A montage of the various activities that took place at GameFest (click on montage for larger image).
The opening weekend for The Art of Video Games exhibition was, in one word, AWESOME. Were you there? You should have been! Over twenty-two thousand people visited the museum over the three days, enjoying the exhibition as well as the vast array of programs and activities that we offered. If you were not able to attend, you can watch all of the program webcasts online, and also check out the many, many photographs on Flickr (GameFest pics are towards the end of the set).
I particularly loved the different generations of families interacting with the games in the exhibition. Younger visitors discovered some of the older games for the first time, while older visitors learned a little more about the contemporary games that their children and grandchildren play. Curator Chris Melissinos was present the entire weekend, and loved hanging out with visitors in the exhibition, sharing their excitement as they experienced it for the first time. Many video game celebrities could be spotted hanging out during GameFest, including Keith Robinson of Intellivision, Tommy Tallarico of Video Games Live, and Seth and Michelle Sternberger of 8 Bit Weapon (who also performed). Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid fame popped outside to greet visitors on the steps before his program on Saturday, March 17, joined by none other than Pac-Man!
The exhibition is on view at American Art until September 30, then will travel to other venues in the United States through early 2016. You can find the list of confirmed venues on our website. Still need more video games in your life? Head to the Strathmore on April 7 to see Video Games Live, led by game composer Tommy Tallarico, featuring National Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale, as well as exclusive video footage and music arrangements. Visit the Strathmore’s website for tickets and more information. Also be sure to check out upcoming programs at the American Art Museum, including a performance by the wonderful Gamer Symphony Orchestra on April 29.
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