iconic tourist destinations, and popular recreation and sports venues through unique hands-on activities, challenging puzzles and games, and a blend of classic and special edition Trivial Pursuit® questions. Discover unique customs and activities specific to each region of the United States:

Northeast RegionClimb to the top of a lighthouse and use the spotting scope to identify coastline features or warn approaching ships with the beacon and foghorn. Make a stop at Fenway Park in Boston and play a baseball game. In New York, activate the countdown ball for a New Year’s Eve celebration in Times Square. Mark Independence Day on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and take a pretend tour of the capital.

Southeast RegionFill a basket with peaches, explore the Everglades, and build a sand castle along the Gulf Coast. Be part of Kentucky Derby race day by grooming and feeding a realistic horse, then travel to Louisiana to create your own jazz arrangement. Peddle a pretend steamboat in Mississippi, putt on a two-hole golf course in South Carolina, and go camping in West Virginia.

Midwest RegionMotor into the action of the Indy 500 by pumping gas, cleaning windows, and changing the tires on a kid-sized racecar. Pose for photos with the presidents at Mount Rushmore, picnic before the NFL Hall of Fame Game in Ohio, and make a stop at the International Peace Garden.

Mountain RegionRace on skis against a friend in Colorado, take a kayak past a waterfall in Idaho, and dig up the bones of a Tyrannosaurus Rex in Montana. Beware of the rumble and look out as Old Faithful erupts in Yellowstone National Park.

Jump into the game! Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure opens Saturday, February 14.

Ne

w e

xh

ibit

®

4 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 5

Celebrating Diversity Monday, January 19

Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and enjoy the interactive show “Championing Equality through Power of Creativity” by Alfred University Art Force Five—superheroes with creative powers—at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. See how creativity can help with problem-solving and encourage fairness and learn about creative heros throughout history. (Participants will receive an Art Force badge.)

View a special comic book display by Art Force Five that illustrates America’s journey toward civil rights. This unique display includes more than 25 significant comic books and tackles questions such as “Was Superman created to fight bullies?” "Who is this different Spider-Man," and “Was Marvel’s Black Panther part of the Black Panther party?”

Leave a symbol of peace by creating a paper dove to hang in the museum.

Under the Sea Weekend Saturday, January 24, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, January 25, 1–4 p.m.

Get out of the cold and dive into The Strong for an ocean of adventure! Swim with mermaids, but keep an eye out for the Creature from the Black Lagoon! Meet the Pout-Pout Fish and enjoy story readings of The Pout-Pout Fish and Pout-Pout Fish and the Big, Big Dark.

Get into the island spirit as you groove to the sounds of steel drums by members of Alfred St. John’s Trinidad and Tobago Steel band, and learn more about their unique instruments. Meet real underwater explorers and shipwreck hunters from Shipwreck World. Check out their gear—including sonar scanner and remote-operated vehicle—and discover what it takes to uncover sunken treasure!

Search for shells at the Kinetic Sand indoor beach; make deep-sea-inspired foam creations; create a life-sized drawing of yourself as a fanciful mermaid or sea creature; and make a delightful paper jellyfish, crab, or sea turtle to take home.

Materials for the Kinetic Sand beach generously provided by Spin Master.

Abracadabra Weekend Saturday, February 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, February 8, 1–4 p.m.

Hocus pocus! A weekend of pure magic is right before your eyes! Be amazed as Rochester’s premier comedic magician Bill Gormont performs astounding illusions and fantastical sleight-of-hand feats. Learn tricks of the trade—such as a vanishing coin and disappearing pencil—in the Magic Lab. Put on a magic show in the Kid to Kid theater, create a personalized magic wand and other magical props, and make and take home your own bag of tricks.

Up

co

miN

g p

ro

gr

am

s &

ev

eNts

Up

co

miN

g p

ro

gr

am

s & ev

eNts

Trivial Pursuit® School–Break Week Saturday, February 14– Sunday, February 22

Set a course for The Strong this school-break week and explore Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure.

Explore history of the United States through dozens of interactive stations and classic and special edition Trivial Pursuit® questions.

