Throughout summer 2025, visitors stepped behind the screens to explore the creativity and craftsmanship that power play.
Make It! Play It! showcased how developers combined digital tools such as 3D modelling, pixel art, and sound design with traditional techniques including embroidery, clay modelling, and stop-motion animation to create some of the world’s favourite videogames.
Perfect for aspiring game makers, curious players, and anyone fascinated by how games are made, the exhibition gave visitors the chance to experience the creative process behind game development.
Visitors enjoyed exclusive early access to Platypus Reclayed, a new claymation game from South Yorkshire’s Claymatic studio, before its official release.
The exhibition also celebrated 30 years of LEGO videogames, exploring how one of the world’s most iconic toys inspired generations of digital adventures. In partnership with The LEGO Group, visitors discovered a colourful mix of playable classics alongside rarely seen objects from both the Museum’s collection and The LEGO Group’s archives.
Traditional craft took centre stage throughout the exhibition, with the beautifully embroidered world of Scarlet Deer Inn and the immersive hand-painted landscapes of The Master’s Pupil demonstrating the many different ways games can be brought to life.
Throughout the summer, our award-winning Learning Team ran daily drop-in workshops, inviting visitors to explore the art of making.
Whether sculpting clay characters, building scenes with LEGO bricks, or animating their own short sequences, participants discovered how creativity, craft, and technology come together to create some of the world’s most imaginative videogames.
The activities ran every day from 24 July to 1 September 2025, giving visitors of all ages the opportunity to try new skills, get hands-on, and experience the making behind the play. The Exhibition Make It! Play It! featured int he museum until July 2026.