fbpx Chrysler Logo
Search
Search
Moses Myers House

323 E. Freemason St.
Open Saturday and Sunday

Noon–5 p.m.

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

Reading Room
Wednesday-Friday
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed May 17-19, 2024

About the Myers House

The oldest Jewish home in America open to the public as a museum offers a glimpse of the life of an early 19th century merchant family.
More about the house

About the Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Art Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

Located in Norfolk

One Memorial Place,
Norfolk, VA
Get Directions

While You're Here

Visit our Museum Shop
and Zinnia Cafe.

Perry Glass Studio

A state-of-art facility on the Museum’s campus. See a free glassmaking demo Tuesdays–Sunday at noon. Like what you see? Take a class with us! More about the Studio

The Myers House

The home of the first permanent Jewish residents of Norfolk, this historic house offers a glimpse of the life of a wealthy early 19th-century merchant family.
More about the house

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the Library

Wedding & Event Rentals

The perfect place for your big day or special event. Get the details

Field Trips

Field trips are available for groups of 60 or fewer. More about field trips

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

Visit one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

About the Chrysler

Our story spans well over 100 years. See where we began, how we grew, and where we're going. Explore our history

News and Announcements

See what's happening at the Museum, read Chrysler Magazine, and find our Media Center. Read now

Location

One Memorial Place
Norfolk, VA 23510

Location

245 Grace Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-333-6299

Always Free Parking

Get Directions

Visiting Artist Series

Bringing the world’s top glass art talent to Hampton Roads
Find out more

Studio Team

Meet the brilliant minds behind the Studio.
See the team

Give the Chrysler Experience

Share everything you love about the Chrysler Museum with a gift membership. Perfect for everyone on your list.

The Masterpiece Society

Learn about this innovative group of museum supporters.
Meet the Masterpiece Society

Planned Giving

Help ensure the long-term success of the Museum.
Learn about planned giving

Moses Myers House

323 E. Freemason St.
Open Saturday and Sunday

Noon–5 p.m.

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

Reading Room
Wednesday-Friday
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Closed May 17-19, 2024

About the Myers House

The oldest Jewish home in America open to the public as a museum offers a glimpse of the life of an early 19th century merchant family.
More about the house

About the Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Art Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

Located in Norfolk

One Memorial Place,
Norfolk, VA
Get Directions

While You're Here

Visit our Museum Shop
and Zinnia Cafe.

Perry Glass Studio

A state-of-art facility on the Museum’s campus. See a free glassmaking demo Tuesdays–Sunday at noon. Like what you see? Take a class with us! More about the Studio

The Myers House

The home of the first permanent Jewish residents of Norfolk, this historic house offers a glimpse of the life of a wealthy early 19th-century merchant family.
More about the house

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the Library

Wedding & Event Rentals

The perfect place for your big day or special event. Get the details

Field Trips

Field trips are available for groups of 60 or fewer. More about field trips

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

Visit one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

About the Chrysler

Our story spans well over 100 years. See where we began, how we grew, and where we're going. Explore our history

News and Announcements

See what's happening at the Museum, read Chrysler Magazine, and find our Media Center. Read now

Location

One Memorial Place
Norfolk, VA 23510

Location

245 Grace Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-333-6299

Always Free Parking

Get Directions

Visiting Artist Series

Bringing the world’s top glass art talent to Hampton Roads
Find out more

Studio Team

Meet the brilliant minds behind the Studio.
See the team

Give the Chrysler Experience

Share everything you love about the Chrysler Museum with a gift membership. Perfect for everyone on your list.

The Masterpiece Society

Learn about this innovative group of museum supporters.
Meet the Masterpiece Society

Planned Giving

Help ensure the long-term success of the Museum.
Learn about planned giving

Close
Sign up for emails from the Chrysler Museum of Art

Join Our Email List

Sign Up
ArtExhibitionsPast

The Art of Video Games

On View

February 14, 2015 — May 10, 2015

Location

Past Exhibition

The Chrysler presents an exhibition that does more than trace 40 years of creative artistry and technological advances in digital entertainment. It poses the question of whether video games deserve to be considered art.

You will certainly see artistic influences—hints of M.C. Escher in Marble Madness, or Wassily Kandinsky in Rez. There are video game lighting algorithms based on the way J. C. Leyendecker and Norman Rockwell accentuated their shading techniques with rim highlights. And for centuries, art has told stories. There are certainly stories here, and what makes the story complete in this genre is the player. In other words, you.

The Art of Video Games
The exhibit includes five working games, and thanks to local partners Dave & Buster's, Gamestop, and Flipper McCoys, we added an extra arcade room for your enjoyment. It's a free opportunity to show your kids the games you played at their age.
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. When the American video game market was crashing, this game turned the tide. A winner of multiple "Greatest Game of All-Time Award," it's sold more than 40 million units. For some fun, here's a video of how to make it to the end of the game while posting the lowest possible score.

The show, organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, traces five eras of progress, each with four categories of games. Consider it a story arc that starts with Space Invaders on an Atari, progresses to The Legend of Zelda on a Nintendo, and evolves to the graphically rich epics now available on PlayStation and other platforms.

You don’t have to remember Mutant CamelsEarthworm Jim or Sonic the Hedgehog to appreciate this exhibition, and if you’re brand new to the field, you’ll have a chance to play Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst, and Flower as part of the exhibition.

Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain Here's an example of an industry that progressed from side-scrolling amusements to film-noir, interactive dramas. Consider, if you will, what once would have seemed crazy—a trailer for a video game.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda Another all-time award winner, Link's adventures have stood the test of time. This series has seen numerous technological advances, as evident in this fan-produced, history-of-the-game video.

The exhibit’s curator, Chris Melissinos of Past Pixels, asked for public input while selecting games to be included in the show. He presented 240 possible games, and reached the final selection after 3.7 million votes from 119,000 people from 175 countries.

After touring the show, you can see every game in the exhibition on the big screen of our Kaufman Theater. From noon to 5 p.m. every day, we play the 80 game-explaining clips super-sized. They are also available via push-buttons and handsets on the exhibition’s 20 display stands.

The Art of Video Games was organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum with generous support from the Entertainment Software Association Foundation, Sheila Duignan and Mike Wilkins; Shelby and Frederick Gans, Mark Lamia, Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk; the Rose Family Foundation, Betty and Lloyd Schermer, and Neil Young. The C.F. Foundation in Atlanta supports the museum’s traveling exhibition program, Treasures to Go.

Credits

Super Mario Brothers 3, Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka, Hiroshi Yamauchi, directors; Satoru Iwata, executive producer; Konji Kondo, composer, Nintendo Entertainment System, 1990, Nintendo of America, Inc.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Shigeru Miyamoto, executive producer; Eiji Aonuma, director; Satoru Takizawa, art director; Eiji Aonuma, Satoru Iwata, producers, Nintendo Wii, 2006, Nintendo of America, Inc.

Heavy Rain, David Cage, writer and director, PlayStation 3, 2010, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC.

Shenmue, Yu Suzuki, director and producer; Yoichi Takahashi, designer; Eiji Ogawa, writer, SEGA Dreamcast, 2000, © SEGA. All rights reserved.

 

More special exhibitions

On view right now

Oil on canvas self-portrait of Bernard Conda
Through December 1, 2024

Bernard Conda: A Day in the Life
Exhibition Details

Peter Bremers Sapphire Ice Cave - Glass Object
Through January 19, 2025

Peter Bremers: Ice to Water
Exhibition Details