Play a game of Rochester trivia and guess the identity of local landmarks, people, and more. Craft a paper white hot and lilac, Rochester's famous food and flower. Then add a miniature magic carpet to a giant map to show which U.S. cities you would love to visit.

Fit Kids Day Saturday, March 21, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Jump, run, or slide into the museum for a day filled with fitness fun! Practice coordination with hula hoops and oversized balls, perfect your aim in the Sport Zone, and learn how to turn plastic grocery bags into a jump rope. Join other museum guests for an indoor snowball fight and get snowboarding tips from experts from Bristol Mountain. Pick up a Passport to Family Wellness booklet and taste healthy snacks from Wegmans.

Fit Kids Day is presented in cooperation with the Lets Move! Museum and Gardens initiative.

The Royal Ball Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, March 8, 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 live music, pageantry, and courtly dancing. Enjoy song and dance with Nonesuch Early Music Ensemble, “feast” at the royal banquet table, and create your own crown, scepter, and family crest.

Complete a quest and be knighted by the queen, check out real armor and try on chainmail, and work on your hand-eye coordination with Nerf slingshots in Sherwood Forest. Stop by Rapunzel’s hair salon for a fashionable, courtly hairdo; receive a bejeweled gift from the Fairy Godmother; and create your own imaginary world of princesses, dragons, and knights with Folkmanis puppets.

On Saturday only, enjoy Rochester Lyric Opera’s production of “The Tales of Custard the Dragon” at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m.

Klutz® School–Break Week Saturday, March 28–Sunday, April 5

Get crafty during Klutz School-Break Week. Twist and turn pipe cleaners of all sizes into caterpillars, dragons, and anything else your imagination can dream up. Create unique artwork using your fingers and an ink pad and fashion paper airplanes to soar through the sky. Check out Klutz craft books including Twisted Critters, Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes, and

Klutz: The Most Amazing Thumb Doodles Book in the History of the Civilized World.

®

v i s i t

TE

XA

S

The largest in the United States, the Texas State Fair has

been held at the historic Fair Park in Dallas since 1886.

La mas grande en los Estados Unidos, La Feria Estatal de Texas se

ha llevado a cabo en el histórico Fair Park de Dallas desde 1886.

The Texas State Fair

Austin

®

Albany

Times SquareAlong with Times Square, New York is home to the

Statue of Liberty—an international symbol of freedom. And, New York is the only state that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes.

Junto al Times Square, New York es el hogar de la Estatua de la Libertad, un símbolo internacional de libertad. Además, New York es el único estado que limita con el Océano Atlántico y los Grandes Lagos

KR

OY

WE

N

v i s i t

Materials for school-break week generously provided by Klutz.© 2014 Klutz and ®/TM

Klutz. All rights reserved.6 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 7

Prince of Persia Series Creator Donates Design and Business Records Prominent game designer and writer Jordan Mechner, creator of the bestselling Prince of Persia franchise, has donated a collection of design notes, drawings, correspondence, business records, and software related to the development of his three best-known games—Karateka (1984), Prince of Persia (1989), and The Last Express (1997).

Mechner pioneered the use of cinematographic techniques in video game design—such as rotoscoping—which helped him to develop smooth-scrolling, realistic animation for his first game, Karateka. He filmed his brother running, jumping, and fighting with a sword, and then colored over each frame to create the realistic animation for his second title, Prince of Persia. The game spawned a franchise that includes an ongoing Ubisoft video game franchise, graphic novels, toys, LEGO sets, and a Walt Disney Pictures feature film, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

“Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia combined cutting edge graphics, exciting action, and immersive storytelling in a way that had rarely been done before. It’s no wonder that the series continues to sell millions of games and inspire books and movies more than 25 years after its inception,” says Jon-Paul Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. “Thanks to the materials donated to The Strong by Jordan Mechner, scholars and researchers can now take a glimpse into the mind of one of gaming’s great innovators and one of its finest storytellers.”

