Louvre Abu Dhabi opens “Board Games Adventure” exhibition at the Children’s Museum
A new interactive exhibition, running until April 2027, explores board games as a universal human language for learning, imagination, and communication across cultures.
Abu Dhabi(News Desk):: Louvre Abu Dhabi continues to solidify its position as a leading global cultural institution that combines art, education and innovation, with the opening of the Children’s Museum’s newest exhibition, “Board Games Adventure,” which opens its doors to visitors from July 18, 2026, to offer children and families an immersive interactive experience that explores board games as one of the oldest shared human experiences that has crossed civilizations and contributed over thousands of years to the transmission of knowledge, unleashing imagination and enhancing communication between peoples.
The exhibition, supported by Mubadala as the main partner, runs until April 2027, offering children aged 4 to 12 and their families a unique educational and cultural experience that combines play and exploration, and reveals how board games have become a universal language for learning and interaction, and a bridge for communication between cultures and generations throughout history.
The exhibition is curated by Amin Kharchache, Director of Interpretation and Creative Content, and Orlan Lefebvre, Head of Interpretation and Creative Content at Louvre Abu Dhabi. It features 24 artworks and artifacts from the Louvre Abu Dhabi collection, as well as a distinguished selection of pieces on loan from leading international cultural institutions, including the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Musée National de l’Art Asiatique (Museum of Asian Art) in Guimet, and the Musée du Quai Branly (Jacques Chirac Museum), among others. The Al-Sabah Archaeological Collection from the Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah in the State of Kuwait.
These artifacts take visitors on a journey from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia to Japan during the Edo period, revealing how board games accompanied the development of civilizations, moving through trade routes and cultural exchange, maintaining their continuous presence as one of the most prominent forms of shared human interaction.
At its core, “The Adventure of Board Games” explores play as a universal human experience that transcends mere entertainment, highlighting its role in transmitting knowledge, developing skills, unleashing imagination, and fostering social connections across civilizations. Through a journey spanning millennia, the exhibition sheds light on how board games have evolved, spread across cultures, and become part of the shared cultural heritage that unites diverse societies.
In this context, Ugo Bertoni, Director of External Affairs, Communication and Cultural Engagement at Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “The Children’s Museum plays a pivotal role in the context of community engagement programs at Louvre Abu Dhabi.” Our new exhibition presents , Board game adventure ” For children and families, it offers a renewed way to explore artifacts and artworks related to board games, through observation, exploration, and play. By stimulating curiosity and encouraging participation, the exhibition transforms a museum visit into a rich and interactive educational experience; these games have transcended time and eras, crossed geographical boundaries, and brought with them diverse ideas, skills, and traditions . “
He added : ” And in celebration of the atmosphere Family Year “ In the United Arab Emirates, the exhibition encourages children and their families to learn, explore and spend valuable time together, providing opportunities for shared exploration across generations.” This exhibition embodies the universal ideals that form the core of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s mission, by fostering cultural connections and highlighting shared human experiences across ages and civilizations. “
The exhibition is supported by Mubadala, reflecting the foundation’s commitment to providing access to educational and cultural experiences that promote learning, creativity, and community engagement. .
For her part, Alia Al Hosani, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Mubadala Foundation, stated : “Mubadala Foundation places great importance on supporting initiatives that provide inspiring educational and cultural experiences for children and families, contributing to the development of curiosity, stimulating creativity, and enhancing learning skills among emerging generations.” Through our partnership with the Louvre Abu Dhabi, we are proud to support this exhibition, which offers children and families the opportunity to learn together through play and exploration in an environment that fosters cultural exchange . This collaboration embodies our commitment to expanding the scope of high-quality educational and cultural initiatives, contributing to empowering the new generation, promoting sustainable community development, and enriching the cultural landscape of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi . “
The “Board Games Adventure” exhibition takes its visitors on an integrated narrative journey through three main sections, beginning with an exploration of the material culture and history of board games, then addressing the human motivations that have made play an integral part of human life throughout the ages, before concluding by inviting each visitor to reflect on their personality as a player, and on how games contribute to shaping ways of thinking, interacting and cooperating.
Throughout this journey, board games are presented not only as artifacts and works of art, but also as tools for learning, media for social interaction, and platforms for unleashing the imagination, revealing how these games have historically formed an integral part of the shared human experience.
