They were gonna force me to wear a face shield because they didn’t like my mask. You’re also forced to sign a contact tracing form! I’m not giving them all my personal information, its a museum not a doctors office! The COVID rules here are insane and uncalled for. Place was absolutely dead, I wonder why.

What an amazing venue! We got there early and had the whole place to ourselves for the first couple hours. The video game history is on point, and the pay to play video games and pinball are a ton of fun. They have a bunch of bill changers on hand that dispense tokens (not quarters) for easy access to play the games

I know covid times are weird but this was definitely worth stepping out for. You can go 9-12 or 1-4 to go explore. Some exhibts are closed down but most are open. They have plenty of crafts and entertainment for the kids. The facility is very clean. They had staff constantly walking around wiping things down. Plenty of hand sanitizer to make your hands go dry! There werent that many people around so you should be able to see everything in the alotted time. Have fun exploring!

Brought my Residence Life staff here for staff bonding. This museum is just as fun during a global pandemic and the employees were so personable. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun group activity during all this craziness.

Took my 19 month old niece and we had a blast. Currently due to COVID there is limited capacity and some activites are closed because they are too difficult to sanitize, still plenty to do though! The staff is very diligent in sanitizing and wiping surfaces and pieces down. Everyone was wearing masks over 2 years old and social distancing as best as possible.

2 years in a row coming here. Its a big museum and always something to do. Kids have a lot of fun.

Very fun place for kids of different ages. younger age would definitely enjoy the Sesame Street. Older kid would like the Super Hero section. We have spent a full day there and wish we could have stayed longer

Love this place! Loved taking my children here when they were little. Now that the museum has expanded my children are 17 and 18 and still love it and I go for the old style arcade games. It is a bit pricey for a family of 4 and pre-covid it could be so busy that it wasnt a lot of fun but now that attendance is limited it was a great time.

The strong museum of play is a fantastic place to visit. In down town Rochester its a great bargain for all you get. The museum has some great exhibits like the toy hall of fame, reading adventure land, sesame Street, mini Wegmans, pinball hall, the arcade, and for an extra charge the butterfly garden. We had a blast here and loved coming as kids. Many of the museums exhibits also feature information for the older or the interested on the history or science of play. All and all a fantastic day.

A must-see! Arcade room is 10/10, I could stay there all day. Really cute place to bring your kids. Also great date idea: butterfly garden!!! So cute, like pls take me out to the butterfly garden. Thats all I want.

Amazing museum to go to with kids, friends, family, school, or by yourself. I loved as a kids going into the little wegmans, performing on stage, going up the stairs to the dance floor. As an adult my favorite spot is the arcade and playing video games. I highly recommend when you visit Rochester to come here and check it out.

This is a very interesting place where you can spend time with children and even alone.

What an experience! My wife and I had so much fun. The nostalgia this place evokes is unlike anything you could possibly imagine. Theres so much to do and so much to see. The pinball and video game arcades are absolutely amazing and play only costs a quarter per machine! The butterfly garden was as serene and beautiful as you could hope for. We went just the two of us, but we definitely plan to return and bring our three granddaughters.

Our family has the best time! Unfortunately we could only stay 3 hours because of the new covid restrictions, but we would have definitely been able to spend 6 or more hours! We missed half the museum because of this. What we did see, we very much enjoyed. Great for the whole family!

We went for the 1st time today and I must say it was so much fun! (Tons of cleaning, sanitizing and social distancing too!) The museum is huge and we couldnt even see everything! So we will definitely be back!

Large, and very interactive kids museum. Lits to do for kids of all ages. Staff cleaning. Toys and equipement often. Cafeteria closed at present time.

I would highly reccomend the museum! Iwas very impressed with their cleaning regimen these days! I felt safer there germ wise than i ever have. Sad that some of my kids favorite activities were closed but I understand the lack of ability to keep some activities clean Its the most fun my kids have had in months. Totally worth it to have a normal day

Beautiful fun! Clearly a well-cared for museum designed specifically with children in mind. Amazingly friendly staff, it’s always a great time. Long-term exhibits creates familiarity with children while also keeping up with modern characters and technology.