The Jordan Mechner Collection sits alongside and complements The Strong’s vast collection of games, design documents, business records, and related materials that chronicle the history of the video game industry. These include the Brøderbund, Inc. Collection donated by company founder Doug Carlston earlier this year. Carlston and the Brøderbund team worked closely with Mechner to publish Karateka, Prince of Persia, and The Last Express.

mem

ber

New

s mU

seUm

New

smU

seU

m N

ews

The Strong’s Collections Influence Recreation of Historic GameDuring the past 65 years, millions of children have traveled through the Peppermint Stick Forest and Gumdrop Mountains on their way to Candy Land’s Candy Castle. The Strong’s comprehensive board game collection includes several historic and significant examples of this classic game. Toy company Winning Games (licensed through Hasbro) recently released a historic version of Candy Land based on two 1960s examples in The Strong’s collections. Distributed nationally, the game carries instructions that include a brief story about the museum’s history and its substantial board game collections.

Miniature Rooms Added to Collections A miniature antique and art shop, consignment store, grocery market, and a resale store are just a few of the 28 miniature rooms that Indianapolis mother-of-two Julie Conner built over a 20-year period and recently donated to The Strong. Doctors diagnosed Julie’s oldest son with autism at the age of three, and after some demanding days in the early years, Conner says she would use her evenings to create the meticulous miniatures as a way to decompress. She describes it as a form of “adult play therapy.”

Conner hand-crafted most of the 2,500 furnishings in the 28 rooms. Diagnosed with Asperger's (a form of autism) herself, Connor says that it’s the symptoms of her condition that drove her to seek such perfection with the rooms. Many of the rooms recall elements of her life—places that she traveled, events that she remembers fondly, and people that she loves.

“These incredibly detailed rooms offer a rare glimpse into the mind of an adult at play,” says Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections at The Strong. “They also provide an example of the way in which play can help people understand and cope with the things in their lives that may be beyond their control.”

Connor’s miniature rooms will be part of a future museum exhibit.

Researchers Examine Play-Related MaterialsThrough its research fellowship programs, The Strong encourages and supports scholarship.

In October, Emily Flynn-Jones, a postdoctoral research fellow at York University in Toronto pored through trade catalogs, magazines, and video material, including

examined materials related to the history of coin-operated arcade video game cabinet design as research for a forthcoming academic article for The Journal of Design History published by Oxford University Press.

The Strong’s America at Play: Play Stories Archive to understand how women and girls have been represented throughout history.

In November, Raiford Guins, Associate Professor of Culture and Technology with the State University of New York at Stony Brook,

Bubbles, Little Green Army Men, and Rubik’s Cube Inducted into the National Toy Hall of FameMagical, iridescent bubbles; monochromatic, miniature little green army men; and the colorful, puzzling Rubik’s Cube became the latest inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame this past November. All are relatively inexpensive, easy to come by, and have been delighting young and old alike for generations.

The origin of soap bubbles is anything but transparent. Historians know that people in Europe manufactured high quality soaps by the 16th century, but no documentation exists of the first use

of soap bubbles for fun. However, during the 17th century, the earliest paintings of children playing with bubbles appeared in the region of Flanders (now part of modern-day Belgium).

Ever since the 1930s, little green army men have occupied territories, lands, and entire make-believe nations. Molded with incredible detail and manufactured by the millions, the plastic toy soldiers have fueled kids’ imaginations, prompted their narratives, and encouraged their stories of daring and heroism.

Invented in the early 1970s by a Hungarian lecturer, the three-dimensional Rubik’s Cube satisfies a kid’s sense of intrigue and inspires serious mathematicians. The colorful cubes can be arranged 43 quintillion (a number with six commas) ways and have inspired organized competitions across the globe.

Bubbles, little green army men, and Rubik’s Cube entered the hall at a special ceremony at The Strong on November 6, 2014.

RPO Musicians Explore Electronic Games Collection As a prelude to the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s (RPO) performance of Video Games Live, members of the RPO visited The Strong for a behind-the-scenes professional development opportunity facilitated by The Strong's International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG) staff. Nearly 15 RPO musicians and staff explored the museum’s electronic games collections—more than 55,000 objects and growing—to gain a deeper understanding of their significance.

