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The Strong museum makes changes as part of expansion work

museumofplay.org

The big expansion project at The Strong museum will mean some changes to how people access that facility starting on Tuesday.

The museum will have a new, temporary entrance,with all visitors having to enter the museum through the Howell Street entrance.

Strong Museum spokesman Shane Rhinewald it’s all part of the multi-year expansion plan.

“So the front of the museum is where the new welcome atrium will go, and that new 90,000 square foot space. So, in order  that we can break ground on that we have to temporarily relocate to the back of the museum and that will be the new front.” Rhinewald explained.

The new garage at the Strong Museum will be completed later this year. In the meantime, Rhinewald says the first two floors of that garage will be available free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis through the end of this year.

He says that the new wing, “will be done by  the summer of 2022…so the build on that will start early next year and then the entire Neighborhood of Play, other projects that are complementary happening around us, will also all be completed by 2022,” Rhinewald said.

The expansion includes new space for the World Video Hall of Fame, and there will be related projects including a new hotel, retail and housing in that area.

Museum officials estimate the expansion will attract up to 400,000 new visitors each year, and they say it’s estimated the project will have a more than $130 million economic impact for Rochester.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.