NES Getting Its Own Museum Exhibit to Celebrate 30th Anniversary

Iconic gaming console the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in North America thirty years ago in 1985. To mark the milestone, video game museum The Strong has announced that it will host a special exhibit dedicated to the system later this year. The exhibit is being jointly produced by The Strong and the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan.

“Japan is home to a rich history of video game culture and pioneering companies such as Nintendo and Sony. This partnership allows for a cross-cultural exchange of ideas about how best to chronicle and conserve this important history," The Strong director Jon-Paul C. Dyson said in a statement.

The Strong's exhibit, called "Playing with Power: 30 Years of the Nintendo Entertainment System," will debut at the Rochester, NY museum this fall. Specifically, the exhibit will offer insight into the console's development and release, including previously unseen interviews with NES hardware developer Masayuki Uemura. A variety of NES games will also be playable at the exhibit, including two of the console's most memorable titles, Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt.

In addition, The Strong and the Ritsumeikan University will share research projects, while staff from both organizations may trade places as part of an exchange program.

“This partnership allows researchers and scholars in both the United States and Japan to learn from one another about how best to study and preserve the many contributions video games have had to our shared cultural heritage," Ritsumeikan University program chair Masayuki Uemura said. “Together, we can also help tell the story of the Japanese video game industry to guests of The Strong, beginning with the exhibit about the Nintendo Entertainment System this fall."

Last month, The Strong revealed the finalists for the first wave of inductees for its World Video Game Hall of Fame. See all the games that made the cut here.