Game On!

Exhibition

April 3–September 7, 2026

Temporary Exhibitions Gallery

Tickets

Purchasing Museum admission grants full access to all exhibitions on the selected day.

Image: Folio from a manuscript of Divan of Sultan Ibrahim Mirza, Iran, 1582-83, AKM282.87 © Aga Khan Museum

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Step into Game On! — a vibrant exhibition celebrating the art, culture, and spirit of games through time. From board games to daring sports, each piece invites you to explore how games connect people, spark creativity, and build communities.

From ancient game boards and legendary chess battles to fast-paced sports and digital quests, Game On! celebrates the excitement and joy of play. Across centuries and continents, games have tested skills and fuelled competitive streaks. Every artwork, object, and image captures moments of strategy, triumph and teamwork.

Game On! is interactive

Ready to play? Join the action with Game On!, where every move, match, and win tells a story!

Feel the tension before a winning move in backgammon or chess, or the rush of finding digital artifacts. Games push us to think faster, aim higher, and dream bigger. Game On! reveals how the spirit of play continues to challenge, inspire, and bring us together. Make your move!

Art that connects cultures

Where ancient artifacts meet contemporary art, over 100 works reveal how play transcends borders, fuels imagination, and connects people the world over. Encounter extraordinary works ranging from one of the world’s earliest surviving Persian chess sets to immersive digital experiences by leading contemporary artists.

Curated by

Bita Pourvash

Learn about Bita Pourvash

Bita Pourvash

Bita Pourvash is a Curator at the Aga Khan Museum. Since joining in 2012, she has been involved in numerous exhibitions and curatorial projects, including co-curating Light: Visionary Perspectives (2024), Transforming Traditions: The Arts of 19th-century Iran (2018) and curating contemporary installations Cultured Pallets (2023) and Faig Ahmed: Dissolving Order (2019). In her role, Bita researches the Museum Collections, working closely on the biannual themed installations in the Gallery. She has contributed to several exhibition catalogues and delivered lectures on the Museum’s collection. Prior to joining the Museum, she worked as a researcher at the Royal Ontario Museum and as a lecturer at York University, Semnan University, and the Higher Education Center for Iranian Heritage.