14-05-2025
Strong Museum of Play faces $500K shortfall from funding cuts
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Strong National Museum of Play said two federal grants were terminated by Executive Orders 'associated with shifting federal spending priorities.'
In a newsletter sent out Tuesday, Vice President for Collections and Chief Curator Chris Bensch said the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and Institute of Museum and Library Services, which provides nearly half a million dollars, were terminated suddenly.
'These sudden terminations have left the museum with an unprecedented half-million dollar shortfall for projects designed to serve children, families, researchers, and scholars — including a critical collections care initiative and a new, one-of-a-kind exhibit dedicated to exploring the history and cultural impact of game shows.'
The Strong credits the grants to have helped develop new exhibits and initiatives, and are asking for the public's help to 'sustain core museum programs in the face of losing future federal funding opportunities.'
On Tuesday, New York Attorney Letitia James won a court order stopping the Trump administration from dismantling three federal agencies — including IMLS.
News 8 asked The Strong if the court order would change funding impacts, to which a spokesperson said, 'We haven't received any communication about how this court order might affect our canceled grants, and we're just starting to research and try to understand its implications.'
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