National Museum of American History Is Looking for Your Childhood Gaming Photos

Three people stand at pinball machines
Photo by Louie Castro-Garcia on Unsplash

Did you play video games or computer games as a kid? Did you go to arcades? Do you have old photos of yourself playing these games or holding controllers or a console (for instance, holding an unopened box in a holiday photo)? If so, we want to hear from you!

The National Museum of American History team is working on a video for an exhibition space that will feature photos of people playing video games, computer games, and arcade games from their childhood. If you submit a photo, you might even have a chance to appear in the video talking about your memories of playing games!

What they are looking for:

Photos of you, your friends, and your relatives from the early 1980s through early 2000s playing video, computer, or arcade games, and the stories that go along with them. What game were you playing in the photo? Was it your favorite? Who else, if anyone, were you playing with? Where and when was the photo taken? Do you remember how the controllers felt in your hands? Do you remember how it felt to win the game or advance to the next level? We welcome contributors from across the globe, but the photo should relate to gameplay in the United States.

Gather your photo (or photos), scan it, or snap a quick image and e-mail it to NMAH-VideoGames@si.edu. Include your name, an e-mail or phone number where we can reach you, and a few sentences about the photo and your memories of playing video games or arcade games. Deadline: December 31, 2021