Let’s a-go! A former Nintendo factory in Kyoto province, Japan is slated to become the video game company’s first-ever museum, tentatively named the Nintendo Gallery.
Nintendo announced the plans in a press release, revealing that it's renovating the now-defunct factory to showcase historical Nintendo products as well as exhibitions and experiences, "to share Nintendo’s product development history and philosophy with the public."
Built in 1969, the Nintendo Uji Ogura Plant in Uji-city was used to produce hanafuda (Japanese playing cards) and also operated as a customer-service center for product repairs. However, the building has sat unused since this work was transferred to the current Uji Plant in 2016.
Nintendo's influence on pop culture has been massive through the decades. Its first home video game system, the Color TV-Game, was released in 1977. The famous Donkey Kong arcade game, which introduced Nintendo’s most popular character, Mario in 1981 followed soon after. The Super Mario Bros. game debuted in 1985, with the iconic Game Boy and Wii coming later.
Nintendo, which was instrumental in shaping the gaming industry as we know it today, will use the museum to connect with a global community of avid fans. The company is aiming to open the museum at some point during its 2023 fiscal year, which ends in March 2024.
