Video Game Museum of Rome
The Video Game Museum of Rome (VIGAMUS) is an interactive video game museum that displays the history of video games. The first official announcement for the museum was at the Italian Videogame Developer Conference (IVDC) in 2010, and the museum opened its doors to the public in October 2012.[1]
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| Established | 20 October 2012 |
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| Location | Via Sabotino 4, 00195, Rome |
| Type | Video game museum |
| Website | www |
Located in a large exhibition center, the museum is divided into different eras of video game history, starting with the Magnavox Odyssey.[2] The collection displays 440 pieces of video game ephemera and has more than 100 panels with information about the history and background of the items displayed. 15 video game retrospectives give the viewers first-person knowledge of making of certain games.
In addition the regular exhibits the museum also has different interactive areas for arcade games, console games and an Oculus VR room.
Some of the unique items featured at the museum include the DOOM master disks and Crytek demo disks.[3]
Interesting facts
- VIGAMUS is the first Italian museum dedicated to interactive games and how video games work.[4]
- VIGAMUS featured the "E.T. The Fall: Atari Buried Treasures", an exhibit of artifacts from the excavation of the Atari video game burial in Alamogordo, New Mexico.[5]
- The signs and marketing for the museum feature Space Invaders.[6]
- Partnered with Crytek the museum has launched a graduate course aimed at virtual reality development.[7]
- The Museum has its own magazine called VMag about the video game industry.[8]
Video game tournaments and conventions
The museum often hosts theme nights or tournaments such as their Dark Souls III Day[9] and the 20th Anniversary of Pokémon Tournament.[10] The museum invites guests to play in a tournament to win versions of the newly released games and/ or themed prizes.
Coming in November 2016, the museum will partner with the Leonardo Caltagirone Group to launch GAMEROME, a new video game convention.[11]
Interactive areas
Console
The console interactive areas feature 36 stations for visitor use, with new games added frequently.[12] There are different themed corners and rooms, such as the Assassin's Creed and Steel Battalion.
Arcade
VIGAMUS has a large collection of Arcade cabinets from the 80's and 90's and some of their featured games include:
Oculus room
Launched in June 2016, this room houses the Oculus Rift DK2, sponsored by ASUS, visitors have a chance to play a variety of games in VR.[13]
References
- "Europe's first videogame museum, ViGaMus, to open in Rome". Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "Concept". VIGAMUS, The Video Game Museum of Rome. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "UNIQUE ITEMS". VIGAMUS, The Video Game Museum of Rome. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- Vita, Laura Taccani La Dolce (27 May 2016). "How To Navigate Rome When Traveling With Your Kids". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- Crecente, Brian (28 October 2014). "Atari's buried trash is now an Italian museum's treasure". Polygon. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "Space Invaders Invade VIGAMUS Museum – Capsule Computers – Gaming & Entertainment News, Reviews, Interviews & Competitions". www.capsulecomputers.com.au. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "Crytek Partners With VIGAMUS Academy for New VR Development Using CRYENGINE Masters Course". www.crytek.com. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "VIGAMUS Magazine". VIGAMUS Magazine (in Italian). Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "Dark Souls III Day: abbracciando le tenebre al Vigamus - GameSource" (in Italian). 16 April 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "I Pokemon compiono 20 anni: al VIGAMUS la festa". Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "International Games Festival Rome – GAMEROME launchesin 2016". Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "Console". VIGAMUS, The Video Game Museum of Rome. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- "OCULUS ROOM". VIGAMUS, The Video Game Museum of Rome. Retrieved 6 September 2016.