5 Video Game Museums (Yes, They Exist)

One of the favorite pastimes of the people today is games. Whether online or offline, children, teens, and adults alike partake in battling monsters, exploring caves, designing buildings and space machines, or just enjoying a game or two of good ol’ bingo on indexonline.org. As unlikely as it may seem, games like these have been around for a while and have a fascinating history. Some of this history is preserved in museums dedicated to the video game culture and we have made a small list of these museums for you to enjoy.

The National Videogame Arcade

Nestled in Nottingham, UK, this museum hosts various events, lectures, and presentations about the history of the arcade machines. You may not remember, but some of your parents or grandparents might be familiar with the concept of going into a building, depositing a coin into a tall machine, and having a go at beat-them ups, foosball, and pinball. The building boasts not one, not two, but three whole floors of playable games and you can even host your own birthday party here.

The Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

The Russians also had their own arcade games, and you can see what they came up with in the 70s. It was founded in 2007 and, originally, you could enjoy their 30-something games once a week. The number of machines slowly increased, as the founders and owners scour the landfills and contact the collectors in their quest for the Soviet digital gold. It is worth noting that some of these games were copies of the western games, but it is still a worthwhile endeavor to see and play them. The museum now has several branches and thousands of people come every year to see the games or attend one of their events.

The Miraikan

Also known as the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Japan, this museum is not concerned only with the games that once were. In fact, video games are just a small part of their exhibits and events. The museum is focused on the emerging technologies and breakthroughs in science and video games are a significant part of their interest. There are over a hundred games you could have played as a part of their GAME ON: Why are video games so interesting exhibition in 2016. We are yet to see if there is going to be a similar exhibition in their building, but we have no doubt that the market will grant us this desire in the future as well.

The Nostalgia Box

The Aussies also don’t disappoint with their take on preserving video game history. The Nostalgia Box is one of the youngest video game museums in the world, as it was founded in 2015. If you book your tickets online you can avoid the crowds the next time you visit Perth, Western Australia. There are decades and decades of games available, from the classics in the 70s to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. They will show you the history of gaming, as the exhibits are set up in chronological order.

Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment

The MADE is the last museum on this, admittedly, somewhat arbitrary, list. Located in Oakland, California, it features playable games, workshops, and regular tournaments in games like Super Smash Bros. The people running the show are already familiar with the video game culture – they are designers, journalists, and programmers.