The National Videogame Museum (NVM) is the UK’s only museum dedicated to video games, celebrating 50 years of gaming history and culture. Featuring over 100 playable exhibits, from retro arcade machines to modern consoles, the museum preserves 5,000 gaming artefacts for future generations. Run by the British Games Institute (BGI), it educates the public about the art, science, and technology of video games.
Relocating from Nottingham to Sheffield in 2018, the NVM has welcomed over 250,000 visitors, including school groups, and survived challenges such as the 2020 pandemic with the support of donors and the gaming community. During this period, it launched its first online exhibition, Animal Crossing Diaries, highlighting players’ experiences during lockdown, and developed award-winning online activities for children.
Since reopening, the NVM has grown into a destination attraction, with 60% of visitors travelling to Sheffield specifically for the museum. Recent initiatives include the Next Level project, empowering women of colour to enter game creation, and Level Up, engaging communities with pop-up exhibitions and volunteer opportunities. Its galleries continue to evolve, with exhibitions like The Art of Play, funded by Art Fund and Arts Council England, showcasing the creativity behind UK-made games.
In 2023, the NVM expanded its outreach, visiting communities across Yorkshire to discuss gaming culture and history. The museum also hosted its third annual Games Careers Week, promoting diverse career pathways in the games industry, aligning with its mission: videogames are for everyone, forever.
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