The National Toy Hall of Fame is a U.S. hall of fame that recognizes the contributions of toys and games that have sustained their popularity for many years. Criteria for induction include: icon status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered); longevity (more than a passing fad); discovery (fosters learning, creativity, or discovery); and innovation (profoundly changed play or toy design).[1] Established in 1998 under the direction of Ed Sobey, it was originally housed at A. C. Gilbert's Discovery Village in Salem, Oregon, United States, but was moved to the Strong National Museum of Play (now The Strong) in Rochester, New York, in 2002 after it outgrew its original home.
National Toy Hall of Fame
Entrance to The Strong, location of the Toy Hall of Fame
As of 2023, eighty-five (85) toys have been enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame:
Original inductees (1998-99)edit
The original inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame were announced in November 1999. Students from nearby Willamette University protested (good-naturedly) when they learned that Mr. Potato Head and Barbie's friend Ken were not included.[2]
This year's selections were chosen from a field of 34 nominations by a panel of educators and civic leaders that included Sharon Kitzhaber, wife of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber.[3] Nominees rejected for the honor this year included G.I. Joe, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the soccer ball, Beanie Babies, the baseball glove and the cap gun.[3]
Both children and adults created a list of 82 nominees over the past year. A national panel of distinguished educators and civic leaders choose two toys for induction this year.[4]
Finalists included: Atari 2600, Big Wheel tricycle, Cabbage Patch Kids, Clue, Easy-Bake Oven, Hot Wheels, Lionel trains, Little People, Magic 8 Ball, and Wiffle ball. The cardboard box was inducted without nomination.[12]
Finalists included: Atari Game System, Big Wheel tricycle, Lite-Brite, Little People, Hot Wheels, Operation skill game, Pez candy dispenser, the rubber duck, the skateboard, and Twister.[13]
Class of 2007edit
Atari 2600 four-switch "wood veneer" version; the original 2600 had six switches
Raggedy Ann meets Raggedy Andy for the first time; illustrated by Johnny Gruelle
The stick: Curators praised the stick for its all-purpose, no-cost, recreational qualities, noting its ability to serve either as raw material or an appendage transformed in myriad ways by a child's creativity.
Finalists included: Clue, the dollhouse, Flexible flyer sleds, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Rubik's Cube, Thomas the Tank Engine, Wiffle ball, and Yahzee. The stick was inducted without nomination.[19]
Finalists included: Cabbage Patch Kids, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, the paper airplane, playing cards, Rubik's Cube, sidewalk chalk, the toy tea set, and Transformers action figures.[21]
Finalists included: Corn Popper, Clue, Lite-Brite, little green army men, Magic 8 Ball, the pogo stick, sidewalk chalk, Simon, the toy tea set, and Twister.[27]
Finalists included: American girl dolls, Hess toy trucks, Little People, My Little Pony dolls, Operation skill game, the paper airplane, pots and pans, Slip 'n' Slide, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures.[31]
Finalists included: Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox model cars, My Little Pony dolls, PEZ candy dispensers, play food, Risk, sand, Transformers action figures, and Uno.[37]
In addition, the Strong highlighted several frequent past finalists as part of a public-driven Forgotten Five vote to induct a fourth toy. Nominees included: Corn Popper, My Little Pony dolls, PEZ candy dispensers, pogo sticks, and Transformers action figures.[50]
^ abcstaff (2006-11-09). "Hall of Famers: Easy-Bake, Lionel". Playthings. Archived from the original on 2007-06-19. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^Vader, J.E. (1999-11-01). "Where the Toys Are". VIA Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2008-02-14. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ ab"New inductees to Toy Hall of Fame". Cable News Network. Associated Press. 2000-03-23. Archived from the original on March 19, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^ ab"Tonka to be Inducted Into National Toy Hall of Fame; Hasbro Brand Honored for its Rich Tradition of Creating Durable and Fun Vehicles". Business Wire. CNET. 2001-03-28. Archived from the original on 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^ ab"Raggedy Ann Inducted in National Toy Hall of Fame". Raving Toy Maniac. 2002-03-27. Archived from the original on 2008-07-20. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"View-Master Inducted into National Toy Hall of Fame". 3-D Review Online Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"GI JOE and SCRABBLE Honored with Induction into National Toy Hall of Fame". Business Wire. 2004-11-12. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame® Final Nominees Announced by Strong Museum in Rochester, NY". web.archive.org. 2004-12-17. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^Elliot, Debbie (2005-11-19). "An Underdog Favorite Makes Toy Hall of Fame". All Things Considered. National Public Radio. Archived from the original on 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"Cardboard box added to Toy Hall of Fame". USA Today. Associated Press. 2005-11-12. Archived from the original on 2012-02-04. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame® Final Nominees Announced by Strong Museum in Rochester, NY". web.archive.org. 2006-05-24. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame Final Nominees Announced" (Press release). Strong National Museum of Play. 2006-09-15. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^Dobbin, Ben (2007-11-08). "Atari 2600, Raggedy Andy, Kite Enshrined". ABC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 10, 2007. Retrieved 2008-02-24.
