The UK’s only permanent videogame museum opens this Saturday in Sheffield.
The National Videogame Museum (NVM) hosts scores of playable consoles and arcade machines, with classics such as Space Invaders and Pacman available for visitors to geek out on.
What’s more, you can leave your change at home because, as the museum proudly states, you pay once and play all day.
Button bashers: The National Videogame Museum, pictured, hosts scores of playable consoles and arcade machines, with classics such as Space Invaders and Pacman available for guests to geek out on
NVM promises innovative exhibitions of studios, their games and information on how they’re made, as well as cultural festivals, clubs for kids and parents, and a ‘host of events’.
The exhibitions, it says, will ‘reach back to the industry’s birth and forward to games still in development’.
It added: ‘Following an acclaimed run in Nottingham as the National Videogame Arcade, the new museum will build on a pedigree of strong review scores, consecutive TripAdvisor awards and 50,000 visitors a year.’
NVM promises innovative exhibitions of studios, their games and information on how they’re made, as well as cultural festivals, clubs for kids and parents, and a ‘host of events’
‘We’ve always tried to do more than just put out games for people to play’, said Iain Simons, Culture Director of the BGI, which runs the NVM.
‘In our dynamic new space, we’re bringing videogame creators into the Museum to meet their players, showing visitors what games mean and responding to our community’s requests and ideas for new exhibits.
‘Following the success of previous exhibitions featuring Football Manager, Dizzy and Monument Valley, the Museum is working with games companies to create new, more ambitious shows.
‘We’re delighted to launch a test lab with Boneloaf’s Gang Beasts and we’re talking to publishers and developers about showcasing their work to our broad audience.’
Kath Bidwell, founder of State of Play Games, said: ‘I’m really excited about the launch of the National Videogame Museum at its brand new home at the heart of Sheffield city centre.
‘The games industry is fantastically creative and culturally significant and now we have a great place to celebrate and embrace that.’
NVM Patron and BGI Chair, Ian Livingstone CBE, said: ‘The NVM is the games industry’s own museum, celebrating our games, our studios and our sector’s achievements over 40 years.
‘I invite anyone who cares about the cultural life of video games to join leaders from across the industry and support this amazing project with content, evangelism and funding to help expand the programme in the years to come.’
Entry is £8.50 for children and £10.50 for adults if booked online. Under 5’s go free.