The transformational expansion project will add a 90,000sq ft wing that will be the centrepiece of the all-new Neighbourhood of Play,
The second phase of The Strong’s expansion, designed by CJS Architects and managed by LeChase Construction Services, includes the new museum wing, an outdoor play exhibit inspired by board games, a gateway building (connecting the parking garage with the expanded museum building), and an outdoor plaza area with playful sculptures and other elements.
The new wing will house two massive exhibits dedicated to the ways that video games and technology change how we play called ESL Federal Credit Union Digital Worlds, as well as a new, state-of-the-art welcome atrium and admissions area. Within Digital Worlds will be a new home for the internationally recognized World Video Game Hall of Fame and space to tell the stories of underrepresented groups in the video game industry.
The project is supported by the $60M Powered by Play: A Campaign for The Strong and has received significant support through New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative, which was key to beginning the project, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and National Endowment for the Humanities. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2023 and draw an additional 400,000 guests to the museum and region by 2026.