8 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 9

The Strong Collaborates with Gates Chili School District The museum recently welcomed teachers and faculty from the Gates Chili School District for a full-day workshop on “Playful Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom.” The workshop signaled the start of an ongoing collaboration between The Strong and the school district to support a new play-based universal pre-kindergarten program (UPK) for 90 Gates Chili students.

As part of the partnership, The Strong’s Education Team provides training sessions for Gates Chili staff where participants explore how play supports learning and development, draw upon the museum’s interactive exhibits for school lesson ideas, and develop plans for their pre-kindergarten classrooms. The collaboration also includes museum field trips throughout the school year for those enrolled in the Gates Chili pre-kindergarten program.

“A cornerstone of our UPK program is to expand our children's access to rich and varied learning experiences in order to prepare them for school success,” says Erin Ugine, UPK coordinator with Gates Chili. “Our partnership with The Strong is unique because their early childhood specialists truly recognize the essential role of play within the learning process and human development.”

mU

seU

m N

ews m

UseU

m N

ews

The Strong Represented at Wonderplay Conference The Strong’s President and CEO, Rollie Adams, joined the museum’s Vice President for Play Studies, Scott Eberle, and Director of Education, Debbie McCoy, at the 92Y Wonderplay Early Childhood Conference in New York City. The trio was present as Lella Gandini, the United States Liaison for the Dissemination of the Reggio Emilia Approach, was honored for her profound influence in early childhood education. Gandini’s personal papers—including examples of her publications; scores of other works on early childhood education and related topics; and a compilation of research notes, presentations, and other documents used throughout her career—are housed in The Strong’s Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play. In 2012, Gandini was interviewed for The Strong’s American Journal of Play.

Research Library Adds Doris Bergen Papers The Strong has acquired papers, publications, and research materials spanning the long and distinguished career of Dr. Doris Bergen, professor of educational psychology at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The collection contains unique primary source materials such as observational videos of preschool children and special needs toddlers at play in the United States, China, and other countries from the early 1990s, as well as raw data from select research studies. Also included are articles, letters, speeches, and research-related papers.

The Doris Bergen Papers, 1974–2014 enhance The Strong’s growing collection of archival materials related to the study of play. The collection sits alongside and complements assemblages from other prominent play scholars such as Brian Sutton-Smith, Vivian Gussin Paley, Lella Gandini, and Anthony Pellegrini. Together these create an unmatched resource for museum staff, research fellows, and other researchers and scholars who come to The Strong from around the world to examine the interdisciplinary study of play.

ROCHESTER’S CHOICE WINNER’S SECTION

WE CONTINUE TO CONNECT YOU TO THE AUDIENCES THAT MATTER MOST WITH EXPANDED, EFFECTIVE MARKETING SOLUTIONS.

For more information please contact: Tibbs Ahlberg at 585.258.2476 or tahlberg@gannett.com

CONGRATULATIONS!

You’re a Rochester’s Choice Winner

Advertise in the Rochester’s Choice Winners Section! Thank your loyal customers and encourage new ones to try your business for the fi rst time. Let everyone know you’re a Rochester’s Choice Winner and watch business boom!

Democrat & Chronicle Multimedia Solution

DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE: Full run tabloid inserted into the D&C on 11/30/14

ONLINE: All individual print ads will be online from 11/30/14 - 12/6/14

The entire winners section will be online from 11/30/14 - 12/28/14

PUBLICATION DATE: Sunday, November 30, 2014

SPACE RESERVATION: Friday, November 14, 2014

Museum Garners Local and National Acclaim For the 13th year in a row, readers of the Democrat and Chronicle named The Strong the gold standard for best museum in Rochester. City Newspaper readers again distinguished the museum Rochester’s best family-friendly attraction. And for a decade straight, The Strong was awarded “Top Spot to Take the Kids” and “Favorite Kid-Friendly Museum” from readers of KidsOutandAbout.com. Additionally, the museum earned a “Best Spot in Town” rating from online review site Yelp.com.

