A young boy is enchanted by a monarch butterfly at the Strong - National Museum of Play.

You've heard of museums for art, history, war, even sports -- but a museum for play?

The Strong -- National Museum of Play is dedicated to all aspects of kids' play, from an enormous toy archive to comprehensive collections of children's books, dolls, doll houses and at least 500,000 play-related artifacts.

The museum first opened in Rochester, N.Y. -- approximately one hour from Buffalo and three hours from Toronto -- in the 1960s mainly as a toy archive. It closed recently for renovation and re-opened in July following a $37-million expansion that doubled the museum's space and secures it as the first in the world of its size devoted to the study and interpretation of play.

Aimed at kids of all ages -- including grown up ones -- the museum is akin to a giant playground, exploring virtually every aspect of children's amusement.

The newly built Reading Adventureland is similar to a giant pop-up book, with three-dimensional exhibits based on great children's literature.

Fairy Tale Forest, for example, has a giant beanstalk, a troll bridge, Cinderella's pumpkin coach, a fairy tale cottage, an old lady's shoe, and the emperor's new clothes.

Adventure Island has a beach, caves and a hidden treasure.

The Upside-down Nonsense House is filled with fun rhymes, tongue twisters, silly food (green eggs and ham) and mirror illusions.

There are books everywhere, and spots for families to stop and catch up on their favourite tales.

The museum's new Field of Play has a slew of play stations -- interactive media sites where kids can play games like hockey and volleyball. There's a giant kaleidoscope kids can walk through and create their own patterns, a rock wall to climb, and a slanted house that challenges your perspective.

Also new is a butterfly garden -- a glass-enclosed haven for thousands of North American butterflies that features a waterfall and live foliage -- and the revamped National Toy Hall of Fame, home to hundreds of toys experts have deemed classic.

Also of interest is the museum's new architecture, which includes a building resembling a giant pile of blocks. The butterfly garden is shaped like a butterfly's wings in flight, and a caterpillar-like structure connects the old buildings with the new.

Admission to the Strong -- National Museum of Play starts at $7 US for kids and $9 US for adults. There's an extra charge ($3 US) for the butterfly garden and visitors interested in exploring the garden are advised to call ahead to make a reservation.

While the museum is dedicated to the young and the young at heart, kids aged two to 12 will get the most from a visit. There's a list of local accommodation and restaurants on the museum's website. A family could easily spend an entire day exploring the facility.

Two girls prepare to play in Cinderella's pumpkin carriage.

For more information on the newly reopened Strong -- National Museum of Play, call 585-263-2700 or visit museumofplay.org.