The Strong Museum Opens “The Force at Play” Exhibit on June 11, 2016

The Strong Museum in Rochester, NY will be opening a new Star Wars display on June 11th. Titled The Force at Play, the exhibit will showcase action figures and toys from the original 1978 Kenner line through more modern releases.

The Force at Play Exhibit
Opens June 11
at The Strong Museum

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…one movie helped to change play history. Learn about the revolutionary impact of the Star Wars franchise on play and playthings at The Force at Play—a companion exhibit to Rockets, Robots, and Ray Guns—opening atThe Strong museum on Saturday, June 11.

Explore the evolution of the beloved franchise and view dozens of artifacts from The Strong’s collections, including the first 12 Kenner Star Wars action figures, an original movie poster, and early advertising for Star Wars toys. Check out an intricate diorama of Star Wars characters and vehicles depicting a battle between the Rebel Alliance and Empire. See how Star Wars inspired other playthings, including a variety of LEGO toys, and play with Mr. Potato Head’s evil counterpart—Darth Tater!

Take on the Dark Side and immerse yourself in the fantastic video game realms that Star Wars inspired through the decades. Play arcade classics, such as Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, and modern games like Star Wars Battlefront.  Jump in the cockpit and try to take down the original Death Star or save the ice planet Hoth in the interactive Star Wars Battle Pod.

View videos of children incorporating Star Wars into their play. Explore artifacts cases with a range of branded costumes, lightsabers, and other toys used to bring the movies to life through play. Beware the large-scale X-Wing and TIE Fighter models overhead throughout the exhibit!

The exhibit is produced by The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. It remains on view through September 5, 2016, and is included in general museum admission fees.

Please note: Playable machines in The Force at Play require purchased tokens. Money collected from the sale of tokens helps maintain these original artifacts.