The Strong National Museum of Play is opening its 90,000-square-foot expansion – with the world’s largest, playable Donkey Kong arcade machine – on 30 June.
Based in Rochester, New York, the Strong’s expansion features more than 24,000 square feet of exhibit space dedicated to electronic games.
“The Strong is putting Rochester, NY back on the map as a top destination for family fun and for gamers of all ages,” said Steve Dubnik, president and CEO of the Strong.
“We can’t wait for guests to experience the magic of play even more and immerse themselves in our new exhibits.”
The museum’s immersive gaming exhibit, called ESL Digital Worlds, has two video game areas – Level Up and High Score.
Visitors can create their own avatars and enjoy challenges and puzzle-solving quests. They will also learn about the video game industry.
The Hasbro Game Park is an outdoor exhibit inspired by classic board games and featuring a fire-breathing dragon from Dungeons & Dragons and a chrome Scottie from Monopoly.
The huge Donkey Kong arcade game will be around 370 percent bigger than the original. The museum is working with Nintendo on the project.
The expansion project “has been years in the making and reflects the Strong’s commitment to exploring the power of play and its influence on our development and culture”, Dubnik added.
Immersive gaming exhibits
“We’re proud to offer guests of all ages a unique and playful experience that they will never forget.”
In addition to the new exhibits, the Strong’s expansion includes a welcome area and gift shop, and a connection to the new parking garage.
The Strong‘s expansion is part of the wider Neighborhood of Play transformation in Rochester, which also offers residential and retail spaces, and a video game-themed restaurant.
Following the opening later this year, the museum expects annual attendance to increase from highs of 600,000 guests to nearly one million visitors by 2026.