Through its “Board Game Adventure” exhibition, the Children’s Museum transforms into an immersive environment that blends art, technology, and interactive storytelling, offering children and families a comprehensive educational experience where every visitor becomes an active participant in a specially designed journey of discovery. On the first floor, children and families embark on a series of play experiences inspired by the exhibited artworks, allowing them to explore the artistic and cultural aspects of the most popular board games and reflect on the innate reasons that have driven humans to play across different civilizations.
The experience combines physical and digital activities, allowing visitors to complete various challenges, achieve interactive milestones, and explore multiple educational stations that foster collaboration, discovery, and creative thinking. At the start of their visit, each visitor creates a player profile and receives an electronic wristband that enables them to interact with the different stations of the exhibition and follow a personalized experience throughout their journey.
The experience extends beyond the exhibition halls to the outdoor plaza, where a wide range of interactive activities and hands-on workshops provide additional spaces for play, creativity, and collaboration. A “giant” character accompanies visitors throughout their visit, adding a playful narrative dimension that enhances the immersive nature of the exhibition and makes each stop part of a complete story for children and their families.
Amin Kharchach, Director of Interpretation and Creative Content, and Orlan Lefebvre, Head of Interpretation and Creative Content at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: ” The exhibition invites Board game adventure Children should experience play as a universal language that unites cultures, generations, and ideas. We wanted young visitors to discover how board games have moved across civilizations, influenced each other, and evolved over time . We hope that viewing the artifacts, interacting with immersive environments, and engaging in interactive experiences will provide families with an opportunity to explore the many reasons why we play, and to reflect on what play means to them. “
The exhibition includes a collection of the most prominent artworks and artifacts that document the history of board games and their development across civilizations, including the artwork “Portrait of William and Penelope Welby Playing Chess” (1769) by the artist Francis Coates, which belongs to the Louvre Abu Dhabi collection, along with rare historical games, including “Mancala,” one of the oldest known games in the world, and the ancient Egyptian “Snake Game,” which is one of the rarest surviving examples of this game.
Together, these works tell the story of some of the most famous board games, such as chess, carrom, and ludo, revealing how they moved between continents via trade routes and cultural exchange, adapted to new cultural environments, and became part of the cultural heritage of multiple societies, maintaining their ability to bring people together and enhance communication between them for centuries.
The Constance Gieset studio designed the “Board Game Adventure” exhibition, transforming the Children’s Museum into a life-size toy box, offering visitors a complete visual and interactive experience from the moment they arrive. This concept is evident in the museum’s exterior, which transforms into a giant toy box, before the board game-inspired visual language extends to various design elements within the exhibition, enhancing the immersive nature of the experience and placing visitors at the heart of a world of play and exploration.
The exhibition is accompanied by an integrated cultural program offering a series of interactive activities and experiences for children and families throughout the summer, confirming the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s commitment to extending the exhibition’s impact beyond the exhibition halls and transforming it into an ongoing educational and cultural experience.
From August 11 to 21, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will host the “Board Games Adventure” summer camp, inspired by the exhibition and designed for children aged 5 to 14. The camp allows participants to explore the history of board games and different playing styles through hands-on activities and experiences, learn about games from various cultures, including traditional Emirati games, and design a new board game each day of the camp.
The program combines creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative learning to provide children with an interactive environment that explores how games have been designed and evolved over time. It also includes a dedicated children’s panel discussion on opening day, focusing on the history of board games and their cultural significance. Louvre Abu Dhabi will announce additional programs inspired by the exhibition throughout its duration, expanding the experience and offering children and families renewed opportunities to learn, interact, and create.
By exploring play as one of the most prominent shared human experiences, the ” Board Games Adventure” exhibition embodies Louvre Abu Dhabi’s commitment to developing innovative cultural and educational experiences that transform the museum into a vibrant space for learning, discovery, and dialogue. It enhances the museum’s ability to build bridges between cultures and inspire new generations through art, heritage, and interactive experiences. The exhibition also reflects Abu Dhabi’s vision of investing in culture as an engine for societal development, a pillar for fostering creativity, and a means of establishing the emirate as a global center for culture and intercultural exchange.-END-