This has been my most favorite part of growing up in rochester! Its changed alot over the years but its even better now! Check out the butterfly exhibit! Such a beautiful place! Very humid inside it though so be prepared!

Weve been before and loved it, this time I was highly disappointed. I called ahead as we live over an hour away, asked if I should go online to make a reservation. I was told absolutely not they were are open for general admission and have been slow and will not sell out. We arrived a little after 11 and were informed that they closed at 12 for a deep clean and we would still need to pay full price to get in and would have to pay full price AGAIN if we wanted to come back at 1. I understand there is a pandemic and they need to clean but I was horrified by this and their customer service. Total waste of a drive, gas and an upset toddler.

Its the museum of PLAY. that tells you everything you need to know. theyre also making an excellent effort during these covid-19 times. well organized, not crowded, at least on a weekday, feels safe.

We have been taking our kids here for years. It’s a fantastic place with something for everyone. The vintage video games are a lot of fun. The kids have always loved the little Wegman’s grocery store. The butterfly exhibit is beautiful. We have had a lot of great memories here. It’s well worth the trip.

Curators from The Strong museum take us on a journey through the rise of home video gaming. The television provided the spark that fueled the inventors of the first home video game consoles, followed by the cartridge, which made video games infinitely expandable. Look back at the moment arcade games came home, the explosion of “Pac-Mania,” and the emergence of the iconic grey box that revived an industry: the Nintendo Entertainment System. Housed at The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, the International Center for the History of Electronic Games collects, preserves, and interprets the history of video games, including thousands of home video games and related materials. This exhibit explores how video games first entered the home.

This place is depressing.Children are discouraged from sharing or playing with each other and also discouraged from touching things that they wont play with for long. Most of the toys/activities have been put away or are blocked off since they would be too difficult to keep sanitized. The employees sanitizing everything after your child touches it makes it feel like their playing is a burden. Worse than that, if no one is around to sanitize items in the played with bucket, then there is nothing for the next kid who comes along. If another kid is waiting to play with something, you cant be polite by having your children move along since that just results in throwing all of the toys in the bucket to be sanitized first. Theres not many people there so it is eerily quiet at times. The monthly exhibit hasnt changed since COVID shut things down. You are limited to a 3 hour visit which would typically feel short but with all of the changes it doesnt feel short at all.As a parent, that is how I felt. The kids still had fun. They noticed many things were missing but it didnt seem to discourage them too much. There was a show in Paychex Theater which was something fun and different to do.While the staff does a great job of keeping stuff clean, I would not recommend it to those concerned about COVID-19. They cant sanitize every wall/railing/prop that gets touched. They also cant prevent another random kid from running up to yours and wrestling away a toy.If COVID restrictions are lifted, Ill update the rating.

This is by far the best experience I’ve had at a children’s museum. It’s was interactive and nostalgic. There was something for everyone. My daughter was able to have a ball, while I traveled down memory lane. We went to Sesame Street, visited the Bernstein Bears, and made believe in a castle. This is a must for anyone looking to create great memories and share an excellent experience with their children.

Very fun and exciting. A full day worth. The only issue is that some of the employees are not that friendly.

This place is so exciting and fun for kids of all ages. You can spend days trying to enjoy all that it has to offer. I would strongly recommend getting a season pass. Even if youre from out of town and can manage a few days in the area to come here, season pass is the way to go. I will definitely be returning again.

Always love the museum. Lots of healthy measures in place during covid to keep everyone safe! Kids can spend hours here exploring.

Excellent museum. I love going here. The place has alot to do and look at. Easily can spend 8hrs here. But most of the time I only go for 4 hrs.

Coming to the Strong in Rochester was an experience I suggest everyone taking a trip up to Rochester or live in the area and havent been, to go. Its a ton of fun, even if it is a little, kid oriented, its cheap and you could spend all day in there just walking around. I highly recommend this place as a place to have fun and relax with family. Its a clean and somewhat quiet place. Also, get the butterfly garden! You wont regret it

Nice place for the kids, there is so much to see and play with. Its really busy most of the time, but the crowds stay fluid and the parking garage is a nice addition. Being a member helps when you have a big family like mine and plan on visiting multiple times a year

I really loved this museum. Perfect for young kids. The entire first floor is geared to them. There are cool activities like the miniature grocery store, a play gym, train ride and so much more. The upstairs is geared more for teens and adults with cool video games, the museum portion, history of toys with a few little kid activities. Washrooms were clean, they had space to buy food or eat your own which was clean and maintained. Staff were friendly. If I didnt have kids I might not rate it quite as high unless you are really into arcade games and the history of toys. But my family loved it and would definitely go again.

