The Musée de Cluny, a small medieval museum in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, is currently presenting an intriguing exhibition that will dazzle anyone who has ever wondered what people in the Middle Ages did for fun. Until March 4, 2013, the museum will present an exhibition called “Art du Jeu, Jeu dans l’Art” (“The Art of Games, Games in Art”), and guests staying at the Hôtel Louvre Marsollier have the opportunity to discover this unique showing of pastimes that are hundreds of years old.
The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the history of board games. From checkers to dice, the Musée de Cluny reveals the everyday leisure activities of medieval folk. What’s more, the exhibition also includes games from Antiquity, broadening the historical perspective by thousands of years.
“Art du Jeu, Jeu dans l’Art” focuses on the aesthetics of games pieces as well as the importance of societal influence on the development of games. While the Romans adored games of risk like dice, such dalliances were limited in the Middle Ages after being prohibited by the Church. Another example of the evolution of games is embodied by checkers, which was originally a game of Asian origin that was transformed to become the version that we know today.
Themes explored by the exhibit include power, destiny and love, enabling visitors to see how these principles manifest themselves in many popular games. As a fun addition, there is a giant chess game in the court of the museum, allowing visitors to discover or rediscover this time-honored game of strategy. No matter what your favorite game might be, you can find out how games developed in society thanks to the exhibition “Art du Jeu, Jeu dans l’Art.”
Musée de Cluny
6 place Paul Painlevé, 75005
Open every day except Tuesday from 9:15 a.m. until 5:45 p.m.
Tickets: 8 euros