Recent national accolades come from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, which awarded the museum its highest honor; Family Travel magazine, which named The Strong one of the “10 Must-Visit Family Museums”; Destinations Travel Magazine, whose list of the nation’s best museums included The Strong; and Sherman’s Travel, which designated The Strong as one of “9 Pop Culture Museums Worth the Drive.”

The Strong Earns Highest Recognition The Strong has achieved reaccreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM)—the highest achievement for excellence in the museum community. AAM’s rigorous accreditation process takes nearly a year to complete and examines all aspects of a museum’s operations.

Accreditation verifies The Strong’s commitment to excellence, high professional standards, financial and ethical accountability, and continued institutional improvement. Citing its innovative exhibitions, creative publications, community engagement, and sound financial management, Burt Logan, chairperson of AAM’s Accreditation Committee, declares The Strong, “a model institution” and notes that it is an outstanding representative of the museum field, combining excellent collections, wonderful facilities, a thoughtful mission, and an engaged Board of Trustees and staff.

Of the nation’s nearly 35,000 museums, just over three percent are currently accredited. The Strong has maintained this highest designation since 1984.

The Strong Welcomes Distinguished Guests

George Gomez, legendary game designer and executive vice president for game development at Stern Pinball, pictured with machines and schematics of his designs during a recent visit to The Strong.

Staff from the College of Image Arts and Sciences at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan—including Masayuki Uemura (middle), advisor and developer of the Nintendo Famicon—tour The Strong’s collections with ICHEG staff.

Spin Master’s Susie Adelson and Nick Pagee tour the museum and its library and archives. Pictured with The Strong’s President and CEO Rollie Adams (far left) and Vice President for Collections Chris Bensch (far right).

Gavin Landry, executive director of tourism for Empire State Development Corp., visits The Strong. Pictured with museum Vice President for Marketing and Communications Suzanne Seldes (left) and Director of Public Relations Shane Rhinewald (right).

Playfulness Key to Happy, Lasting Relationships According to Upcoming Issue of the American Journal of Play

According to a study conducted by Garry Chick, PhD, and colleagues at Pennsylvania State University and published in The Strong’s American Journal of Play in 2012, playfulness

may serve an evolutionary role in mating preferences and make a person more attractive to potential mates. A follow-up study published in an upcoming issue of the Journal by Rene Proyer, professor

of psychology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, replicates that research with German-speaking peoples and takes it a step further—suggesting that playfulness not only aids in humans finding a mate, but that it also plays a significant role in creating a long-lasting relationship.

Proyer cites research suggesting that playfulness may help couples to overcome routine difficulties, prevent boredom, and boost positive emotions. He points out that people involved in romantic relationships rated playfulness as more

important—and displayed higher traits of playfulness themselves—than those not in romantic relationships.

Additional articles in Vol. 7, No. 2 of the Journal focus on such topics as competitive speech and debate, the philosophy of play, and gender differences in children’s play. Read the American Journal of Play free of charge at journalofplay.org. Printed editions are also available for subscription and single copy purchase.

10 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 11

Traveling Over Winter Break? Thanks to The Strong’s partnership with the Association of Children's Museums, patron-level members receive discounted admission to more than 200 children's museums across the United States and Canada. This is an incredible way to experience other family-friendly museums while saving on the admission fee. Visit childrensmuseums.org for a list of participating museums.

Patron members also receive four one-time use guest passes and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden passes—that’s a $70 value for only $41 more than the cost of a family or grandparent membership. Ask about upgrading your membership at the museum Admissions desk or call 585-263-2700 x254.

Members Save at Select Lancers Games and Nazareth Arts Center Performances

Don’t Forget Your Member BenefitsThere’s much more to membership than free museum admission. Strong museum members receive other great benefits such a $1 discount on general admission for guests, a $1 discount on member admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, and a 10% discount to both museum gift shops. Show your valid membership card and start saving today.

Strong members can score $10 premium tickets for select Rochester Lancers indoor soccer games. To purchase tickets, contact Hannah at 585-872-5425 or Hannah@rochesterlancers.com and mention you are a member of The Strong. Tickets must be purchased one week before each game and cannot be purchased at the box office. Other restrictions apply.