What a lovely experience!! No doubt that it’s a great place for kids and their parent adults too. One day is less to experience the entire place. The website saved me for the parking as I was visiting first time after the renovation. They have parking in Howell street next to the museum. I took basic membership to experience our my 8 year old often. Most of the kids love the Wegmens market place. Friendly volunteers helped us. Next time we want to go directly to second floor.. lots of games in there. Everyone loved the Dizzy house :)Play is not a luxury but necessity.. true. May be that’s why few hall of fames makes kid’s toy industry a great opportunity. :)

Great place to go as a family especially if you have young kids. Also great place to come if youre a video game nerd.

Great place to spend the day with the family. Extremely kind and responsive staff.

Great place for kids to take their parents!!! Reasonable prices and a lot to do. Physical activities for kids with high energy and many activities to get kids imaginations to work, including an arcade and a butterfly garden. Good for all ages, something for everyone!

They have been doing such a great job with the social distancing and providing sanitization stations!

GO NOW!!! This is a wow museum for kids 14 and under. A must to visit. We did 5 hours and need it more. Has everything. Place to eat. To reload etc. the best. A must. Love it. This little pics I put is nothing compare to so many thing in there. Tip. Bring some spare change. There are some old school machines second floor good to play. Staff amazing. Place clean and organize. The best.

This place used to be great. Now they follow you around the museum the whole time correcting your children for playing on things they apparently aren’t allowed to play with? No signs? We have been talked to about 6 times. We have been here for a half an hour. There is hardly anyone here It used to be packed!! But I see why no one is returning. Iwe won’t be returning anymore either. Crazy how horrible it got!! Get your shot together strong. You are losing business left and right and it’s your own doing!!

It was my first time to this museum. I took my infant daughter, and to of her aunts with me. It was lovely! The butterfly garden was beautiful and fascinating, and all the exhibits were unlike anything Ive seen before! It went by fast for us because my little one is only 3 months old. I cant wait to take her back when shes older!!

Love coming here. They did a few changes and placed a few new exhibits. This museum is kid friendly and very interactive. There is something here for every child and adult to see and do from the game room to the play rooms. The staff are friendly and helpful. The facility is well maintained.

The Strong Museum of Play has something for everyone! Whether youre a video game junkie, love model making, science, art, literature, or nature, theres an exhibit for you. All ages are covered, with play spaces safe and confined for little ones so they dont get trampled by the bigger kids. Theres a beautiful butterfly garden for a nice slice of nature. Totally recommend. Played with the kids for 6+ hrs and time flew.

This is great for parents and kids. Teenagers probably wouldnt like it. Tons of hands on activities that promote physical play, imagination, and active hands on displays. Weve been there several times, and each time we find more stuff to do. Truly a memory maker kind of place.

This place is truly awesome. Brought my daughter for her 2nd birthday and she had a blast. There really is too many things to do that its tough to list them all. In fact there are so many video games on the second level that I wish I didnt have a 2 year old with me so I could play more. Highly recommend.

This museum is so cool!! Not only do they have a cool exhibit for the butterflies, they have entire secretions dedicated to gaming and its history.I loved the focus on how gender stereotypes were prevalent in gaming and how these have slowly changed over time. It was awesome to learn about the history of it all, and to really put that aspect of it into perspective.

Oh my oh my oh my.It was worth the just under 3 hr drive from Toronto.You have kids then you have to go there. I feel ours were perfect ages at 5 and 8. I would say max 10 would be ideal.And then our generation would enjoy it too as there are a lot of toys and games and just stuff from all different years. All the way from the 20s to the new millennium.They have done such a great job here with the lay out and how interactive everything is.I would highly recommend getting as early as a start as possible so you dont rush through it. There are many areas where the kids stop and play which is great for you to take a seat and rest while they have fun.The pinball and video games section takes tokens to play them. 1 dollar for 5 tokens and all games seem to be just 1 token to play.I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.Go and enjoy.

