Towards a Gameful Museum: Empowering Museum Professionals via Playing and Making Games

Many museums are embracing digital technologies as a way to drive visits and remain relevant, yet some are still struggling to re-think their exhibitions and design interactive experiences. In this paper we investigate whether game playing and making can empower museum professionals and promote the design of new interactive experiences. Two case studies were designed with this aim: (1) a game play session with curators of the National Trust UK, and (2) a game-making workshop with museum professionals from a range of institutions. The first case study encouraged dialogue and creativity, supporting the development of a new interactive narrative. Through the second case study, museum professionals gained experience as game developers and increased their confidence with the development of interactive experiences.