Saturday, January 10 at 1 p.m. vs. Detroit Waza Flo

Sunday, January 25 at 4 p.m. vs. Syracuse Silver Knights

Saturday, February 14 at 1 p.m. vs. Harrisburg Heat

Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. vs. Harrisburg Heat

ad

vaN

cem

eNtm

emb

er N

ews

The Strong Builds Partnership with GUND® When the Play Pals exhibit opened in December, guests were introduced to the playful and interactive GUND Teddy Bear Check-Up area. GUND, a division of Enesco, LLC, is known worldwide for its top-quality, soft, and huggable plush designs—products that appeal to all ages and are popular among children and collectors.

Made possible by a $100,000 sponsorship, the GUND Teddy Bear Check-Up area allows children to role-play as a veterinarian and care for precious, soft animals friends using colorful, kid-sized medical equipment. Children can weigh their favorite GUND animal, measure its height, and even check its vital signs. The Strong is grateful for GUND’s support and partnership.

IMLS Grant Supports New Exhibit The Strong received a $149,993 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to complete Build, Drive, Go, a 2,500-square-foot exhibit focusing on the history and evolution of play with toy vehicles, building toys, and miniature settings. The exhibit, part of the larger America at Play exhibit taking shape on the museum’s second floor, is scheduled to open in December 2015.

Build, Drive, Go will feature rare artifacts from The Strong’s world-renowned collections plus hands-on activities including a construction area featuring a wide range of building materials and a test track where guests can modify the road to make their vehicles go faster.

The Strong’s collection of toy vehicles and building toys is the largest collection of such artifacts in a public institution in the United States. The comprehensive assemblage demonstrates how these toys have changed over time and how these changes have reflected and influenced American culture.

Thank you Corporate PartnersBusinesses that make a financial contribution to The Strong’s Corporate Partners Program provide meaningful support for the museum while receiving valuable benefits for their employees, such as free-admission days, family passes, and employee discounts on museum membership. To learn how your company can participate, contact Katie Riley at 585-410-6368 or kriley@museumofplay.org.

Welcome to our newest corporate partners:

Indus Hospitality Group Toshiba Business Solutions

Thank you to these corporate partners for renewing their memberships:

Bill Gray’s Restaurants Paychex Tucker Printers

M&T Bank Target

Strong members save 10% on select family performances at the Nazareth College Arts Center. Offer available online only at http://artscenter.naz.edu/. Enter coupon code PLAYSTRONG.

Theatreworks USA: Skippyjon Jones on January 17 at noon and 2 p.m.

Atlantic Theatre Company: Ivy + Bean: The Musical on February 7 at noon and 2 p.m.

Jim Henson's Dinosaur Train LIVE!: Buddy's Big Adventure on May 2 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Valid on orchestra seat tickets only. Limit four tickets per order. Prior sales excluded. Not valid with other offers or discounts, including subscriber discount. Offer valid January 1 to May 2, 2015. Contact the Nazareth Arts Center box office at 585-389-2170 for more information.

Target Grant Supports Reading Programs For the seventh consecutive year, The Strong has received grant funding from Target to support its two early childhood reading initiatives, Storytime Club and Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6. Both programs are designed to encourage young children and

their parents or caregivers to read together and to foster a love of reading in children at an early age.

12 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 13

Out and About In October, Jon-Paul Dyson, director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games and vice president for exhibits, spoke about The Strong’s video game preservation efforts at a conference called Meant to Last: Preserving the Modern & Contemporary hosted by the Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia. Dyson also served as a judge for the Toy Industry Association’s e-Connected Toy of the Year competition.

Also in October, Director of Education, Debbie McCoy, provided the keynote presentation and facilitated small group discussions and observation in museum exhibits for members of the Ohio Association of the Education of Young Children in October.

In November, Vice President forCollections Chris Bensch andCurator Nic Ricketts attendedthe Toy and Game Inventor(TAGIE) Awards.