Great musem for kids. Learned a lot about toys. And the history behind them. My 7 and 9 year old had a blast!

So much to look at we only stayed for only 2 hours and we couldnt see everything. Love the butterfly sanctuary, very hot in there. The kids loved it, so many great plants and flowers in there to look at. Would love to come back and spend more time looking at everything. So much history of toys and toys that were in movies, it was amazing.They have a food court stops at 6pm which we missed because we were looking at everything from top to bottom. Keep kids close thats all I can say.I would definitely recommend anyone to this place for a great adventure and to show young ones what we use to play with when we were Young.

Its always a fun place to go with my friends, especially the pin ball machines. They also practice social distancing very well. An excellent place to bring the kids since everyone is required to wear a mask.

I grew up going to strong museum with older siblings and young nieces and nephews all the time and there is truly something here for everyone!The butterfly exhibit is worth paying to do a least once for those wondering. Really beautiful experience!

This is an amazing place for people of all ages. Kids would absolutely love it!!

A very Fun was to spend the day. Most of the museum is meant for kids under 11, with the exception of all the video games they have, some are free to play others cost a quarter token. Parking is free and the food wasn’t too expensive, or you could bring your own in and eat it in the cafeteria. There is plenty for both boys and girls to do, from Sesame Street to Super Hero no child will be bored at all. For the adults there is a ton of play and toy history, dating back to the 1800’s, which was very interesting and was a great way to relive ones childhood.

Amazing museum for kids, but lots to do for all ages! The video game and pinball areas were fantastic. Lots of fun learning and things to play with. Ill be back, many times. My niece who is 2.5 had a wonderful time.

Always love this place. We come back every summer and this time, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that they are expanding the museum!!! We will definitely be returning next year again.

Great for all ages. Went more for video game hall of fame since was just myself but found fun throughout much of the museum. The pinball room is worth the drive alone.

We had an amazing time at the museum. There is something for all ages of kids to do and our 2 year old had a blast. We didnt the butterfly exhibit and it was beautiful and they had an array of butterflies. The museum was extensive - you could spend all day there. They had a good court available with pizza, taco Bell, subway, and bill Greys. My only complaint was that the people working in the food court werent all that customer service focused. This surprised me in a childrens museum. Overall it was a great experience and we cant wait to go back - we might just bring our own food or go out somewhere.

We love the museum. Theres always something for everyone. This was our first time taking the little through the butterfly garden, an experience Id highly recommend to everyone! Be prepared for it to be very warm and humid as you explore :)

Lots of fun things to do and see! Loved it

So much fun. A lot to do and look at! Definitely worth a visit!!!

Awesome place to go w your kids and have a blast

Well-organized museum of play. Had a great section on Jim Hensons contribution to educational television. Lots of interactive exhibits. Very much a several-hour visit destination. Also had exhibits on the influence of the personal computer on recreation and game play.

We werent too sure what to expect when coming but it blew us away. It was an amazing way to spend a day with our 2 kids and truthfully we enjoyed a lot of what it had to offer for ourselves. The food court and dinner had the typical offerings. We ate at the diner and were not overly impressed with the food or wait time but again, its fast food in a busy place expectations were not high! The exhibits were entertaining, exciting and engaging. The butterfly garden is small but nice! The kids had a great time and in truth it was hard to get them to leave we debated coming back a second day but it was expensive. If you live close by it would be totally worth getting an annual family pass. We will come back again!!

This is a kids paradise. We took our 2 and 5 year old kids and it was well worth the drive down from Toronto. We spent about 4 hours there and Im pretty sure we didnt see everything. In addition there is an amazing butterfly garden which we all enjoyed. This is ticketed separately to the main museum but is well worth it. Highly recommended day out and Im sure well return.

This place is so cool they have a giant statue of a monkey and many exhibits with monkeys in them so cool so many monkeys 11/10 monkeys

Always a fun time, they had sanitation people everywhere. Most of the sanatizer dispensers make a noise that sounds like its dispensing sanatizer but actually dispenses it after, a little annoying. Everyone was wearing their masks which was nice.

