ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The world’s most famous toys and the people who created them are being honored together for the first time at the new Toy Halls of Fame opening at The Strong Museum in Rochester.
The $4 million exhibit unveiled Thursday puts the National Toy Hall of Fame, which most recently inducted the Rubik’s Cube, little green Army men and bubbles, alongside the Toy Industry Hall of Fame, whose 2014 honorees included the founders of Wham-O, the company behind the Frisbee, Silly String and the Slip n’ Slide.
Museum officials hope the combined exhibit will attract an additional 40,000 visitors each year.
“The Strong Museum just got even stronger as a tourist draw for the region by adding the phenomenal Toy Halls of Fame exhibit,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the unveiling.
The 5,000-sqauare-foot exhibit opened to the public on Saturday.
The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 and inducts a slate of toys each year, 56 to date. The Toy Industry Hall of Fame was established in 1985 by the Toy Industry Association and inducts about two people per year. Its current roster is 71.