In December, McCoy and Woodbury School teachers Cheryl Nichols and Marlene Heuer, presented a workshop on how the Reggio Emilia approach is used in Woodbury School for the Rochester Association for the Education of Young Children Reggio Study Group.

Beth Lathrop, director of libraries at The Strong, presented “Playing with the History of Play: Toymakers,Game Designers, and the CreativeProcess" at the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES School Library System Library Leadership Academy.

In December, Shane Rhinewald, director of public relations, and Kim Della Porta, public relations and marketing associate, presented a session on communications in a nonprofit world to an upper-level public relations class at the College at Brockport.

President for Gotta Getta GUND Bruce Raiffe with The Strong's President and CEO Rollie Adams.

Winter 2015

Thursday, January 1Museum Opens at Noon

Through January 4 LEGO® Castle Adventure School-Break Week Explore the LEGO Castle Adventure exhibit and build LEGO® brick masterpieces. Construct a virtual castle, make a paper brick to take home, try your hand at strategy games, and more.

Monday, January 5–Friday, January 16Best of the Brick Contest Enter to win prizes by uploading an original toy building brick creation photo to The Strong’s Facebook timeline.

Mondays, January 5 & 26Storytime Club Frosty Fun: curl up with stories about wintertime adventures.

10:30 & 11:30 a.m.

Friday, January 9–Tuesday, March 31 Cats Versus Dogs Display Explore this ages-old pet debate and see rare and unusual cat- and dog-related artifacts from The Strong’s collections.

Saturday & Sunday, January 10 & 11Sprice: An Explosively Good Time! See Sprice from season eight of America’s Got Talent build and detonate enormous chain-reaction creations.

Monday, January 12Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6Fun with Storytelling: delight in tales and activities that explore the art of storytelling.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Monday, January 19Celebrating DiversityEnjoy shows by Art Force Five, make a peace dove, and celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wednesday, January 21Science of Living Things Homeschool Day Study plants and animals found in the museum’s live collections, learn from real scientists, discover the life cycle of butterflies, and more. Advanced registration is required. $10 per student.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday, January 24 & 25Under the Sea Weekend Swim with mermaids, meet the Pout-Pout Fish, enjoy the island sounds of steel drums, meet real shipwreck hunters, and more!

Saturday & Sunday, January 31 & February 1LEGO® Castle Adventure Exhibit Closing Last chance to be a knight, a princess, or a noble craftsman in the LEGO® Castle Adventure exhibit.

JANUARY

Mondays, February 2 & 23Storytime Club Love Is in the Air: enjoy heartwarming stories about love, family, and friendship.

10:30 & 11:30 a.m.

Saturday & Sunday, February 7 & 8Abracadabra Weekend Be amazed as magician Bill Gormont performs astounding illusions, learn tricks of the trade in the Magic Lab, create a personalized magic wand, and more.

Monday, February 9Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6Playing with Math: sort, count, and create patterns with math-themed songs and movement activities.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday, February 14 & 15Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure Exhibit OpeningTravel from coast to coast learning about iconic tourist destinations, popular recreation venues, and more.

Saturday, February 14– Sunday, February 22Trivial Pursuit® School–Break Week This school-break week, set a course for The Strong and explore the history of the United States through dozens of fun and engaging interactive stations in the Trivial Pursuit®: A 50-State Adventure exhibit. Play a game of Rochester trivia, enjoy geography-inspired activities, and more.

FEBRUARY

Mondays, March 2, 16, & 23Storytime Club Silly Seuss Stories: honor Dr. Seuss’s birthday with books featuring tongue twisters and silly rhymes.

10:30 & 11:30 a.m.

Saturday & Sunday, March 7 & 8The Royal Ball Come dressed in regal attire and be enchanted by live music, pageantry, courtly dancing, live theater, and more.

Monday, March 9Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6 Fairy-Tale Fun: be whisked away to faraway places with fairy-tale-themed song and dance.

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Saturday, March 21Fit Kids DayJump, run, or slide into the museum for a day filled with fitness fun.

