From Playing Cards To Pixels: Nintendo Museum Celebrates 135 Years Of History

Nintendo has come a long way from its humble start as a playing card company in 1889. Today, the Japanese company is a global gaming powerhouse known for iconic franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon. Now, with the opening of the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, gaming fans can explore the company’s rich history.

The interactive museum opened to the public on October 2, 2024. It is located inside one of the company's first factories built in 1969 to make playing cards and toys. The plant, later used as a repair and customer service center, has been vacant since 2016.

"We were exploring how to preserve it somehow, and then the suggestion came up: why not make it into a museum?. . Since this is where we had our first factory . . ." said Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of the Mario and Zelda series. "This is a place of memories."

The museum experience begins with an enormous exhibit hall. Here, visitors can browse through every product Nintendo has ever released. They will also discover prototypes of inventions that never made it to market. Each exhibit is clearly labeled, but detailed descriptions are limited, and there are no guided tours. Instead, visitors are encouraged to explore Nintendo’s journey on their own by interacting with the toys, video games, and consoles on display. For instance, one exhibit showcases the evolution of the Super Mario games as they progressed through different gaming consoles over the years.

"We wanted to make sure that this is someplace that regardless of any language or cultural barrier, people can come to interact and understand," Miyamoto told The New York Times.

Guests can then head to the "Experiences" section on the first floor. Each visitor receives ten virtual coins to use at any of the eight interactive exhibits. One popular attraction is the "Big Controller" — a giant version of a classic Nintendo controller that requires two people to operate. Together, they can play snippets of beloved Nintendo classics like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

The third section, "Craft and Play," is dedicated to the company's first product — Hanafuda playing cards. Here, visitors can learn to play the game and even attend a workshop to create their own set of Hanafuda cards.

After touring the museum, guests can refuel at a cafe serving hamburgers and specialty-themed drinks. The final stop is a gift shop filled with Nintendo merchandise, some of which is exclusive to the museum. To prevent overzealous fans from buying up popular items, museum officials have set a limit on the quantity each person can purchase.

Not surprisingly, the Nintendo Museum has been incredibly popular since its opening. Fans hoping to visit will need to plan ahead and rely on a bit of luck. Tickets are sold through a random drawing, which must be entered three months in advance of the desired visit. Right now, the museum is accepting raffle requests for February 2025!

Resources: Theguardian.com, Smithsonianmag.com, museum.nintendo.com