The National Videogame Museum is the UK’s only museum dedicated solely to videogames with a mission to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret videogames for everyone. Forever.

Ideal for school trips, students and teachers alike can explore the history and culture of videogames through a fully interactive gallery and unique exhibitions.

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The National Videogame Museum

What We Offer Visiting Schools

Located in Sheffield city centre, you can explore videogame history and culture through over 100 playable exhibits, from retro arcade machines to modern games consoles.

Ideal for school trips, self-led visits allow students to explore our fully playable gallery and are a great way to support classroom learning for all ages. Explore the wide range of star objects in cabinet displays or utilise team building multiplayer games to help facilitate your own teaching. We also provide teacher packs to help with discussion points before, during or after your trip.

A variety of workshops developed by our award winning Learning Team are available as an additional option. Students will learn how videogames are made through these stimulating workshops tailored to their age range (from Primary to Further Education). Workshops include the opportunity to build a controller, use pixel art to design and animate a character or become a museum curator – all specifically designed to allow students to develop a wide range of STEAM skills.

Why Choose Us for an Educational Visit

Videogames Are For Everyone. Forever.

At the National Videogame Museum, you can explore how they are made, who makes them, and even why they are made. Visit our fully playable gallery and attend workshops to learn how they are made; helping students from primary, secondary and further education develop a wide range of vital STEAM skills.

Accreditation and Awards

The NVM was a Kids In Museum’s Family Friendly Museum Award Winner for Best Website Activity in 2020.

Group Sizes Catered For

Up to 150 students.

There is a minimum requirement of 30 paying students or the equivalent cost to book a session. Alternatively, smaller groups can visit during our general opening times on Thursday and Friday afternoon.

Itineraries, Resources, and Workshops

Additional workshops, developed by our award winning Learning Team and tailored to your age group are also available for school visits:

● Museum Makers – In this workshop students will learn more about the way a museum works, who works there and what they all do behind the scenes to ‘make a museum’! Students will explore the museum, thinking critically about its exhibits before becoming ‘museum makers’ themselves. In groups, students will create an idea for an exhibit, workshop or new game for the museum. Finally each group will take it in turns to pitch their ideas to the rest of the class!

● Build a Controller and Defeat the Aliens – Work together in groups to construct a DIY videogame controller to defeat the aliens in Space Invaders. Learn about the design of

videogame controllers and how they work, and how adaptive controllers are used to make gaming more accessible to everyone.

● Pixel Art and Designing Videogame Characters – Explore the history of videogame character design and the ways that technology has influenced the design of classic videogame characters. In this workshop students will receive a design challenge to recreate a familiar character in a pixel art style, and learn how to use the software ‘Piskel’. Then they will bring them to life with simple frame by frame animations!

Workshops can accommodate up to 30 students. Workshop groups larger than 30 will be split and numbers larger than 60 will require multiple sessions. We can run two workshops per 2.5 hour visit.

Free learning resources are also available on our website to allow students to make their own games at home including introductions to online videogame making software Scratch, Bitsy and Twine.

Risk Assessment

While schools are expected to prepare their own risk assessments, the NVM’s Site Risk Assessment is available to assist with you with this. The NVM also has Public Liability Insurance.

All our staff have undergone a standard police check. Staff working directly with students have undergone a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Staff in the hands-on galleries or delivering educational events have relevant experience and training. For information about our safeguarding and recruitment policy please see our Letter of Assurance.

Education Department Information

Our learning team can be contacted via email: learning@thenvm.org or by calling the Museum on 0114 321 0299.

Pricing Information

Workshops: £10 per student

Workshops are £10/student and your group can benefit from 1 accompanying adult free per 8 students aged under 10, or 10 students under 16 years old. These are also our supervision ratios. Additional adults are charged at £12/head.

Self Led Visits: £9 per student

Your group can benefit from 1 accompanying adult free per 8 students. These are also our supervision ratios. Additional adults are charged at £12/head.

Facilities

The Museum features a gift shop with a range of items available from pocket money souvenirs to videogame memorabilia.

Whilst food and drink isn’t permitted on the gallery floor, soft drinks are available for purchase at the front desk. A picnic area is available if booked in advance.

The Museum has toilet facilities as well as an accessible toilet that includes a baby changing area.

Accessibility and Disabled Facilities

The NVM has step-free access and is all on one floor making it accessible for all wheelchair users, while ear defenders are also available on request for visitors with audio sensitivities.

The majority of our games are played seated at table height, we use light cubes for seats which can easily be moved to make any game wheelchair accessible.

We stock SEN sensory backpacks that are available on request. We provide free ear defenders at reception, which when worn will reduce the noise to enjoy the museum.

Opening Hours

Educational visits are available Monday – Sunday, anytime between 10am and 5pm.

Thursday to Sunday we are also open to the public (1pm – 4pm on weekdays and 10am – 1pm / 2pm – 5pm at weekends).

Testimonials:
“Year 5 have had a fantastic day in Sheffield playing video games and making their own controllers. Thanks for having us!”
Greenmount Primary School, June 2022

“The visit itself was excellent. Many students who struggle in school found the whole day highly engaging and worthwhile. It was highly informative, with clear links to careers and FE
courses, ticking off some Gatsby benchmarks for us in school. And the games that students could play were brilliant! Really enjoyable day all round!”
Mr. O. Murtagh, Crawshaw Academy June, 2022

“Great afternoon with a class of Y6 children – all sorts of different games and an excellent workshop about building your own controller. Very nostalgic for the adults, too.”
Luke Parnaby, Google Reviews, June 2023.