Toy hall of fame opens in Rochester
A new exhibit honoring world famous toys has officially come to The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester.
Featuring classics like little green army men, Etch a Sketch, and the Easy-Bake Oven, this is the first exhibit of its kind to focus on honoring the creators of the toys as well as the toys themselves.
The $4m, 5,000-square-foot wing of the museum features five themed areas: imagine, create, build, move, and compete. Here, visitors get to play with toys loved for generations and interact with exhibit displays that include a 20-foot motion-capture bubble tower, a kinetic toy sculpture, and an oversized portrait-drawing Etch a Sketch. Large kiosks featuring touch screen monitors provide information on each year’s inductees.
Established in 1985 by the Toy Industry Association, the Toy Industry Hall of Fame inducts a group of toys and toy inventors into its ranks every year. The Strong Museum website allows visitors to vote for their favorite toys and even submit their childhood favorites for consideration.
Anticipation for the Toy Hall of Fame has been high, and companies both local and national have happily contributed to its development. From the print companies who likely assisted in the development of the kiosks, to the major international corporations – like LEGO, LeapFrog and Hasbro – that donated time, money and toys, there has been no shortage of people pitching in to make this new exhibit a success.
Featuring classics like little green army men, Etch a Sketch, and the Easy-Bake Oven, this is the first exhibit of its kind to focus on honoring the creators of the toys as well as the toys themselves.
The $4m, 5,000-square-foot wing of the museum features five themed areas: imagine, create, build, move, and compete. Here, visitors get to play with toys loved for generations and interact with exhibit displays that include a 20-foot motion-capture bubble tower, a kinetic toy sculpture, and an oversized portrait-drawing Etch a Sketch. Large kiosks featuring touch screen monitors provide information on each year’s inductees.
Established in 1985 by the Toy Industry Association, the Toy Industry Hall of Fame inducts a group of toys and toy inventors into its ranks every year. The Strong Museum website allows visitors to vote for their favorite toys and even submit their childhood favorites for consideration.
Anticipation for the Toy Hall of Fame has been high, and companies both local and national have happily contributed to its development. From the print companies who likely assisted in the development of the kiosks, to the major international corporations – like LEGO, LeapFrog and Hasbro – that donated time, money and toys, there has been no shortage of people pitching in to make this new exhibit a success.