Fantastic museum and highly for kids and the kid in all of us. Entry was $16 for adults (we saved a dollar with AAA, so $15) and its definitely worth the price of admission. Between the history of play and games and the expansive and ambitious plans for the next phase of the Strong legacy, the museum of play is a must do in Rochester.We played video games, pinball, saw the butterflies, and generally had a blast as a group of adults with no kiddos in tow. Spent over 3 hours in there.

We had a great time! It was a little tricky (with the construction) finding the new entrance and parking, but next time we will know. We paid extra to visit the butterflies, and it was very cool. My daughter loves shopping in the little Wegmans, and we always eat in the diner. Youll have to pay extra for things like the carousel, pinball games and miniature train ride. The Berenstein Bears section is an awesome place for younger kids to have hands-on fun in a mock restaurant, farm stand, woodworking shop, clubhouse, farm, and more! Overall, a great place to take kids! Youll want to spend a whole day to experience everything. Dont forget to check out the upstairs exhibits of retro toys/games! We will be back!

All our family - children, adults and teens had the greatest pleasure in visiting this museum! Seven hours in a row I couldnt even scratch out my family from this Play!!A full day of play-experience and joy!!Warm recommendation for everyone - kids, teens and adults!

This is a place children of all ages 2-102 would love! The butterfly garden is so whimsical. They have a toy Hall of Fame with lots of video games and pinball machines! $1 gets you 5 tokens and games are 1 token to play. Cant wait to go back!

The place is amazing! My 5 year old and 2 year old spent the whole day running around, playing, discovering, and learning. It was beyond fantastic to see how they interacted with other kids and were able to just be themselves.Every staff we interacted with was friendly, smiled, and truly seemed to enjoy their jobs. We did the butterfly garden this time and it was beautiful inside! The two staff who were there answered questions my wife, kids, and I had. They were the best.It is a bit expensive to go if you arent a member, but there us so much to do and see.

Went with daughter and grandchildren. So much fun and energy in the building. Thought-provoking, memory making and overwhelming reactions from old toys and shows, carousel ride, interactive games, pinball machines to Dragon exhibit and air hockey, dollhouses, displays etc. You gotta take a day & make a day of it.

Im down for anything Positive & educational. The toys are just a plus

The Strong Museum of Play is not just a terrific museum for children. It is a fantastic, well-executed and curated museum that anyone can enjoy - kids or not! Very impressed with their displays. Not just great, top notch among many museums Ive been to. It is an exemplary museum. Whoever is curating and designing the experiences is doing amazing work. The mix of hands on experiences and informative content is the best!

They just keep adding more and more great stuff. Both my 5 year old and 1.5 year old loved it. Crafts, games, puzzles, books. The pretend grocery store. The big play structures. A helicopter with slides. Train tables, Mr potato head tables, doll houses, a tree house, the Beristain Bears house. Arcade games, board games, pinball machines. 123 Sesame Street, Elmos World and Cookie & Gongers truck. So. Much. Stuff. We stayed from open to close and my daughter wanted to go again the next day. The indoor diner has great food too. Well be back for sure.

Great place to take kids! I went with my family including my brothers 5 year old. He loved it and didnt want to leave! We had to carry him out! Also a great place for adults. Lost of neat stuff to look at and you have the opportunity to learn so much! Definitely recommend going!

The strong museum truly is a sorce of fun for the whole family. Im not sure how anyone couldnt love this place I always recommend my friends go anytime I find them traveling through Rochester. The strong museum is place to learn about the history of Play, especially if you think you are too old to play

This was our last time being out before shut down! Strong never disappoints!

This place...I dont have words! Its creative, its kid-friendly, its educational, informative, and it stimulates kids to actually solve problems and express themselves through play. The books placed throughout the museum are there to be checked out and used at home and returned. Its a great way for them to interact with the immediate community! I could spend hours here and never see it all.

