New York's Strong National Museum of Play has become one of the most important organisations in the world when it comes to celebrating the legacy of interactive entertainment and educating people about the history and impact of video games, but it sadly isn't immune from the financial turmoil currently being enacted by President Donald Trump.
Last month, the museum learned that two of its federal grants had been terminated by Executive Orders: one from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the other from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
"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." explains The Strong Museum in a statement.
As a result, the museum is now asking for help from the community. "If you value the power of play and the impact The Strong has in our community and beyond, we need your help now more than ever. Please consider supporting The Strong and sharing this email with others in your network. Gifts of all sizes will make a difference as we work to close this unexpected funding gap."
The museum—which also runs the World Video Game Hall of Fame, an initiative that recognises the influence and impact of video games and admits new entries each year—"explores the ways in which play encourages learning, creativity, and discovery and how it illuminates cultural history." It was founded in 1968 by Margaret Woodbury Strong as "The Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum of Fascination.”
If you'd like to support this amazing organisation, you can make a donation here.