Saturday, March 28–Sunday, April 5Klutz® School-Break Week Twist pipe cleaners into caterpillars and dragons, create fingerprint artwork, make paper airplanes, and more.

MARCH

Unless otherwise noted, events and character appearances typically end by 4 p.m. and are free to members.

Book Nook Librarians’ picks from the

Grada Hopeman Gelser Library

Jessica by Kevin Henkes (for younger readers)

No one could see Jessica, but Ruthie knew that she was there. They did everything together. But Ruthie’s parents hoped that she would find new (and real) friends at school. This sweet story with playful illustrations has an unexpected and happy ending. (This book is shelved in Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?) 

Don’t Be My Valentineby Joan M. Lexau(for younger readers)

Valentines are supposed to be loving. They are not supposed to be mean. Sam gets in trouble when the mean valentine he makes for Amy Lou ends up on the teachers desk. (This book is shelved in Kid to Kid.) 

Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen(for older readers)

Winter can be fun, but if you have to survive day by day on your own, winter is dangerous and deadly. This tale provides an alternate ending to Paulsen’s prior book Hatchet where Brian is rescued after a plane crash. Realistic, haunting images of Brian’s struggle might make this a difficult book for some to read. (This book is shelved in the Adventure Island section of Reading Adventureland.)

Kid

s pa

ge

ca

leNd

ar

of ev

eNts

February 2015 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

March 2015 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31

January 2015 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Play Pals Picture Match-UpCan you match the close-up pictures on top with the larger images on bottom? Look closely and put the letter of the image that matches each number on the corresponding line below. Check out the activities featured in these images in Play Pals, The Strong's newest permanent exhibit. See pages 2 and 3 for more information.

1

1

3

2

2

3

4

4

Correct answers: 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. B

B

C D

A

14 PLAY Time • Winter 2015 www.museumofplay.org 15

Nonprofit OrganizationUS Postage

PAIDRochester, NY

Permit No. 4144

the strong® is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration ofplay. as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization, the strong is funded in part by contributionsand grants from individuals, corporations, foundations, and state and federal entities. it is home to theinternational center for the history of electronic games, the National toy hall of fame, the briansutton-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.

Nonprofit OrganizationUS Postage

PAIDRochester, NY

Permit No. 4144

MUSEUM ADMISSION

general admission (does not include admission to dancing wings butterfly garden®): age 2 and older $13.50, 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.

admission rates and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden fees subject to change. the museum accepts visa, mastercard, american express, and discover.

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.

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 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.

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

Contributing Writers and Photographers: Kim della porta, lisa feinstein, barbara fulford, victoria gray, Jonathan groff, Kelly murphy lucyszyn, emily pellicano, shane rhinewald, Katie riley, suzanne seldes

Art Director: Niki Kruger, Zimmet group

One Manhattan SquareRochester, NY 14607

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

david J. burnstimothy t. conlon roberta dubeshtersteve dubnik Zeke dudacecilia griffin golden, phd

don h. Kollmorgenlaura saxby lynchlinda mcginley, eddwilliam w. Napier aaron c. NewmanJames h. Norman

Jeff valentine John e. van de wetering, phdmee f. wing

g. rollie adams, phdpresident and ceo

Joy ryen plotnik, esqbruce raiffe william d. ricedonald J. rileyfred w. smith, phdmatthew tipple

the strong is a United way donor designation agency (id#2556)

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).

Facebook “f ” Logo CMYK / .ai Facebook “f ” Logo CMYK / .ai

Woodbury School Accepting Applications for 2015–2016 Year Applications for the 2015–2016 year at The Strong’s Woodbury School are being accepted. Woodbury School offers both 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 “emergent” curriculum approach encourages teachers and students to work together to plan the curriculum and create projects. Guided by teachers who facilitate their explorations, children delve deeply into topics that fascinate them and stimulate learning.

Children at Woodbury School learn and develop in playful activities set among the museum's hands-on exhibits. Small and large group activities involve art, music, cooperative games, movement, pre-reading, math, and other age-appropriate experiences.

Download an application and learn more at museumofplay.org/education.