We drove an hour and a halfTo get to the museum, so we had high hopes for it. Our first time there surpassed any expectations we had! Our daughter was immediately drawn to the carousel at the entrance. There are different areas for all kinds of play and different themes. The butterfly garden was neat, but overpriced. Plenty of places to get food, or eat your bagged lunch in the cafeteria. The mini Wegmans grocery store is really cool! The Berenstain Bears exhibit always makes me feel nostalgic.

College night was a really fun event! We got the opportunity to be kids again for a night and let our creativity out. The staff was friendly, the place was clean. I would love to go back another time!

An incredible museum dedicated to play and imagination. We spent over 5 hours there and we still could of spent more time. Incredible experience for the kids and the adults as well. I loved each exhibit and really loved that in every room there are books. There is so many hands on activities and dress up areas. It’s fun and interactive. I highly recommend you check it out. I also loved the butterfly exhibit. So magical!

The best place to take the children in Rochester!!! A lot of activities, games to play, mysteries to solve, slides to go down to, birds fish and butterflies! They have it all! Most activities are included in the admission but there are also things that require cash like the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden, the carousel & the train. Not a huge price tag but do take cash with you!

Always fun at the Strong Museum. First time I was by myself. Usually have my niece with me. Thoroughly enjoyed myself even without her being with me.

Lots of exhibits still not open because of coronavirus. Kinda takes away from kids having fun, hopefully things will return to normal again. Gift shop prices way too high also. Bright spots are staff as usual.

This is my kids favorite place to visit! I love it too. The video game section is amazing.

I live in buffalo and will highly suggest the short hour drive to see this awesome museum. Has tons of stuff to do for all ages! I plan on come back soon and many times after!

This is our first time going to Strong Museum...amazing experience my daughter and her friend really enjoyed themselves so much that we are going to become members. Thank you for creating such an amazing and educational experience.

Fun place to go for all ages, reminds me a bit of the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Great place . Always tons to do . Yearly membership well worth it if you plan on going more than once per year. Has several places to eat inside as well. Definitely recommend the arcade upstairs.

With all of the covid precautions, we felt totally safe here with a baby, a toddler and two adults. It was almost empty on a weekday morning, still plenty of fun to be had despite some exhibit changes and closures.

My kids Absolutely love this place! So much fun, they can easily play for hours here. Even as an adult I can play in the arcade and pinball area for days! The historical items reminds me of my childhood. A must see for parents with kids in Rochester and there is a cafeteria with subway, Pizza hut, taco Bell, Bill Grays or bring your own food in which is great if you are on a budget.

Awesome staff with an amazing environment. Got to see the new video game section for the first time and it blew my mind away. Choose many games that I believed to be important to represent too so that also impressed me in my own way.

Great place to take the kids and have a good time

Well worth the money. You can easily make a whole day out of the place. It has a nice blend of playful fun for just and nostalgic interest for adults. My only complaint is that the pinball arcade still requires quarters or tokens, but I understand why they do it. Must go for any family!

My kids love this museum. Spend at least 3 hours on exploring all. If you can spend the whole days, it will be better! They have a small butterflies garden as well!

This is a a museum of imagination and fun which is designed for people below the age of 10. The Only Exception are the video arcade games on the second floor. I was bored silly

I have been to the Strong Museum with my family ever since I was little. It is an amazing place to enjoy!

An amazing place to bring your kid for the day. My son is picky about pretty much everything but this place always seems to keep him used for long periods of time. My one tip would be definitely get the membership if you can hit this place once a week or more. The value becomes absolutely incredible. The staff is tentative and nice and the facilities are very clean and well-kept.

Im from Michigan and this was my first time visiting. I loved it! Sadly my child was only 8 months so she couldnt interact with everything but her, my wife and I all had a blast. The perk to her being so little is she was free but even with my wife and I paying full price I would say it was definitely worth it. The variety and the amount of care that went into each exhibit is extraordinary and as a nerd seeing the history of a lot of games (particularly video games and the influence of women in games) was very refreshing and not something that gets a lot of attention. Beautiful place and Im very happy to see that they are expanding. Ill definitely be making a visit when the little one is old enough to enjoy the museum to the fullest. So fun!

Be it adult or child, all ages can go here and find something to enjoy! If you haven’t gone in the last 7+ years ...take some time, grab a friend and go! See all that has changed and remained the same.