If you find yourself near Rochester, NY, (whether you have kids or not) carve out a few hours to spend at the National Museum of Play. Not only is it an excellent interactive children's museum, it is filled with exhibits about the history of toys and houses the National Toy Hall of Fame. Seeing the toys chosen for induction was not only a trip down memory lane (and the memory lane of my parents' generation), but it gave me a new perspective on what to look for when buying toys.
The Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 and moved to this location in 2002. So far 49 toys have been inducted using these criteria:
- Icon-status: The toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered
- Longevity: The toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations
- Discovery: The toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play
- Innovation: The toy profoundly changed play or toy design. A toy may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.
Here are some of my favorite hall of famers and some of the interesting things I learned about them:
You can see and read about all 49 toys in the Hall of Fame here. Each year the public is invited to nominate toys they think merit inclusion in the Hall of Fame. You have until July 31st to get your nomination in for the next inductees. Which of your favorite toys has yet to earn this honor?
• Read more: The National Museum of Play and the The Toy Hall of Fame
(Images: Carrie McBride)
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You should read the book "Not a Stick". it is all about using your imagination! Kids have lots of it and parents should encourage and nurture it. It so much fun!
We would love to visit this museum some day with our girls!
I grew up outside of Rochester and have been visiting the Strong since its first incarnation in the early 80s. Now I bring my kids whenever we're in town visiting the grandparents. It's a really amazing place, and definitely well worth the visit. One piece of advice: drive /very/ carefully in the parking lot because there are often kids trying to make a break for it back to the museum!
I love this museum--it's one of the few children's museums I've been to that has enough to keep accompanying adults interested, too. While my son plays with the giant Tinkertoys, his grandmother can read up on the history of Lincoln Logs and his uncles can play Pac-Man on an old Atari. Pretty cool!
i, too, grew up just outside of rochester. we now live in nc and go to a childrens museum here, regularly, but nothing compares to the strong museum. whenever we are home to visit the grandparents, we are sure to spend a day up there. it never disappoints. :)
We've had a membership here for years now, and there's so much to do (and new exhibits popping up) that we're never bored. The Rochester area is a really great place to raise a family in general (to give you an idea, I moved back here from NYC to raise mine), and The Strong is a crown jewel.
Another Rochester native here! I've been to children's museums all over the world, but this is the BEST by far. (I'm not biased or anything...)
I would like to see the old metal toys. Those were super cool....I played with my brothers Tonka trucks and earth movers. No dolls for me.. :o)
I raise my Slinky in solidarity. Seriously. I'm literally holding a Slinky right now.
Is it ridiculous I am excited to see Apartment Therapy talking about the town I used to live in? (I live about an hour northwest of Rochester now, but I still visit often). I don't have kids, but have been to the Strong Museum with my friends with kids and it is a blast! (my husband and I sneaked away to check out the more museum-y historical exhibits when our friends' kids were done playing for the day)
My vote for a toy to induct into the hall of fame?...the Sock Monkey!