Game On
29 Jun - 3 Nov 2024
Special Exhibition Gallery, Level 3
Tickets now on sale
National Museums Scotland Members Free
About the exhibition
Get set for Game On - the largest interactive exhibition of the history and the culture of video games.
Conceived and curated by Barbican Immersive, Game On examines the creative and technological advances that have established a new medium and artform.
From Sonic the Hedgehog to Mario, explore gaming's rich history by playing many of the key games produced over the last 50 years. As the exhibition has evolved and changed, over five million people of all ages have visited this interactive exhibition in 24 cities around the world.
The exhibition will open over 20 years after the National Museum of Scotland was its very first touring venue in October 2002, after its initial opening run at the Barbican in London.
Tickets now on sale
Buy your tickets to the world’s largest interactive exhibition of the history and the culture of video games.
Book now
Members go free
National Museums Scotland Members get free entry to the exhibition, with access to exclusive Member events and experiences.
Gift, buy or renew Membership todayTicket details
Weekdays
|
|
Advance* |
On the day |
|
Members |
Free |
|
|
Adult |
£12 |
£14 |
|
Over 65s |
£11 |
£13 |
|
Student, Unemployed, Disabled, Young Scot** |
£9 |
£11 |
|
Child 5-15† |
£8 |
£10 |
|
Under 5s† |
Free |
|
Weekends
|
|
Advance* |
On the day |
|
Members |
Free |
|
|
Adult |
£13 |
£15 |
|
Over 65s |
£12 |
£14 |
|
Student, Unemployed, Disabled, Young Scot** |
£10 |
£12 |
|
Child 5-15† |
£9 |
£11 |
|
Under 5s† |
Free |
|
10% off when you book as a family‡
*Advance ticket prices are applicable up to 23:59:59 the day before.
**Valid ID required. Carers of disabled people free.
†Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
‡10% off when you buy up to three Child 5–15 tickets alongside up to any two Adult, Over 65s, Student, Young Scot, Disabled, Unemployed tickets, with a maximum of five tickets in total. Cannot be used in conjunction with National Museums Scotland Member tickets or any other discount or promotional offer.
Discounts available for groups of 10 or more.
To ensure a positive experience for all visitors, the maximum time allowance within the exhibition space is two hours.
Scottish gaming
Scotland is home to some of the most innovative and influential game makers, including Rockstar North, creators of Grand Theft Auto.
Game On will reveal the stories behind this success, from the invention of the ZX Spectrum computer in the 1980s to the important role Scottish studio 4J Studios played in making Minecraft a global phenomenon.
Independent games with a Scottish connection will also feature. This includes Viewfinder by Dundee-based Sad Owl Studios, and A Highland Song set in the Scottish landscape.
A Highland Song, © Inkle
Guidelines for younger gamers
Game On is an exhibition for visitors of all ages. However, there are some games that parents and guardians may not deem suitable for the children in their charge.
Please monitor the games played by younger players in your group and ensure that children only play games that contain content which you consider appropriate for their age, experience, and ability.
All recent videogames contained in the exhibition have been rated by the European PEGI certification system. These ratings are noted for visitors on accompanying panels, including for games rated 12, 16 or 18+.
Dwell time
To ensure a positive experience for all visitors, the maximum time allowance within the exhibition space is two hours.
Relaxed viewings
In relaxed viewings sessions, visitor numbers will be reduced and the volume of some games turned down.
Sun 7 Jul 10:00-12:00
Sun 4 Aug 10:00-12:00
Sun 1 Sep 10:00-12:00
Sun 6 Oct 10:00–12:00
Standard exhibition pricing applies.
Plan Your Visit
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1JF
Visiting information can be found on our Plan Your Visit pages.
Access
We want everyone who comes to our museums to enjoy their time with us and make the most of their visit.
While many of the games within this exhibition are playable by people with disabilities or access needs, some may be inaccessible for visitors with certain disabilities/access needs. See below for further information, or if you have specific requirements or questions, please contact us at info@nms.ac.uk for details.
Visit our accessibility page for general access information for the National Museum of Scotland.
- Guide dogs, hearing dogs and other recognised assistance dogs are admitted.
- Lifts are available to all floors and accessible toilets are available on Levels 0 and 3, as well as a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0.
- Accessible toilets are available and there is a Changing Places (U) toilet – for access to this, please ask a member of staff.
- There is level access to the Museum via the main doors to the Entrance Hall on Chambers Street and the Tower entrance at the corner of Chambers Street and George IV Bridge.
- Lifts are available to all floors and accessible toilets are available on Levels 0 and 3, as well as a Changing Places (U) toilet in the Entrance Hall on Level 0.
- Wheelchairs are available for loan at no charge. Please note wheelchairs cannot be booked in advance. On arrival, ask about availability at the Information Desk. Small mobility scooters are permitted inside the museum and the exhibition.
- The majority of games are playable by wheelchair users, however due to the historic nature of some of the arcade consoles the height is not suitable for wheelchair users and there is also a driving game which requires sitting in a racing car.
In the exhibition
Game On is a very interactive and sensory exhibition with games including lights, colour changes and sounds.
Sensory resources
Ear defenders are available to borrow for free from the exhibition ticket desk on Level 3. A limited number of sensory backpacks are available at the information desks in the Main Entrance Hall and the Tower Entrance. These backpacks cannot be booked in advance.
Once the exhibition is open a visual guide and sensory/access map will be available.
Relaxed viewings
Relaxed viewings of the exhibition are available on selected dates. During these times visitor numbers will be reduced and the sound on games lowered.
Please check our What's On page for relaxed viewings.
The exhibition consists primarily of video games which are visual by nature and may be challenging for blind or partially sighted visitors as audio-description settings will not be turned on as standard.
We will be holding a free accessible gaming evening in October, specifically aimed at people who are blind or partially sighted, in partnership with Triple Tap Tech and supported by Royal National Institute of the Blind.
Hearing induction loops
There is a hearing induction loop at the information desk outside the exhibition gallery.
Games in the exhibition
Most of the games are very visual in nature. Some of the games will have subtitles which can be turned on by the user.
A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light patterns or flashing lights. There are no flashing lights in the exhibition, but many of the games feature rapid changes in light levels and colour saturation. The screens in the exhibition operate at 50/60 hertz as televisions do at home.
We cannot provide a list of 'safe' games as the range of triggers is so varied, but the following suggestions will help to mitigate the risk:
- Wear a pair of blue light filtering glasses to help minimise the risk of a trigger
- Stand at least 90cm from the screen when playing any game to ensure the screen does not fill your vision
- Play only games that are a slower pace/intensity and avoid high action games such as those in the arcade section of the exhibition.
- Visit with a person who is aware or your condition and can support you in event of feeling unwell
If you experience any of the following symptoms while playing a video or computer game - dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of awareness, disorientation, any involuntary movement, or convulsions - IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your doctor before resuming play.
There are two games playable with adaptive controllers: Minecraft and Pine Hearts. We have built these controllers in a way that allow a wide range of users with motor disabilities to play.
However, please note that we are not able to customise them to the needs of each specific visitor.
