Chicago Gamespace offers dynamic, interactive field trips for K–12 students that explore the history of video games. During a one-hour visit, students will take a guided tour through our permanent collection and featured exhibit, learning how games are made, who makes them, and how they reflect culture and creativity, with a special focus on Chicago-made games. The tour will also introduce students to real-world careers in game design, development, art, music, and storytelling—meeting multiple Illinois learning standards in the arts, technology, and media literacy.

Each visit includes a mix of hands-on play and guided discussion, led by an experienced tour guide trained to engage students at all levels. Field trips are fun, inspiring, and tailored to support classroom learning. At the end of the tour, students will have time to explore and free play curated games from our collection, reinforcing concepts through firsthand experience.

Featured games include Spacewar!, Pong, Space Invaders, Asteroids, Defender, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Pole Position, Centipede, Joust, Super Mario Bros, Duck Hunt, Tetris, Mortal Kombat 2, Street Fighter, NBA Jam, Golden Tee, and more!

Chicago Gamespace is an approved CPS vendor and ready to welcome your classroom for an unforgettable educational adventure.

Additional information:

• Tours are recommended for groups of 20 people and under.

• Located a few blocks from the Blue Line Western Stop in Logan Square.

• Tour fee: $150

• Vendor number: 46372.

• Available M-F, 9-5pm. Contact chicagogamespace@gmail.com to schedule!

Testimonials

“The Chicago Gamespace is an amazing place to learn about the game industry. On my trip, I was amazed by the number of arcade game machines ranging from the 1970s to the 1990s: Asteroids, Mrs. Pac-Man, and Sonic! I was able to connect this experience with my Game Development class because our host knew so much about their influence in the gaming industry and Chicago's unique role in gaming. Overall, it was a fun experience and I hope to visit again.”

-Gabrielle T. 11th Grade

“I think the trip was really fun because I got to learn more about some of the very first games and their impacts on the industry. It was also really fun cause I got to play games I had never seen before that were really cool. I never thought Pong would be so intense! We talked about some of the games and it really expanded my mind on how rapidly games turned into what we have today.”

-Avery C. 10th Grade

“As someone who has read Stephen Kent's Ultimate History of Video Games- The Chicago Game Space transports you to Chapters I & II but with all the amazing lights and sounds these historic machines have to entice players. Our curator, Jonathan, could hold very intellectual discussions about how gaming was shaped by current events- but also was able to reach younger kids on their level and make 40 year old games seem like the hottest thing on the market. Any Computer Science, Art, or History teacher is going to find this place an opportune experience to spend an hour and a half and find themselves leaving with an increased interest in how physical and impactful the game industry has been in our lives.”

-Grant Tedaldi, Chicago Public Schools