Kids, parents enjoy new exhibits at the Strong Museum of Play

ROCHESTER — After two weeks of moving, cleaning, planting and planning, the Strong Museum of Play is finally ready to show off its new exhibits. The Digital Worlds wing houses three brand new (mostly) high-tech exhibits highlighting video games. Families whom News10NBC talked to came from as far as California to enjoy the museum.

Koryn Jackson holds a membership to the museum, and was chaperoning her 10-year-old daughter and a friend around.

“Oh, it’s amazing,” Jackson said about the new exhibit. “We planned this as a play date for many weeks, so it’s highly anticipated, we’re loving it, can’t wait to get outside in the front.”

In the exhibit High Score, kids can go back in time and play the games their parents used to love.

“So far we’ve gone into the arcade and its been amazing,” Jose Ramirez said. He and his wife Rebecca Ramirez had three kids running around, and their fourth on Rebecca’s back. All five of them said they were enjoying the museum.

“We’ve seen Pac-Man, Tetris, not Tetris … Centipede, I played Street Fighter. We saw the Atari exhibits, we love these awesome statues and stuff,” he said.

They came up from Fort Drum, N.Y. to visit The Strong for the first time. But they are already making plans to come back.

“I think we’re probably having more fun than them right now,” Jose said, laughing.

Over in Level Up, guests can create their own avatar. Using a wristband to track their progress, they can use that avatar to play all kinds of digital or physical games.

“I’ve been playing the downward legend and button master, and I think its really fun,” 12-year-old Cameron Dinse said. “I made my avatar, and I think its really cool that you’re going to be able to experience video games.”

Whether attendees were four or 54, everyone at The Strong left with a smile.

“I’m just excited that you know, the funds are here for this, I think Rochester deserves it,” Jackson said. “It was already an amazing museum.”

The Strong will be open at 9 a.m. Saturday for members, and resumes normal hours moving forward.