About Us

Strong is the only museum in the world devoted to PLAY!

Strong National Museum of Play is an exciting, hands-on, welcoming place to play, learn, and dream; a place to pretend, wonder, and explore; a place to discover the past and imagine the future; and a place to rekindle memories and make new ones.

Strong is the only museum in the world dedicated solely to the study of play as it illuminates American culture. As an independent, 501-c-3, educational organization chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, the museum explores play because it is critical to learning and human development and offers a unique window into American culture. Understanding play helps people know who they are and what they value.

Some people call Strong a children’s museum; others call it a history museum. In fact, it blends the best features of both – high interactivity and extensive collections – to serve a diverse audience of children, families, adults, students, educators, scholars, and collectors.

To these and other users, the museum offers engaging exhibit experiences, fun-filled educational programs, exciting guest amenities, annual memberships, standards-based school lessons, teacher development opportunities, an innovative preschool, a circulating library, a research library and archives, scholarly publications, and more.

The largest percentage of the museum's financial support comes from the philanthropy of Margaret Woodbury Strong. However, the museum also depends upon grants and contributions from corporations, foundations, individuals, and government, plus revenue from admissions, membership, retail operations, and investments.