Video game museums

What is a video game museum?

When you think of a museum, you immediately imagine wide aisles where you can wander through prestigious paintings and imposing sculptures, surrounded by tourists. But how do you adapt this to video games, a digital medium designed for the (very) small screen?

First and foremost, the role of a video game museum is to preserve the history of video games. In the same way as a library or media library, a video game museum is above all a place where not only the games themselves are preserved, but also consoles, arcade terminals, computers and other video game accessories, as well as the merchandising and marketing tools used to promote these works.

Even though this art form has now spread beyond arcades and trade fairs to be followed by millions of people around the world, it is often initiatives driven by enthusiasts and collectors (for it is often they who give rise to these spaces), as in the case of the Video Game Museum, recently opened on the outskirts of Paris.

Finally, a video game museum is also (most of the time) a place where you can use and consume this art, through emulators or by practising on the original games themselves. It’s a way of perpetuating this history while sharing it with younger generations of gamers.

The main video game museums in the world

Not to be missed: The Nintendo Museum

Launched in 2021 and open to the public since October 2024, the Nintendo Museum in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, is a temple dedicated to the Japanese brand behind the Game Boy, Wii and Switch. Not forgetting, of course, its heroes, from Mario to Luigi, and its cult consoles and accessories.

It’s a place of conservation and discovery, as visitors will have the chance to get to grips with some of Nintendo’s flagship technologies, as well as discovering new ways of playing through an interactive exhibition where you pay… in Mario tokens, of course.

Make sure you book your ticket well in advance, though, as the museum is always full. As well as the permanent exhibitions, the museum is also closely linked to Nintendo news, and organises numerous events. To find out more about these and to book your tickets, visit their website, available in both Japanese and English.

The best known: The National Videogame Museum

Opened in 2016 in the small town of Frisco, Texas, this temple to video games boasts an impressive collection ranging from the beginnings of video games to the 2020s, as well as the great moments that have marked the history of this industry. The added bonus: some of these consoles have been put back into context in rooms decorated for the occasion in the style of their decade. It’s a real hunt for the easter eggs of video game history. Finally, like all good video game museums, a whole series of games are available to the public, including a giant Pong , which is undoubtedly one of the museum’s most popular attractions.

Find out more here.

There is also a National Game Museum in the Netherlands, which is just as interesting and perhaps easier to visit. Opened in 2017, this museum offers a collection area, as well as games to try out, and a focus on technologies that may well be those of tomorrow’s industry.

Find out more here.

The most complete: The Museum of Play

Just a few kilometres from Niagara Falls in the north-east of the United States, the city of Rochester is home to the largest collection dedicated to the history of video games. The International Centre for Game History (ICHEG) houses over 60,000 games, consoles, accessories, boxes and other publications relating to the history of video games, making this institute a unique place. These collections include not only games, but also documents belonging to renowned game designers such as Ralph Baer, one of the fathers of video games, as well as archives from companies such as Atari, Sierra and other big names in the video game industry. Resources available to academics and enthusiasts alike who want to delve into this fascinating history.

The ICHEG is also home to several exhibition areas grouped together under the name Museum of Play, including a Hall of Fame featuring the games and consoles that have marked the history of video games. The museum is visited by almost half a million people every year. For more information , click here.

The biggest arcade: Funspot

Established in 1952 near Laconia, north of Boston, Funspot was recognised in 2008 as the world’s largest arcade by the Guinness Book of Records. It’s an impressive place, with almost 600 arcade machines, as well as a bowling alley, indoor mini-golf course and many other entertainment areas. On the third floor of this building is the American Classic Arcade Museum, with nearly 250 arcade machines, most of which (according to the people in charge of this non-profit museum) are playable. Note, however, that you won’t find any machines released after 1989 on this floor, as the classic approach is the rule.

For more information , click here.

The most unusual: the Museum of Soviet Arcades, Moscow

Have you ever wondered what the video game industry was like in the former Soviet Union? We haven’t either. And yet the landscape was very different, and so were the arcades. Founded in 2007 by a group of young engineers who graduated from Moscow University, this unusual museum invites you to take the controls of these little-known games, all playable, in a delightfully vintage and unusual atmosphere. It’s a plunge back into the 1970s, right down to the smallest detail: all these terminals work with 15-kopek coins. It’s the perfect way to rediscover the joy of tinkling before a frenzied game.

Find out more here.

The most eagerly awaited: Odyssée, in France

More than just a place dedicated to the history of video games, the Musée Odyssée aims to be a crossroads for pop culture, gaming and the creative industries. On the one hand, there’s a museum built around a collection of consoles that belonged to one of the co-founders, and on the other, a 1,500 square metre Gaming Arena that the project’s founders want to use for shows, concerts, screenings and, of course, eSport tournaments. The project raised over two million euros in its first round of crowdfunding, and is due to open in 2028. Covering more than 11,000 m2, Odyssée is set to become the largest sanctuary dedicated to the preservation and conversation of videogame heritage. You can follow the news of this ambitious museum here.

What can you see in a video game museum?

As you will have gathered, a video game museum is first and foremost a collection, put back into context, that allows you to retrace the major stages in the development of video games and consoles from their first appearance to the present day. Most of these museums also offer playable video games, either through arcade terminals or games consoles available to the public, to attract the curious and gamers of all generations.

For anyone wishing to train in the design, development and production of video games, understanding the challenges inherent in this medium is essential before embarking on this demanding and highly skilled profession, where technical mastery and boundless creativity always go hand in hand.