One of my clearest memories of childhood is being beaten soundly at Uno by my uncles and aunts. Strangely, I felt belonging and comraderie. It made me begin to think strategically. It made me want to play more. In the end, it was the doing that I liked. We were actively engaging in a shared experience. We were having fun. (Maybe my aunts and uncles more than me.)
It a time when museum attendance has decreased, the idea of having fun experiences for visitors is appealing. Games can build good will in audiences and encourage visitation.
But, games also offer other benefits. Museums often seek to impart information, so games are useful. In games, people learn to learn, acquiring skills, making sense of the game system, and garnering new information.
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For my other posts on games: