Board games: Culture and Travel Context

For those who love board games, combining travel with the joy of gaming can enhance the experience. This guide is designed for tourists who are interested in exploring the world of board games while traveling.

Board games have been a part of human culture around the globe for thousands of years, from the ancient game of Senet in Egypt to the strategic depths of Chess and Go. In the modern era, games like Monopoly and Scrabble have become widely popular family pastimes. In the late 2010s and early 2020s, there has been a renaissance in board gaming, with games becoming more diverse, imaginative, and accessible.

Different regions have their own traditional and modern board games. For instance, Germany is known for its Eurogames, Japan for Shogi and Go, and the United States for its thematic and role-playing games. Understanding the local gaming culture can add a unique layer to your travel experience. A vibrant forum for all kinds of board games is BoardGameGeek which has many travel related Geeklists of recommended games (such as game by country of origin) among lots of others.

The articles on specific games – Chess, Shogi, Xiangqi and Go – include information on places to play or to buy equipment, and on museums for those games.

France: one of the most famous modern board games is named after the city of Carcassonne. Some visitors bring a copy to play in the location, perhaps in the shadow of the city wall.

Germany: Visit Essen for the Spiel (Essen Game Fair), the world's largest board game fair.

Learning a few phrases related to board games in the local language can be helpful. Phrases like "Do you play board games?" or "Is there a board game café nearby?" can open doors to local gaming communities.

There are several museums around the world dedicated to board games. There are also more toy museums which have related exhibits.

The Interactive Museum of Gaming and Puzzlery (IMOGAP), King City, California, USA, [email protected]. Dedicated to games and puzzles of all kinds, this museum offers interactive exhibits and a vast library of playable games. (updated Dec 2023)

1 The Strong National Museum of Play, Rochester, New York, USA. A comprehensive museum dedicated to the history of play, including a significant collection of board games. It also houses the World Video Game Hall of Fame. (updated Dec 2023)

This cultural overview is an excerpt of a community travel guide. Confirm current access, schedules and prices with the venue before planning a visit.

Source and licence

Text adapted from Board games by Wikivoyage contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0. Paragraphs have been selected and abridged, and formatting adjusted. This adapted text is shared under the same licence. Contributor history.