Summer of Buttons: National Videogame Museum
Summertime is here and the school holidays are upon us, but fear not, the National Videogame Museum (NVM) has a fun-filled programme of family-focused activities planned from 24 July to 1 September to keep everyone entertained, be they five or ninety-five.
Summer of Buttons will celebrate that which holds untold excitement and wonder for game enthusiasts - the humble videogame button. Marking the start of 'Season 2' of the NVM's programme, the museum's doors will be open every day, ready to welcome you into their newly refreshed gallery spaces.
Look forward to exploring an array of brand new playable exhibits, including bespoke games that you won't find anywhere else, such as '4-Player Pac-Man', a modified version of the arcade classic that you can play as a team. There will also be a 'Button Bash Bundle' exploring athletic-based videogames, including the famously rare but much sought-after Stadium Events by Bandai.
Daily guided workshops are on the menu as well, giving you the opportunity to make and use your own button. Specially designed for NVM's summer season, you'll learn about the process of making buttons for videogame controllers and once you've made yours, you'll get to plug it into a game and see what it can do!
The NVM is also working on an exciting new collaboration with SpecialEffect, a pioneering charity which makes videogames accessible to people with disabilities. Part of this collaboration features a dedicated exhibit based around accessible controllers. You'll be able to see how these controllers work as they play popular games such as FIFA 19 and Forza Motorsport, using specially designed control schemes.
Iain Simons, Director of Culture for the NVM, said that the Summer of Buttons would make visitors "think about the simple input mechanism of the humble button."
"Alongside a host of new playable installations we are really excited to try out the first educational workshops for the public in the gallery," he continued. "It's also going to be properly fun!"
Tickets are available now and you'll save some pennies if you book online.
Flick Jackson