^"Toy Hall of Fame Welcomes Atari 2600, the Kite and Raggedy Andy". Fox News. Associated Press. 2007-11-08. Archived from the original on 2008-01-12. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"Raggedy Andy Reunited with Raggedy Ann in the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York". Raggedy Land. Playthings. 2007-11-08. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
^"Strong National Museum of Play®". web.archive.org. 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"Stick, skateboard, Baby Doll enter Toy Hall of Fame". CNN.com. Archived from the original on 2008-11-08. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame 2010 Nominees | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2010-10-08. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"Three toys inducted into Hall of Fame". Rochester Business Journal. Rochester, New York. November 10, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame 12 Toy Finalists Announced | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"Toy Hall of Fame avoids the Dark Side, inducts 'Star Wars' action figures". MercuryNews.com. November 15, 2011. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
^"National Toy Hall Announces 2012 Toy Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"Chess, rubber duck join Toy Hall of Fame - Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information". Archived from the original on 2015-01-09. Retrieved 2013-11-07.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame 2013 Toy Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2013-11-23. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"2014 National Toy Hall of Fame Inductees Announced". 5 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
^"Meet the 2014 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2015-09-06. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^"Three toys are new inductees to National Toy Hall of Fame - Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-05.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals 12 Toy Finalists for 2015 | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
^Waxman, Olivia B. "These Toys Were Just Inducted Into the National Toy Hall of Fame". Time. Archived from the original on 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2016-11-11.
^"Meet the 2016 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2017-01-03. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Clue, Wiffle Ball, Paper Airplane Enter Toy Hall of Fame".
^"Meet the 2017 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Magic 8 Ball, Uno, pinball inducted into Toy Hall of Fame". Associated Press. 8 November 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
^"Meet the 2018 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2019-03-03. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^Williams, David (8 November 2019). "Matchbox Cars, coloring books and Magic: The Gathering just made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame". CNN. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
^"Care Bears, Matchbox cars, Nerf blasters and smart phones among 2019 finalists for National Toy Hall of Fame - CNN". web.archive.org. 2019-10-02. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Pioneering Black doll Baby Nancy enters Toy Hall of Fame". Associated Press. November 5, 2020. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals 2020 Toy Finalists - The Strong Museum of Play". web.archive.org. 2021-10-24. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Inducted Toys". Archived from the original on 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
^"Meet the 2021 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists | The Strong". web.archive.org. 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Top, Lite-Brite, Masters of the Universe in toy hall of fame". Associated Press. 10 November 2022. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
^"Meet the 2022 National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists - The Strong National Museum of Play". web.archive.org. 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"Fans push Fisher-Price Corn Popper into toy HOF, with NERF, Cabbage Patch Kids, baseball cards". Associated Press. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
^"Meet the 2023 Finalists for the National Toy Hall of Fame - The Strong National Museum of Play". web.archive.org. 2024-01-27. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
^"National Toy Hall of Fame to Induct Fourth Inductee - The Strong National Museum of Play". web.archive.org. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
External linksedit
Official website
Raggedy Ann Inducted in the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2002