Celebrating Juneteenth

The Community Foundation provided a $10,000 grant to The Strong National Museum of Play to offer free admission and parking on Juneteenth (Saturday, June 19). More than 3,500 people took advantage of the free day, with one-third of those in attendance being new visitors.

Performances and activities were planned by the museum in collaboration with the Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and promoted and honored Black history and culture. They included tales passed down through generations told by the Blackstorytelling League of Rochester, performances by the YMCA Dreamseeds Jazz Band, and a community-created mural. Displays by local Black-owned businesses were sprinkled throughout the museum and guests could take a self-guided Black History Artifact tour.