August 17, 2006
For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Trien, 585-410-6359, strien@museumofplay.org
Strong National Museum of Play®
Awarded Prestigious IMLS Grant
ROCHESTER, N.Y. —Thanks to a grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Strong National Museum of Play® will begin the process of cataloging its recently acquired Stephen and Diane Olin Toy Catalog Collection of approximately 8,000 toy catalogs and other toy-related materials. The $107,098 Museums for America grant will help Strong ready the collection for internal use and present the cataloged collection as a resource for research purposes worldwide. In doing so, the museum will establish an internal model for handling and making accessible other collections of two-and three-dimensional materials, some of which the museum already holds and others it expects to receive through future donations.
“IMLS grants continue to be an important resource for funding critical ‘behind-the-scenes’ activities that may not receive much public attention but are critical to our mission as a museum,” said Strong president and CEO G. Rollie Adams. According to Adams, the project is fundamentally important given Strong’s standing as the National Museum of Play®; repository of the world’s largest collection of toys, dolls, games, and other play-related artifacts; and home of the National Toy Hall of Fame®. The Olin Collection is the only collection of its type in the world and a significant addition to Strong’s world-renowned collection of play-related artifacts. Said Adams, “The collection’s true value as a resource for illuminating American social history will be fully realized only after it is cataloged and made available both internally and externally for research purposes.”
IMLS fielded 448 proposals for funding and 177 grant awards were made. This is Strong’s second consecutive Museums for America grant. A previous grant of $150,000 helped to fund the museum’s Reading Adventureland exhibit, which opened in July.
“Museums for America grants help strengthen museum service in communities across the United States,” said Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “These awards will support hundreds of hands-on educational programs, the digitization of thousands of objects in museum collections, and exciting ventures using new technology. Museums will use these funds to advance community partnerships; spur cultural tourism; and support classroom teachers with educational curriculum, training and much more.”
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to grow and sustain a “Nation of Learners” because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success. Through its grant making, convenings, research, and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first century skills, and increase civic participation To learn more about the Institute, please visit http://www.imls.gov.
Strong National Museum of Play®, located in downtown Rochester, New York, is the only museum in the world devoted to the study of play as it illuminates American popular culture.
Hours (Beginning September 5, 2006):
Monday–Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.;
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Sunday, 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.
Admission Fees
General Admission (does not include Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™):
Adults $9.00; Seniors $8.00; Children (2–17) $7.00; Children younger than two free; Strong members free.
Admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™:
General Admission fee plus $3.00 per person for members and nonmembers; Children younger than two free.
Due to limited capacity, entry to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden™ is by timed tickets only. Advance purchase is recommended. Please call 585-263-2700 to purchase timed tickets.