Status: In preparation
Expected publication: Winter 2026/2027
Author: Anne Rørbæk Olesen & Nanna Holdgaard
Abstract
Museum play refers to playful forms of engagement in museum exhibitions, programmes, and activities that invite visitors to explore, interpret, and interact with museum spaces, objects, and knowledge. This entry introduces the concept of museum play, outlines its historical origins and developments, and situates it within contemporary museological theory and practice. Furthermore, the entry outlines and exemplifies common types of museum play and, in line with the focus of this handbook, pays particular attention to puzzles and games. Finally, the entry discusses directions for future research on museum play in light of key questions and challenges concerning the integration of play into museum practice.
Keywords: Museum play, playful museum experiences, museology, visitor engagement, museum play types, museum puzzles and games.
Dr. Anne Rørbæk Olesen
is a Senior Researcher at the National Museum of Denmark. Her research focuses on museum practices with a current emphasis on exploring museum play. She specializes in qualitative methodologies and collaborates closely with practitioners to explore how institutional priorities and interpretive strategies shape visitor experiences and drive organizational change.
Dr. Nanna Holdgaard
is a Senior Researcher at the National Museum of Denmark. Her work explores the interplay between audiences, cultural institutions, and policy. She is currently the Research Lead for the program Moving Museums Through Play, where she investigates how playful, practice-based methodologies can transform institutional dynamics and audience experiences.